Democrats such as U.S. Rep. Angie Craig meanwhile argue that the program could have been reformed instead of bluntly eliminated.
“I am always looking for ways to make government work better, but eliminating SNAP-Ed doesn’t improve health outcomes for Americans who use the program to stretch their SNAP dollars, cook healthy meals and improve physical health,” Craig said on Wednesday.
At its core, the job entails ensuring community members smartly make use of nutrition funds. But the Extension programming goes way beyond how to use SNAP dollars.
In Park Rapids, Anderson said she’d been facilitating discussions for developing a wellness center. She also partnered with the farmers market to bring discounted fruits and vegetables for kids and seniors.
In the southwest corner of the state, Jose Lamas in Worthington has been teaching low-income families about financial literacy since 2006. He’s given talks on how to save money on groceries, how to buy a home and how to apply for college scholarships. And since 2021, Lamas, who grew up on a farm in Mexico, has been the coordinator of a community garden program in Worthington that has grown to include about 100 families.
Among his favorite moments, Lamas said, was helping someone start a small taxi business.