History

In 1969, EFNEP was funded as a permanent program with Smith-Lever 3(d) funds, a line item in the United States Farm Bill.
From its inception, the intent of EFNEP was to train “paraprofessional aides” to reach the nation’s poorest families living in rural areas and city ghettos and teach them the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to have nutritionally sound diets, contribute to their personal development, and improve the total family diet and nutritional well-being.

Program participants gain knowledge, skills, and confidence to make informed choices about low-cost, nutritious foods, and to better manage their family food budgets and become more self-sufficient. Communities with EFNEP draw upon professional and organizational relationships to tackle social and health disparities associated with hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and obesity.