According to the USDA, more than 10 percent of U.S. households were food insecure in 2021, and the Department of Defense has reported that 24 percent of military families are food insecure. This year, OneOp will focus efforts on providing programming to service providers and educators on ways to connect at-risk families to programs and services. This will also be a great opportunity to highlight the important work Extension has been doing in food and nutrition for decades!
Food Security in Focus is a collection of free programming that will equip professionals with tools and information about the prevalence of food insecurity, and connect them with resources to help families who are at risk. This is a wonderful opportunity to integrate core concepts of Extension programming into the Military Family Readiness System.
The Military Family Readiness System has many parallels to the work we do in Extension. Its goal is to improve family well-being through a network of government agencies and community-based organizations that support families. In this way, Extension programs are a part of the Military Family Readiness System. The Food Security in Focus programming highlights the established work Extension has been doing in the area of food security, such as SNAP-Ed, gardening, and agriculture.
In addition to live and on-demand webinars, OneOp is hosting a LinkedIn group for service providers and educators to connect around the issue of food security. This is a space for dialogue, resource sharing, and networking with those working in the Military Family Readiness System.
In June, this programming will take a focused look at food insecurity among military families during the Military Family Readiness Academy. OneOp will host two live, interactive webinars and an asynchronous course. We are honored to have the expertise of Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Dr. Angela Odoms-Young guiding these offerings in June. Dr. Odoms-Young will help facilitate the live events and is the author of the course.
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