Rutgers University has been awarded $335,261 for “NJ Leaves No Bite Behind,” a two-year, state-funded project focused on educational interventions to reduce food waste in schools. Rutgers will pilot this first-of-its-kind environmental education curriculum for K-12 in two schools in Ocean and Passaic counties to assess an interdisciplinary, experiential program focused on sustainable food habits […]
New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative Urges Food System Action in Two New Reports
The New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative (NJFDC), a statewide policy network of which Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) is a part, has released two companion reports on the future of New Jersey’s food system. The reports, “NJ Roadmap for Food System Resilience” and “The New Jersey Food System in a Nutshell,” are based on public input. […]
Rutgers Efforts to Improve Health Outcomes in Salem County as We Observe World Health Day
As the World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates World Health Day on April 7, one of the questions it asks is, “Are we able to reimagine a world where clean air, water and food are available to all?” Rutgers Department of Family and Community Health Sciences (FCHS), a unit of Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE), is driven […]
Rutgers Culture of Health School Program Launches in-Person Component in Edison School District
The Rutgers Culture of Health School Program (RCHSP), which was established with a $100,000 grant from the The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, was launched in the Edison Township Public Schools in February this year. A community outreach initiative under the New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, RCHSP fosters and promotes lifestyles centered around […]
NJAES and SEBS Share in USDA-NIFA Funding for Human Chronic Disease Prevention
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently announced an investment of more than $5 million to support projects that impact diet, nutrition and chronic disease prevention. The Rutgers project, “People, Plants, and The Planet: A Multi-Method Study to Develop, Implement & Evaluate a Food & Climate Change Intervention to […]
NJHKI Celebrates National Nutrition Month® With Community Outreach Programs
By Faith Qualshie, program coordinator, NJ Healthy Kids Initiative (NJHKI), Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health New Jersey Healthy Kids Initiative (NJHKI), in collaboration with the Rutgers New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, and the Child Health Institute of New Jersey, is focused on improving child health by conducting evidence-based research, education, and […]
‘Fall’-ing for Jersey Fresh Autumn Treats
By Jennifer Shukaitis, Assistant Professor/Educator, State-Wide; and Christine Zellers, Assistant Professor/Educator, Cape May County; Department of Family and Community Health Sciences, Rutgers Cooperative Extension. It’s Fall, Y’all! Now that the days are getting shorter and holiday decorations are filling store displays, you may be thinking about the warm, comforting fall dishes that accompany the autumn season. Fall is the perfect time […]
Turkey Talk with Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s Food & Nutrition Experts: The Department of Family & Community Health Sciences
By Luanne J. Hughes, MS, RDN: Educator & Professor, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County Thanksgiving is just a few days away. One of our biggest food holidays of the year, Thanksgiving brings with it great anticipation about family, food, and fun. But it can also arouse a bit of apprehension over the monumental task of food preparation and keeping food safe so […]
RCE receives USDA-NIFA Funding to Promote Vaccine Education in Rural America
There is significant concern among farmworkers and farmers about on-farm transfer of the COVID-19 virus. The ability to connect with vaccine providers has proven difficult for those language and technology/internet barriers, and those without established relationships with health care providers. In addition, undocumented farmworkers are less likely to have a health care connection and are […]
The Unexpected Health Benefits of Gardening
By Jennifer Shukaitis, assistant professor/educator, Department of Family & Community Health Sciences. Summer has arrived in New Jersey, and with it, the longer, sunnier days that can inspire people to (literally!) dig in and garden. This year, gardening may be an especially beneficial activity as people emerge and recover from any negative experiences or feelings […]
