Tagged With "Military Service Members"
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Helping Service Members Overcome Stress and Anxiety Challenges
It’s a new year and many of us are getting back into the swing of things after the recent holiday break. Everyone is getting back to work prioritizing their to-do lists for the upcoming year. Many military service members and their families are doing the same. There are many great benefits to serving in the military, for service members and their families as well. Career and educational opportunities as well as fulfilling a sense of purpose. However, as with any great opportunity, there also...
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Alignment with a Stop Light?
You've worked hard to come up with a great plan that will make things easier, remove frustrations, and even save time for everyone. You're proud of it. It's thorough. It's researched. You've consulted people with more experience in this area. You've taken criticism. You've been vulnerable. Now it's time for the big meeting to unveil it. You're excited. Even a bit nervous. It's your turn on the agenda and... Your excitement is met with a mild, lukewarm reception from the team. What happened?
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Job Opening: Pesticide Safety Education Coordinator, UC Statewide IPM Program (Davis, CA)
The University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program is seeking an energetic person to coordinate, develop, and deliver educational programs in pesticide safety for users of pesticides in California. In this position, you would provide objective information about pesticide safety and promote sound decision making to reduce pesticide risks to human health and the environment in the context of integrated pest management. You would also serve as the Pesticide Safety...
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The Perfect Meeting
"One can either work or meet. One cannot do both at the same time." -Peter Drucker Darn it! He's right again. Despite our best efforts we can only do one of these (effectively) at a time. Through this, he also reminds us of the multitasking myth. What we actually do is task switch. It takes 40% longer to accomplish two things we're switching on and longer when we add a third or fourth task. One thing we can do to help with effectiveness is to have better meetings. Most HR professionals will...
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Uplifting the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Youth
An estimated 5% of the 1.76 million youth in military families identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer. Surveyed LGBTQ youth with a parent currently serving in the military that experienced high levels of family support reported lower mental health challenges and suicide risk ( Trevor Project, 2022 ). When youth feel safe at home, their mental wellness is significantly improved. Fostering healthy family relationships translates into protective factors for younger and older...
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Three Strategies to Better Meet Military Families’ Needs
By Anna Peterson Summary Military-connected populations, including military families, face unique needs and barriers in finding services and care for family members. Extension educators/agents who serve military-connected populations can deploy three strategies to better meet their needs: 1) use the Social Determinants of Health model; 2) build collaborations with others; and 3) use a care coordination tool. Introduction The needs of the military-connected population (e.g., service members,...
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University of Arizona job opening - Extension Specialist (Associate/Full) and Director of SNAP-Ed & EFNEP
The School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness and Cooperative Extension at the University of Arizona welcome applicants for a twelve-month, continuing-track Associate Specialist or Specialist position responsible for leadership, strategic planning, and program direction of statewide nutrition and physical activity programs. Minimum qualifications include: a doctorate degree in Nutritional Sciences, or a related discipline; a record of scholarly accomplishments; and a record of managing...
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Food Insecurity Featured in Free Webinars From OneOp
Connect with OneOp as they focus efforts on providing programming to equip professionals with tools and information about the prevalence of food insecurity, and connect them with resources to help families who are at risk.
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Let’s talk about nutrition security
By Noelle Harden I recently talked with my mom and grandparents about hunger and food insecurity in the military. My grandpa served in the air force, then worked for the Veterans Administration. My mom spent her childhood moving across the country from base to base. They shared their struggles to be able to afford healthy and affordable food. Food Insecurity in the Military The RAND Corporation released a report last month on food security in the military. They found that 15.4% of active...
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Off to College: Preparing Military Teens for Post-Secondary Education
Military teens grow up with their own unique set of challenges. From parental deployments to relocation, teens in military families have learned to be flexible and resilient. That flexibility and resilience can be a great benefit when teens are planning their next steps after high school graduation. For many, that next step means heading off to college and laying the groundwork for the beginnings of a career. As military service providers, we can support military families as they navigate...
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Program Center Stage: Learn about the Free Tools and Resources Available for Extension Professionals
In this month's Program Center Stage, Extension Foundation’s Aaron Weibe provided an overview of the Foundation’s free tools and resources available for Cooperative Extension and Land-grant Universities including professional development opportunities, leadership, and team development, and other Member Solutions. Aaron walks through the tools, how to access them, and answers attendees' questions. Many participants noted that this session made them aware of many new tools available to them,...
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New from OneOp: Military Cultural Competency Course Designed for Extension Professionals!
Military families exist in every community and you, as an Extension professional, might serve them every day - whether you realize it or not. Around two-thirds of military families live off base and often live alongside civilians. Out of uniform, these service members are unrecognizable from civilians when they are in the grocery store, picking their kids up from school, and doing other everyday tasks in their community. The well-being of these families is crucial to the Department of...
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NECI's April Membership Meeting & May Professional Development Meeting
NECI Membership Engagement Meetings Wednesday, April 19, 2023 - and the third Wednesday of each month 12:00 PM (PT) // 1:00 PM (MT) // 2:00 PM (CT) // 3:00 PM (ET) Zoom link to the join the NECI Membership Engagement Meetings: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84440788669?pwd=aTU5a202Si9LeDAxUndaeW9MV3ZOdz09 The April meeting will be hosted by Sabrina Drill, NECI's Climate Fellow. Looking for additional opportunities to engage with your colleagues? Join us on Wednesday, April 19 for NECI’s...
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"No" isn't negative
"No! Don't touch the hot stove." "No! Don't text and drive." In these examples, "no" is actually positive to alert us from burning ourselves and not driving while distracted. In other situations, primarily in our professional lives, we perceive saying "no" will be viewed as negative. This leads to saying "yes" to much more than we can accomplish and the mistaken idea that if we're busy it means we're valued more. Does always being busy with more equal accomplishing more? Here's a scenario...
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Healthy Eating Resources for Families Facing Food Insecurity
As any parent can tell you, it can be tough to get your kids to eat healthy foods. Proper nutrition is an important part of raising happy and healthy families. But what happens when proper nutrition is difficult to obtain? Not having enough food to eat is a growing problem for many families, so it can be hard to eat healthily when food is limited. Whether a family is facing a lack of access to healthy foods or affordability issues, this challenge of food insecurity puts families through...
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USDA Studies Determine that the Way We Treat Our Land Impacts Water Availability
Studies by USDA Agricultural Research Service Determine that the Way We Treat Our Land Impacts Water Availability Media Contact : Maribel.Alonso@usda.gov What impact, if any, do farming and ranching practices have on how much water is available downstream? That was the question scientists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Agroclimate and Hydraulic Engineering Research Unit in El Reno, Oklahoma, set out to answer in a series of studies conducted in Central and Western Oklahoma.
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Expanding Food Security in Military Families
Since 2010, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Department of Defense have supported OneOp in delivering evidence-based programming focused on improving the well-being of military families. This year, the newest series within the Military Family R eadiness Academy streamlines the efforts of these two agencies into a single focus: to expand food security in military families. We value the support of our longtime advocate, Brent Elrod, Science Programs Officer and...
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Extension Foundation Position Announcement: Chief Executive Officer
Extension Foundation Chief Executive Officer Position Description Title: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Time: Full-time Overall Role: Executive leader and manager of the Extension Foundation and Executive Officer of the Extension Foundation Board of Directors Salary: Commensurate with education and experience The Extension Foundation (EXF) is a member-based, nonprofit 501(c)3, created to support Cooperative Extension and its strategic partners. The primary purpose of the EXF is to generate...
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Military Families and Food Security
Mark your calendars for OneOp’s upcoming Military Family Readiness Academy series , Military Families and Food Security: A Call to Action , starting on 1 June. The MFRA is a free virtual multi-disciplinary learning opportunity for service providers, expanding their knowledge to educate and support service members and families. Watch a special message from Mrs. Patricia Barron, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Military Community and Family Policy at...
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Social Determinants of Health for Military Families in Transition
By: Jenny Rea, Ph.D. , Edited by Anna Peterson Arizona is home to 500,000+ service members, veterans, and their families. I recently had the opportunity to attend the Arizona Coalition for Military Families’ 13th Annual Statewide Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona. This annual event is Arizona’s only conference that brings together the military, government, and community. The symposium focuses on strengthening services and support for Arizona’s military-connected population. As Extension...
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Serving with Pride: The History and Impact of LGBTQ+ Military Service Members
By Dr. Tiffany Lange, Psy.D. (she/her/hers) LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, and related identities) people have existed throughout history (e.g., two-spirit in Native American cultures) and are present in every aspect of society – they are the people we know, the people we love, and even the people who serve in our military. In the United States (U.S.), less than 1% of the population volunteer to serve in the armed forces and there are often assumptions about...
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USDA Announces Funding for 33 Institutions for $262.5M Investment through NEXTGEN Opportunity
The Extension Foundation (EXF) was awarded by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) in the Fall of 2022 to serve as the Technical Service Provider for the NEXTGEN Funding Opportunity. According to USDA-NIFA, “...the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) ‘ From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals Program ’ (NextGen) will enable eligible institutions, from New York to the Northern Mariana Islands, to...
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FREE Webinar Series!
The Association for Continuing Higher Education ( ACHE ) is hosting a 5 session summer webinar series. Everyone is welcome at these free events! To find out more on the topics and to register, click HERE ! If you have any questions or curiosities please send them to: leadership@extension.org Have a great summer! *For more information on Extension Foundation member offerings in Leadership & Team Development click HERE !
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Helping Military Families Inflation-Proof Their Budget
For over two years, U.S. inflation rates have exceeded their long-term average of about 3%. Like all Americans, military families have experienced a loss of purchasing power as their income cannot buy as much as it did previously. Individuals cannot stop inflation but they can mitigate its impact. Below are six inflation-fighting strategies for Extension professionals to discuss with Service members: Needs Versus Wants Analysis - During inflationary times, it is more important than ever to...
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We are hiring: University of Minnesota Extension Specialist Faculty Position
The Department of Family Social Science in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) and University of Minnesota Extension Department of Family, Health and Wellbeing seeks a tenure track Assistant Professor whose work centers community-based applied research approaches to studying family health, resilience and thriving in the context of social and economic inequalities. The person in this role will contribute through 1) establishing a national and international reputation in...
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Ten Tips for Military Families to Survive a “Financial Tornado”
U.S. consumers haven’t just experienced a “perfect storm” of financial challenges…they have experienced a “perfect tornado!” Challenging financial events include sustained high inflation (and increased costs for food, utilities, rent, gas, insurance, housing, etc.), recession fears, increased interest rates, bank failures and government bank take-overs, volatile stock prices, lower savings rates, and increasing household debt. Extension professionals routinely answer questions from clients...
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Tenure-track Junior/Assistant Extension Agent for Agricultural Economics
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM) University of Hawai`i at Mānoa CTAHR is a premier college missioned to provide exceptional transdisciplinary education, research, and extension in tropical agriculture, natural resources, and human well-being to local and global communities. NREM is an interdisciplinary department, weaving multiple knowledge systems for stewardship of natural resources, and...
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Tenure-track Junior/Assistant Extension Agent for Agricultural Finance
University of Hawaii / College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources / Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management Job Opening: Tenure-track Junior/Assistant Extension Agent for Agricultural Finance College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM) University of Hawai'i at Mānoa CTAHR is a premier college that has a mission to provide exceptional transdisciplinary education, research, and...
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What is ExtensionBot?
This work is supported by funding from a cooperative agreement with USDA-NIFA and in partnership with Oklahoma State University, New Technologies for Ag Extension, grant no 2020-41595-30123. ExtensionBot is a chatbot that is built and deployed by the Extension Foundation. We are working closely with Eduworks Corporation on the development and deployment of the technology. ExtensionBot is backed by an LLM (Large Language Model) that is trained exclusively on data provided by Cooperative...
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Normalizing the Conversation: Mental Health
By: Sara Croymans adapted by Anna Peterson Part 1 of this blog post introduced the topic of military mental health and suicide and provided a variety of resources. To learn more, go back and read the blog post here . Many Service members and veterans with mental health needs are not seeking treatment for mental health care. One study found that more than 60% of veterans of the Iraq war that screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety, or depression did...
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Coaching 101
If you're after self-improvement at all you've probably sought out a coach. These days it's cool to have a coach. Whatever your goal, great progress can be made with a coach. What about when someone asks you for help? Or you're in a role that requires you to guide others? What will your approach be? What will your style be? For me, it's helpful to start from the beginning, perhaps it will help you too as you consider how to bring the best version of yourself to the role of coach. I'm just...
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Promoting Physical, Mental, and Emotional Wellness for Military Families
Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT The end of another summer is upon us. Families have geared up for back-to-school season and that means reestablishing routines that will last through the upcoming school year. With families getting back into the swing of things, it’s important to remember to prioritize self-care and wellness practices so as not to get overwhelmed with a jam-packed schedule. Incorporating health and wellness practices can help reduce the stress that military families...
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Invitation to participate in a survey from The Ohio State University
Dear extension office members, I am the second-year One Welfare resident at Ohio State University’s One Welfare and Sustainability Center (OWSC) through the College of Veterinary Medicine. I am conducting a survey-based research project for my master’s degree and am asking for your help in distribution to stakeholders you may work with, or know, in production animal industries. The main objectives of this project are to assess stakeholder knowledge and experience on the wellbeing of the...
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Family Life Educator Position - Illinois
WE TRANSFORM LIVES. Everything we do is designed to improve the quality of life of the people in the state of Illinois, across the nation, and around the world. We discover, develop, translate, and disseminate knowledge to address societal concerns and train the next generation of experts and leaders in a way that empowers them to expand the boundaries of science to higher levels of understanding and influence. Be a part of our story. Through learning partnerships that extend knowledge and...
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Treat each other with L.O.V.E.
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...
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Preparing for Student Loan Payment Resumption
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.
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"Hot" for Change!
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...
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Illinois Extension Youth Development Educator position opening - closes November 9
Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development – Unit 2 The University of Illinois Extension is seeking an individual to provide educational leadership for program delivery in Unit 2 (Boone, DeKalb, and Ogle Counties). Master’s degree related to subject matter emphasis required. To view complete job description and apply, visit https://go.illinois.edu/1020816 . Closing date is November 9, 2023 . The U of I is an EEO Employer/Vet/Disabled http://go.illinois.edu/EEO that participates in the federal...
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Illinois Extension is Seeking a Watershed Outreach Associate
The University of Illinois Extension is seeking an individual to deliver research-based educational programs, developed in cooperation with University personnel and campus-based faculty with an emphasis on watershed management in or near one of the phosphorus-priority watersheds
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National Bullying Prevention Month: What Parents and Providers Can Do To Combat Bullying
Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT, Virginia Tech Every October, communities across the United States come together to observe National Bullying Prevention Month. Bullying is a widespread problem in the U.S. that affects millions of children, adolescents, and even adults. Bullying behavior is very common. According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 high school students reported being bullied on school property and 1 in 6 high schoolers reported being bullied electronically in the last year (CDC,...
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6-words
On a trip to Delhi, India we had the privilege to stay at a really nice hotel. A really impressive place where the experience began as soon as we arrived. They treated everyone very well and you could feel everyone loved their job. The staff interacted great with each other. The were a team! One evening during dinner I asked what made being at this place feel so special. Their reply was; "We all live by 6 words. People first, wow now, and excellence always." Curious, I asked them to explain...
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Scam Prevention Information for Military Families
In 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received over 93,000 reports of fraud by Military Consumers. Military families are frequent targets for scams. Explore the reasons for this, discover how you can help clients spot, avoid and report fraud.
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Organic Agriculture Extension Field Specialist
South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension is searching for an Organic Agriculture Extension Field Specialist I. This is a 12-month, full-time, benefit-eligible position available in one of our regional extension centers located in either Aberdeen, Lemmon, Mitchell, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Watertown, or Winner. The position is supervised by the Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Leader and is affiliated with either the Department of Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant...
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Virginia Cooperative Extension/Virginia Tech is Seeking a Master’s level Associate Extension Specialist for Family and Community Economics
Virginia Cooperative Extension/Virginia Tech is seeking a Master’s level Associate Extension Specialist for Family and Community Economics. The position is located on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. The position is OPEN UNTIL FILLED. Additional details follow. Please share the position announcement widely: https://careers.pageuppeople.com/968/cw/en-us/job/527278/associate-extension-specialist-family-community-economics.
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UNH Extension Seeks Plant Pathology Program Manager
UNH Extension Seeks a Plant Pathology Program Manager | Extension The Plant Pathology Program Manager will work under the general direction of the Plant Diagnostic Lab director and Extension’s Food and Agriculture Program Team leader. The program manager will be primarily responsible for handling plant health samples within the Plant Diagnostic Lab and working with the Production Agriculture Integrated Pest Management Team in proving outreach to commercial growers in New Hampshire. Lab work...
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Twelve Coordinator Positions Available: Extension Foundation and ECOP WorkForce Development Program Action Team Launches AgriProspects Workforce Development Network
Summary NEW Application Due Date: November 17th, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET. Application Link: https://webportalapp.com/sp/agriprospects Positions Available: AgriProspects Regional Network Coordinators, AgriProspects Regional Content Coordinators Time Frame: This is a five-year grant project. Support for each position is a flat $25,000 per year beginning on or about January 1, 2024. Funds can be used by the recipient to support the portion of an FTE commensurate with the incumbent’s current rate of...
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Application Deadline Extended for 12 Coordinator Positions – AgriProspects Workforce Development Network
Summary NEW Application Due Date: November 17th, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET. Application Link: https://webportalapp.com/sp/agriprospects Positions Available: AgriProspects Regional Network Coordinators, AgriProspects Regional Content Coordinators Time Frame: This is a five-year grant project. Support for each position is a flat $25,000 per year beginning on or about January 1, 2024. Funds can be used by the recipient to support the portion of an FTE commensurate with the incumbent’s current rate of...
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Extension Foundation Announces New Technologies for Ag Extension Funding Opportunity: Applications Due December 22nd, 2023
Technology-Enhanced Cooperative Extension Hub (TECHExt) Summary : NTAE (New Technologies for Ag Extension) a grant from NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture) will begin Year 1 with the Extension Foundation January, 2024. EXF has the subaward for this grant from the University of New Hampshire who is the prime award for this funding. Within the funding EXF receives from the NTAE grant, one of the grant activity focus areas are the development of projects that lead to local impact...
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How to Support Attachment and Child Well-Being, Even in Times of Change and Transition
Written by Summer Jones, ZERO TO THREE Between birth and age 3, a child’s brain develops one million neural connections per second (Center on the Developing Child, 2007). These connections are built through repeated experiences with their caregivers. Babies are born wired for connection, instinctively drawing responses from their caregivers that help strengthen the bond between them (Sullivan et al., 2011). The building of this bond, or attachment, is a two-way street between baby and their...
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Trending Topics in Financial Education
Stay current with trending financial topics in order to effectively serve clients. Here is a brief description of five trending financial topics related to current events, economics, legislation, and consumer behavior. Implications for military families are described.