Throughout Indiana, the Purdue Extension Nutrition Education Program (NEP) works to improve the nutrition and health of audiences with limited resources.

We focus on five areas—nutrition, physical activity, food security, food safety and food resource management—and offer two major initiatives to communities, FREE of charge:

1. Nutrition Education/SNAP-Ed
Our NEP Assistants provide free nutrition education to youth and adults through schools and a variety of community groups.  Our research-based programming is fun, hands-on and easy to understand. The highly interactive lessons help participants:

• Plan nutritious meals
• Be active
• Handle food safely
• Spend food dollars wisely
• Improve food purchasing and preparation skills

2. Community Wellness Coordinators
Our Community Wellness Coordinators help make the healthy choice the easy choice. They collaborate with community partners on broader community change that involves policy, system and environmental initiatives.

Ask about our work in:

• Health coalitions
• Community gardens
• School and workplace wellness
• Healthy corner stores
• Trails and parks
• Farm to school
• Farmers markets
• Active living
• Food access
• Food pantries

Target Audiences
The Purdue Extension Nutrition Education Program serves:

• SNAP recipients
• Individuals with limited resources (youth, seniors, singles, homeless, migrants, families, single parents)
• Schools with 50% or more free and reduced lunch
• Communities with high poverty rates

Funding and Impact
NEP has existed in Indiana since 1994 as a part of Purdue Extension. We’re funded by two federal funding streams:

• SNAP-Ed, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education Division
• EFNEP, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program