Ruthie Losavio, Jessica Randazzo and Denise Holston

The LSU AgCenter Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) team is making significant strides in promoting healthier food and lifestyle choices for Louisiana families experiencing poverty. SNAP-Ed, a federal grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, helps SNAP recipients and other people facing financial hardship learn how to eat healthy and stay active with limited resources.

With a combination of hands-on education and community-wide changes, SNAP-Ed not only helps individuals make better decisions for their own health but also fosters environments that make those decisions easier. In fiscal year 2023 alone, SNAP-Ed reached more than 8,700 participants through nutrition lessons and implemented more than 70 policy, systems and environmental changes across 38 parishes. This highlights how LSU AgCenter SNAP-Ed is reshaping communities, empowering individuals and driving long-term, sustainable health improvements in Louisiana.

One major component of SNAP-Ed is educating people on how to make healthier choices on a limited budget. Its educational programs provide participants with essential skills, such as preparing affordable and nutritious meals, reducing consumption of unhealthy foods and increasing physical activity. This is no small task in a state where food insecurity is prevalent and access to healthy food is often limited.

A key metric of the program’s reach in 2023 is the number of participants — 8,733 — who benefited from these nutrition lessons. These lessons have had a noticeable impact, with 75% of participants reporting healthier eating habits. In a state where diet-related diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, are of significant concern, these improvements could contribute to better long-term health outcomes. Additionally, adults reported that they doubled their fruit intake after participating in the program, and two-thirds of participants became more physically active. This educational outreach is supported by nearly 1,000 partnerships statewide, enabling a wide network of organizations and volunteers to collaborate with the AgCenter to extend SNAP-Ed’s reach and impact.

Education is only one aspect of SNAP-Ed’s work. The program also aims to create lasting change by working with communities to address barriers to healthy living. This involves making changes to policies, systems and environments that support healthier lifestyles. These changes might include anything from improving access to nutritious food at local pantries to enhancing public spaces to encourage physical activity.

In 2023, SNAP-Ed supported the implementation of 74 policies, systems and environment changes across Louisiana. For instance, SNAP-Ed agents led Healthy Communities coalitions in various parishes to bring about long-term, sustainable solutions. Coalitions identify local health challenges and develop strategies to overcome them, whether by improving components of their local food system or creating more opportunities for physical activity. These coalitions consist of people who live and work in each unique community, which allows them to customize solutions to local needs, get input from other community members and avoid one-size-fits-all approaches.

One particularly noteworthy initiative in 2023 was the enhancement of 19 food pantries. SNAP-Ed staff worked with these pantries to introduce healthier food options and provide tools for clients to make healthier choices. This included using client-choice models, where pantry clients can select their own foods, much like a grocery store. SNAP-Ed staff provided partner pantries with nutrition lessons, cooking demonstrations, recipe cards and signs to educate and encourage healthy choices, promoting both autonomy and better nutrition among clients. Some pantries were even connected with a supply of healthy, locally grown food through Grow a Row to Share, a program that helps gardeners donate homegrown produce to food banks. These changes help ensure that families facing food insecurity are equipped to prepare nutritious, affordable meals.

Physical activity is another crucial component of a healthy lifestyle. In 2023, the SNAP-Ed program installed fitness signs, StoryWalks and silly walking track signs in 11 parks. These installations encourage park visitors to engage in physical activity in a fun and accessible way, accommodating a wide range of ages and abilities. By integrating exercise into everyday environments, SNAP-Ed helps make physical activity a part of daily life.

In addition to enhancing parks, SNAP-Ed worked with schools and libraries to install colorful playground stencils, which encourage children to be more active during their school day or while visiting local libraries. In 2023 alone, 11 painted play spaces were installed across the state, providing children with engaging, no-cost ways to stay active.

Another major event in 2023 was the inaugural Louisiana Charitable Food Summit hosted by the LSU AgCenter Healthy Communities initiative. The summit brought together nearly 150 stakeholders from across the state to discuss challenges and solutions related to food insecurity. As a result of this summit, quarterly networking calls were established to foster ongoing collaboration and innovation within the state’s charitable food system. SNAP-Ed staff were an integral part of the event’s success and continued relationship-building efforts between the biennial summits.

The program’s wide-reaching impact cannot be accomplished alone. Partnerships and community involvement are critical to SNAP-Ed’s success. In fiscal year 2023, the program maintained 994 partnerships, and volunteers contributed 911 hours, a contribution valued at over $23,000. These partnerships and volunteers play a critical role in extending the program’s reach and ensuring that local needs are met. For example, partnerships with local governments, schools and community organizations have helped bring health-promoting initiatives, such as park improvements and school gardens, to fruition.

These school and community gardens have proven to be another impactful element of SNAP-Ed’s approach. In 2023, 14 sites benefitted from these hands-on gardening projects, which reinforce nutrition lessons and provide participants with lifelong skills necessary to grow their own food. Both children and adults learn the importance of fresh, local produce while building healthy eating habits in an engaging and accessible way.

The LSU AgCenter SNAP-Ed program is making a significant impact in Louisiana, especially among residents experiencing poverty. By combining education with community-based initiatives, SNAP-Ed is not only teaching people how to live healthier lives but also creating environments where healthy choices are easier to make.

As the program continues to grow and evolve, it will remain a vital part of the effort to improve health outcomes for Louisianans, ensuring that everyone, regardless of income or zip code, can live a healthy and active life. To learn more about LSU AgCenter SNAP-Ed or to find your local agent or educator, visit www.LSUAgCenter.com/SNAPEd.

Ruthie Losavio is the communications coordinator for the AgCenter Healthy Communities program. Jessica Randazzo is a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) field coordinator. Denise Holston, a registered dietitian and an associate professor in the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, leads the Healthy Communities initiative.

This article appeared in the winter 2025 issue of Louisiana Agriculture.

Stenciling projects promote activity by turning any sidewalk into an opportunity for play. Photo provided by Kristy Monier

The LSU AgCenter Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) team helps people learn to make healthier choices through educational opportunities similar to this gardening demonstration at a local church's health fair. Photo by Ruthie Losavio