Healthy Androscoggin is committed to the promotion of healthy eating as a core public health principle. As we navigate how to incorporate this back into our work, we hope that this resource page provides some support and structure to our partners and their communities. Below, find food access and benefit resources, curricula, recorded full series facilitation, course options ad teaching supports, recipe resources and community connections.

 

Fully updated twice yearly in November and April, and as often as changes are needed.

 

Benefits and Incentive Programs

  • Farm Fresh Rewards provide shoppers using SNAP benefits at participating retailers with an immediate 50% discount on eligible (local) produce!

  • Maine Harvest Bucks provide shoppers using SNAP benefits at participating farmers' markets with bonus funds for produce purchases.

  • SUN Bucks (also known as Summer EBT) is a federal grocery benefit for students that eligible families receive once a year during school summer vacation.

  • WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) benefits provide nutritious foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding/chestfeeding support, and referrals to eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum individuals, infants, and children up to age five. These benefits are available based on income guidelines and nutrition research.  

  • SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) provides a monthly benefit to help low-income households purchase nutritious food.

  • TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) provides cash assistance to families while they work towards becoming self-sufficient. Once enrolled in TANF you may also be eligible for help receiving job training and education.

  • General Assistance (GA) helps individuals and families to meet their basic needs. This may include help paying for household or personal supplies (toiletries, cleaning supplies), food, housing (e.g., mortgage, rent, room rent, temporary housing), fuel & utilities, medical, dental, prescriptions, medical supplies/equipment, burial costs. 

  • Maine Equal Justice Project: Maine Equal Justice focuses its work on many of the issues that affect people’s daily lives – access to adequate health care, housing, transportation and childcare; food and income security; and higher education and training. 

Full Curricula

Pick a Better Snack (K-3)

Growing Active Readers (PreK-2)

Eat Well, Play Hard (PreK)

Cooking Matters (Kids, Teens, Adults, Families, Childcare Professionals)

Recorded Class Series Facilitation

Pick a Better Snack (K-3) Full curricula content recordings from Emily and Becca, including read-aloud book options for every month!

Food Smarts Kids (grades 3-6) Full 8-session series curriculum recordings from Becca.

Cooking Matters for Kids (grades 3-6) Full 8-session curricula content recordings from Emily.

Eat Well, Play Hard (PreK) Full 6-session curricula content recordings from Emily.

Courses and Teaching Material

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) delivers interactive food and nutrition education to income-eligible parents, caregivers, young adults, teens, and children. And a low-cost online course, 10 Steps to a Healthier You available to anyone, no eligibility requirements!

Good Shepherd Food Bank’s Nutrition and Education Department is committed to ensuring that Mainers facing hunger have access to nutritious foods and educational resources to make the best decision for their families. If you are interested in participating in Cooking Matters or learning more about hosting a Cooking Matters class in your area, please contact Denise Gaudette, Cooking Matters Manager at Good Shepherd Food Bank, dgaudette@gsfb.org or (207) 782-3554 x1129 

Hannaford - Dietitians & Healthy Living’s team of registered dietitians offer free nutrition education in stores, online and in our communities.

USDA Printable Materials and Handouts includes a wide variety of USDA nutrition education materials.

Myplate.gov offers tip sheets and information for healthy eating at all life stages, information on dietary guidelines, recipes, meal planning tools, printable activity sheets and coloring pages, professional supports and more! 

Leah's Pantry’s mission is to build and implement community nutrition and food security programs that align with trauma-informed, resilience-focused principles. We envision communities where everyone can cultivate a healthy relationship with food and their bodies. Leah's Pantry holds trainings and workshops, creates and trains partners to deliver nutrition and food related curriculum, and is active in federal initiatives. 

Team Nutrition is an initiative of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to support the child nutrition programs through training and technical assistance for foodservice, nutrition education for children and their caregivers, and school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity.

Recipe Resources

Eatfresh.org Huge variety of recipes and cuisines for cooking on a budget. Ability to filter by recipe type, cooking environment, dietary needs and more. 

Foodhero.org Make choosing a recipe easy with options to filter for cooking for one, main ingredient, dietary needs, kid approved, cooking method and more. Also includes resources to learn more about ingredients, gardening tips, print activity sheets, read blog posts or receive monthly publications. 

Myplatekitchen.gov provides recipes and resources to support building healthy and budget-friendly meals.

Cookingmatters.org includes a variety of filters to help you select a recipe that is just right for you! 

Nutrition For ME: Recipes for a variety of delicious meals – includes language and accessibility including text-to-speech feature. 

Other Community Resources

Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets works with farmers, consumers, and communities to make wholesome, locally-grown foods available to all residents, to educate consumers about food resources, and to support farm viability

Full Plates, Full Potential works to strengthen child nutrition programs as critical tools for ending childhood food insecurity in Maine. They envision a future where all kids in Maine have the food they need to thrive and reach their full potential. They provide resources for School Nutrition Providers, Policy Makers, students, and SNAP Outreach. 

Gather to Grow makes "fresh, culturally preferred food accessible, facilitate opportunities to learn and lead, and create community change." A great partner to connect with about garden education and management and food access programs. 

ASNNA (Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators) is a professional organization for SNAP Nutrition Education administrators dedicated to improving the nutritional status of SNAP recipients and those eligible for SNAP-Ed. ASNNA also serves as a nationwide resource for nutrition education and obesity prevention, network expertise, partnership development, and policy advocacy.