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Family and Consumer Sciences Educational Programs are designed to help Miami-Dade County families and youth and provide them with the skills needed to address a broad spectrum of nutrition, health, food safety and economic security. issues.

The overall goal of the program is to assist individuals and families to meet the challenges of daily living, through workshops, phone calls, group meetings, mass media, health fairs, and newsletter.

 The major family and consumer sciences program include:

Ø     Food, Nutrition and Health
Ø     EFNEP (Expanded Food and Nutrition Program)
Ø     Food Safety
Ø     Financial Management and Economic Well-Being
Ø     Hurricane/Disaster Preparation

      Helpline Newsletter - The goal of the Helpline Newsletter is to educate Miami-Dade County citizens on nutrition, health, food safety and consumer related issues.

F    Food, Nutrition and Health Program
The Food, Nutrition and Health Program is designed to educate Miami-Dade County Citizens and provide them with the skills needed to change lifestyle behaviors to reduce their risk of major chronic diseases and conditions, and adopt dietary practices recommended for different life cycle stages.

Expanded Food & Nutrition Program
The Expanded Food and Nutrition Program, EFNEP, is a Cooperative Extension Service educational program funded by USDA to help limited-income families and youth acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and changed behavior necessary to improve their diets in normal nutrition.

The EFNEP program operates in twelve Florida counties, with Miami-Dade County having the largest program. It has three distinct units, 2 adults and one youth.

Research has shown that for every $ invested in EFNEP, up to $10 is saved in health care cost. The benefits of EFENEP were characterized as dollars estimated to be saved on health care costs by the potential delay/avoidance of chronic disease and conditions as a result of EFNEP participants adopting optimal food, nutrition and lifestyle behaviors.

Food Safety
The food safety program is designed to provide effective educational programs to Miami-Dade citizens and consumers at various levels leading to improved food handling practices, and consequently to a safer food supply.

The target audiciences of the program include consumers, institutional and home food handlers, schools, institutional food services, youth and volunteer organizations.

Foodborne Illness Facts

Did you know...
      -Approximately 76 million people become sick from foodborne illness annually across the United States.
       -More than 325,000 people are hospitalized each year for foodborne illness.
       -Approximately 13 men, women, and children die every day from foodborne illness.
       -This year about 5,000 people will die from foodborne illness.

Some possible signs and symptoms you have a foodborne illness include:
       -Upset stomach
       -Fever
       -Diarrhea
       -Dehydration (sometimes severe) from losing bodily fluids.

Don't count on sight, smell and taste to test for food safety.  It can take ½ hour to 2 weeks to become sick from unsafe foods.  You may become sick later even if you feel OK after eating.

       Food Safety Publications

Food, Nutrition and Health Publications

Vending Machine Choices  Soybean Trans Fats in Focus  Why is it important to drink water  Talking About Trans Fat My Pyramid Calendar

Financial Management and Economic Well-Being
The overall goal of this program is to provide Miami-Dade County residents with practical and objective information which can help families and individuals plan their financial future and reach their goals. Specific emphasis includes helping youth adults, and older adults to:
        -better manage their resources through developing spending and savings plans.
        -manage credit, reduce debt and pay bills on time.
        -develop consumer competencies in the market place so they can evaluate alternatives and avoid frauds and scams.
        -learn effective consumer skills and develop shopping skills.

Family Economic and Economic Well-Being  Publications

 Family and Consumer Sciences Office
300 East 1^st Avenue, Rm. 113
Hialeah, Florida 33010-4808
(305) 888-5010
(305) 887-0411 FAX

Staff

Sandra Canales - scv@ifas.ufl.edu 
EFNEP, FNP, ext 105

Monica Dawkins - mads@ifas.ufl.edu 
EFNEP, FNP, ext 104

Jacquelyn Gibson - jwgibson@ifas.ufl.edu 

Kathie Roberts - KCRoberts@ufl.edu 
4-H Youth Program, ext. 107
Food Safety, Home Management, Family Economic Stability, ext 106