Blog

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Health People 2030 defines health literacy as: the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others. Nutrition.gov and the Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) make it easy to find nutrition information to empower you to make well-informed decisions regarding your health. Find resources for every level of health...

The Extension Foundation has released a new title. “Pumpkin Smash Playbook” shares how the University of Illinois Extension and community partners organize and host Pumpkin Smashes, fun community events that collect pumpkins for composting. The team hosted its first Pumpkin Smash in 2019. Since then, the organization has refined the process of planning, funding, and running Smashes. This playbook details how to organize a similar event in your community. Smashes teach people about the...

The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recently held its third meeting, where members discussed their list of prioritized questions that focus on the relationship of diet and health across the lifespan. As part of the discussions, the Committee presented new draft protocols for many of the scientific questions. The draft protocols discussed at the meeting are now online. A protocol – or plan – is developed for questions answered using systematic review or food pattern modeling...

Explore EPA Regulations on Pesticides and Bees in this webinar. Follow a pesticide's journey from risk assessment to the marketplace, led by host Andony Melathopoulos. Gain insights into the EPA's historical and current approaches, understanding their role in safeguarding pollinators. Since 2010, the EPA has focused on assessing pesticide risks to bees. The key question: Is the EPA effectively protecting bees? This webinar delves into this topic, exploring its impact on our environment and...

In October, the focus shifts to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the American Cancer Society (2023), breast cancer stands as the most prevalent cancer in women, and among Hispanic women in the United States, it remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis frequently gives rise to a multitude of questions and anxieties related to diet and nutrition. Register with OneOp on October 25, 2023 as we delve deeper into strategies that assist...

Early Registration Ending Soon (October 31,2023) Register Now and don’t forget to book your room at https://book.passkey.com/e/50633971 . If you are planning on coming early or staying later that the conference dates, please call the hotel at 615-255-8400. The Call for Presentation Proposals are still open. More detailed info including draft schedule can be found under the Register Now link.

Imagine you're making popcorn on the stove. You heat the oil and put in the kernels. Too little heat and the kernels don't pop. Too much heat and the popcorn isn't edible because it's burned. Just the right amount of heat makes a yummy treat! Heat is the catalyst for change. It's the same for our teams and organizations. You're in the regular weekly update meeting and the boss checks in on how everyone is doing with the newly installed system-wide software. One team member speaks up and says...

Dr. Gregg Hadley, Chairman of the Extension Foundation Board of Directors, announces the selection of Dr. Beverly Coberly as the new CEO of the Foundation. Dr. Coberly has been the interim CEO since the beginning of 2023 upon the retirement of her predecessor, Dr. Christine Nygren. Before this appointment, Dr. Coberly served as the Extension Foundation Chief Operating Off icer since 2016. Prior to her time with the Extension Foundation, Dr. Coberly held a steady progression of administrative...

News Release from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded a cooperative agreement to the Extension Foundation (EXF) to administer a national subaward program supporting Pesticide Safety Education Programs (PSEPs). The new project, titled “Empowered Up: A Comprehensive PSEFMP Promoting Efficiency & Environmental Justice,” will receive up to $15 million over five years. It will build upon a previous PSEP subaward program, also...

Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT September is more than just the transition from summer to fall; it’s also a time when we come together to raise awareness about an issue that affects millions of people worldwide—suicide. National Suicide Awareness Month is a crucial period during which we focus on spreading hope, support, and resources to help those in need. We wanted to fully explore the significance of this month, the objectives of many suicide prevention organizations, and how you can...

Payments on federal student loans have been suspended, without interest, since March 2020. After a 42 month hiatus, payments will resume for borrowers in October 2023. More than three years of suspended payments is a long time. A lot can happen in borrowers’ lives. Here are seven tips to help military families prepare for student loan payment resumption this month.

A team we worked with was doing well except for a couple of team members who didn't get along very well. At the end of their time with us, we asked how their relationship was going. Particularly we asked if they could trust the other person. One of them replied "yes". Initially, we were excited about their progress! They continued to say they could trust them to be a jerk. What?! After some follow-up questions, we learned the behaviors they exhibited to this team member supported predictive...