MEXICO, New York (May 5, 2008) – Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County Nutrition Program Educator Debbie Hunsberger loves her job. She meets families in the community and teaches them how to eat better, how to shop for healthy groceries on a budget, and how to make more informed nutritional decisions.

            Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County’s Human Ecology program offers Eat Smart New York nutrition education to families in individual group settings to improve the health and wellness of the community. Trained educators work with program participants to determine their needs and goals. The program consists of 6 to 12 sessions conducted in community centers or other locations convenient for the participant.

            The program includes education on sanitary conditions for food preparation and storage, nutritional information, how to prepare food in a healthy way, and how to make the most of a family’s food budget by making healthy shopping choices.

            “There are a lot of rewards in this job,” Hunsberger said. “You see the difference you are making with each visit. They tell you what they have done differently and you really feel good about that.”

            Amy Guyette is another Nutrition Program Educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension who shares Hunsberger’s love for the job.

            “We are the ‘good guy agency’,” said Guyette. “We are there to help people improve their lives. There are very few participants that do not graduate from the 6 to 12 visit program. Once you start talking to them about their health and how they can improve their habits, most people are very receptive.”

            A special component of the program is its prenatal education portion called Project Stork. Project Stork assists mothers-to-be to care for themselves and their newborn during pregnancy. Many of the same nutritional and educational principals are used and the educators often get to know the new mothers well during the program.

            Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County Human Ecology Team Coordinator, Cindy Walsh, said even though the educators may complete the program with the new mother, they often visit them in the hospital after they have had their babies.

            “They go back to see the baby,” Walsh said. “They really involve themselves in the education process and what happens afterwards to these individuals is important to them.”

            Hunsberger added, “When you work with a prenatal participant, you have been a part of their lives during their pregnancy. You may only be a small part of it, but you want to see the newborn.”

            Being a part of the lives of the participants, even for a brief time, is what makes educators like Hunsberger and Guyette get up and come to work each day.

            “It takes a special person to do this job,” Hunsberger said. “You need to have compassion and care for the people you are working with. If you have that and you can make the difference in their daily lives, the rewards are many.”

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County Executive Director Paul Forestiere said in order to meet the organization’s goal of graduating 220 families annually from the program, more program educators like Hunsberger and Guyette   are needed.                                                                                                                            (Photo Two)

            “I want to clone both Debbie and Amy,” Forestiere said. “I need more Debbie’s and more Amy’s to spread the good word to those who need the information. We currently have positions available. The work they do can not be underestimated in the way it improves the lives of these individuals, their families and their community.”

            Walsh said that many of the educators she has had remain with the position for many years.

            “Once you start helping these participants, you really see the difference you make and many of them have told me over the years how satisfying the job is to them,” Walsh said. “In our Human Ecology program we have three educational goals: health, safety and nutrition and our educators are on the front lines of promoting all of these goals.”

            Cornell Cooperative Extension is a key outreach system of Cornell University with a strong public mission and an extensive local presence that is responsive to needs in New York communities. The Cornell Cooperative Extension educational system enables people to improve their lives and communities through partnerships that put experience and research knowledge to work.

If you would like to learn more about the Oswego County Human Ecology program or Eat Smart New York, contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County at (315) 963-7286, or visit http://counties.Cornell Cooperative

About Photo One:10-year-old Aliyah Conner watches and listens very closely as Debbie Hunsberger, Nutrition Program Educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County, explains to Aliyah, showing her a sample vile of sugar, which represents the amount of sugar contained in a 12 oz soda. Aliyah, at the home of her grandparents, Dave and Melanie Stevenson of Fulton is learning all about eating healthier.

About Photo Two:Debbie Hunsberger, Nutrition Program Educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County, works with 10-year-old, Aliyah Conner, on exercises with a hoola-hoop to stay fit and healthy.