2014-2015 Annual Report

The University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources programs are open to all and will not discriminate

against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political

affiliation, or gender identity and expression.

University of Maryland Extension-Baltimore City 6615 Reisterstown Rd, Suite 201 Baltimore, MD 21215 410-856-1850 http://extension.umd.edu/baltimore-city

UME-Baltimore City Annual Report | 2015 1

Message from the Director

Greetings! University of Maryland Extension (UME)-Baltimore City is a part of a statewide, educational component of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR), University of Maryland at College Park and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. It delivers research-based programs to residents in the areas of 4-H Youth Development, Nutrition, Financial Education, and Urban Agriculture to help solve problems and improve lives and communities. UME-Baltimore City continues to deliver research-based programs in all 14 City Council districts. In 2014-2015, UME-Baltimore City celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Extension nationally by hosting an open house, and partnered with Lexington Market, Inc., to inform and engage city residents in interactive educational learning activities. To view pictures of the events, click http://extension.umd.edu/baltimore-city. It was a year of celebrating the rich history of Extension and implementing the strategic focus of where it must go in order to meet the needs of our growing, diverse and global community. UME-Baltimore City delivered programs at 184 locations citywide. Sixty-eight of these locations were communities that were a part of our community development plan and along the formally proposed Baltimore City Red Line (a 14-mile light rail transit project). UME-Baltimore City provided direct training to community members and volunteers who, in turn, trained approximately18,000 youth and adults in multiple communities to implement initiatives in horticulture and food system, the environment, positive youth development, workforce and business development, financial literacy, Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM), and nutrition education. Faculty and staff secured $114,864 in grant and cost recovery dollars to offer additional support to these existing and new program initiatives. UME-Baltimore City has formed unique partnerships that fostered an active engagement of community partners who supported these initiatives and are willing to commit to match University resources to advance this strategic community development effort.

UME-Baltimore City partners to provide solutions in your community! Manami Brown, M.Ed. City Extension Director

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University of Maryland Extension-Baltimore City

“The University of Maryland is an Equal Opportunity Employer with Equal Access Program”.

“Extension offers trusted research, life-changing programs, useful information, science-based

solutions and inspiring stories.” -Stakeholder

University of Maryland Extension-Baltimore City

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4-H Youth Development

Baltimore City 4-H educational programs provide youth (ages 5-18) with opportunities to enhance their individual gifts, talents, knowledge and skills in a safe and healthy environment. In addition to building an array of essential life skills, youth participants learn to work as part of a team and develop a strong sense of personal and community responsibility.

Financial Management

This program provides guidance to limited and moderate-income youth and adults. The program focuses on financial education, economics/finance, rental eviction prevention education and job preparation training.

Expanded Food & Nutritional Education Program (EFNEP)

EFNEP assists limited income families, pregnant teens and youth by providing free, interactive and culturally appropriate nutrition workshops. Participants acquire knowledge and skills in nutrition, all fundamental factors for improving and maintaining individual and total family health.

Food Supplement Nutrition Education (FSNE)

This program offers nutrition education to help Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households and those eligible for SNAP. FSNE programs are provided at no cost to support the work of community agencies serving SNAP-eligible individuals and families, such as literacy centers, local food banks, soup kitchens, WIC offices, senior centers, community centers, neighborhood groups, and homeless shelters.

Urban Agriculture

This program promotes urban greening initiatives through environmentally friendly horticulture practices designed to help participants contribute to the development and maintenance of a healthier environment.

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4-H Youth Development Baltimore City 4-H educational programs provide youth (ages 5-18) with opportunities to enhance their individual gifts, talents, knowledge and skills in a safe and healthy environment. In addition to building an array of essential life skills, youth participants learn to work as part of a team and develop a strong sense of personal and community responsibility. Hands-on, interactive 4-H educational programs in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), Nutrition, Workforce and College Readiness, and Service-Learning were delivered to 579 youth in schools during and after school hours, in after school programs, recreation centers, libraries, community centers, and faith-based institutions.

Program Highlight: 4-H Teen Corps Leadership Program Teen Corps began as a citywide collaborative between 4-H members and adult leaders, agencies, and community stakeholders who partner to strengthen communities, and increase leadership opportunities for youth from 12 to 18 years old. A core element of the Teen Corps is a monthly meeting that brings 4-H youth/adult leaders representing several after school programs across the city together in one location. They receive facilitation training on various youth development topics, and then demonstrate those skills learned by facilitating the topics and engaging youth and community members in implementing service-learning, workforce/entrepreneurship and environmental science activities in after school and other community-based settings. As a result of receiving Teen Corps training, 25 youth and adult members:

• Completed Teen Corps leadership training. • Returned to their club sites to engage148 new youth in leadership development and 4-H

orientation, workforce readiness training, and established STEM and entrepreneurship projects and initiatives.

• Implemented the Baltimore City 4-H Youth Expo held on May 16, 2015. The Expo is a citywide annual event that showcases the talents and skills of youth between the ages of 5-18. One hundred and sixty youth and families attended the event.

• Garnered a total of 1,476 volunteer hours by teaching and implementing projects in their communities, reaching 1,000 community members citywide.

• Conducted outreach efforts to increase the awareness of UME-Baltimore City in communities citywide, valued at $34,051.32.

• A tenured 4-H Baltimore City Extension educator authored the Teen Corps Leadership Program curriculum that was accepted through the University of Maryland Extension for publication.

“When youth and adults work together, young people become more educated, more independent, and more responsible. This prepares young people to take their rightful place as caring, competent citizens and leaders in their community and in the world.”

–Teen Corps Member’s vision statement

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Financial Education

This program provides guidance to limited and moderate-income youth and adults. The program focuses on financial education, economics/finance, rental eviction prevention education and job preparation training. Educational seminars and workshops were delivered to 845 youth in Baltimore City Public Schools, and adults in detention centers, inmates in pre- release programs, and residents in public housing. Program Highlight: “Entrepreneurs of the Future” Most ex-offenders are not able to find work because of their conviction history. “Entrepreneurs of the Future” is a small business ownership training program that teaches soon-to-be-released inmates business planning and ownership. This program is for inmates with GED jointly coordinated by University of Maryland Extension – Baltimore City and the Metropolitan Transition Center/Baltimore Area Reentry Services, Baltimore City Correction Center. The objective of the program is to provide ex-offenders with a formal knowledge of starting and owning a small business as an alternative to seeking employment, which they may never land due to background checks. The program is located at the Metropolitan Transition Center/Baltimore Area Reentry Services, Baltimore City Correction Center. Seventy-two inmates participated in the program for two months learning business-planning, principles of economics, market and marketing, and basic computer applications using Microsoft Excel for computing cost and price determination. Data from teaching effectiveness indicates that:

• 95% of inmates indicated that they acquired new knowledge such as deriving total cost (fixed and variable cost), revenue, total revenue, profit, and total profit using the computer.

• 98% of inmates indicated that they would start a small business after incarceration.

“I like the Entrepreneurship class a lot! It’s not hard and is very uplifting and encouraging. And it gives you the basic

thought process of creating a business, allows you to understand the outline of a small business, and gives you

general marketing skills.” -Program Participant

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Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)

EFNEP assists limited income families, pregnant teens and youth by providing free, interactive and culturally appropriate nutrition workshops. Participants acquire knowledge and skills in nutrition, all fundamental factors for improving and maintaining individual and total family health. Using “hands-on” instruction, EFNEP educators reached 350 (256 graduated) Baltimore City families (impacting 1,342 persons) about stretching food dollars, improving eating habits, practicing food safety principles and increasing physical activity. Baltimore City participants in EFNEP demonstrated a percent of positive change in the following indicators based on pre and post 24-hour dietary surveys:

• Dietary Improvement: Grains: 40%, Whole Grains: 36%, Fruits: 36%, Vegetables: 39%, Dairy: 41%, Protein: 41%, and SoFAS: 57%.

• Increased Physical Activity: 47.3% • Average Cost Savings in Monthly Food Expenses: $45.80

Program Highlight: EFNEP Grocery Store Tours in Partnership with Share our Strength Educators of EFNEP conducted “Cooking Matters” grocery store tours reaching 42 adults. Many of the food insecure families who participated in the tours were from neighborhoods/communities who are recipients of state benefits, such as Medical Assistance, SNAP and Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA). The families gained valuable skills on making healthier food choices while on a budget.

Most of the grocery store tours were carried out as a finale to end EFNEP’s nutrition education workshop series. The tours and $10 Grocery Store Challenge reinforced concepts covered during EFNEP’s nutrition education workshops which covered topics on label reading, understanding unit price, stretching food dollars and making healthy food choices, such as choosing whole grains and delicious fruits and vegetables on a budget. The grocery store managers at several grocery stores such as Food Depot, Food King, Save a Lot, Price Rite, The Markets at Highland and Murry’s generously welcomed grocery tour participants and worked to provide a pleasant shopping experience. The participants appreciated the information they received during the tours, the opportunity to purchase healthy food items for their families with the $10 Grocery Store Challenge, as well the reusable shopping bags and recipe booklets.

“Being in the nutrition program, I have learned the importance of eating healthy.”

-EFNEP Workshop Participant

“I enjoyed the text messages on Thanksgiving Day about getting up after a holiday meal and have the family go for a walk. It was valuable time to share great conversation about being thankful but also felt much better getting some physical activity in after an enjoyable meal. We will be adding this to our family tradition.”

-Parent Program Participant

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Food Supplement Nutrition Education (FSNE)

This program provides nutrition education to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households and also trains collaborating partners and teachers to administer FSNE curricula to the target audience. FSNE programs are provided at no cost to support the work of community agencies serving SNAP-eligible individuals and families, such as title 1 schools, literacy centers, local food banks, soup kitchens, WIC offices, senior centers, head start programs, Judy Centers, community centers neighborhood groups, and homeless shelters. The program served 8,940 youth, teachers, seniors and parents with young children, and community partners.

Program Highlight: Text2BHealthy Program The Text2BHealthy Program is a text messaging program for parents/caregivers of students who are receiving FSNE programming in their schools. The main goal of the Text2BHealthy program is to inform parents of what their children are learning in school so that they can reinforce those same messages at home. Each Text2BHealthy message is made specifically for that school. For example, a 3rd grade class had a mango taste test. Parents of those 3rd grade students will then receive a text message about this taste test and receive recipes containing mangos. Moravia Elementary School participates in the Text2BeHealthy program where 350 parents are signed up. Text2BHealthy has been shown to create positive behavior changes. According to a recent Text2BHealthy survey, 33 percent of Text2BHealthy parents decreased the frequency of buying chips, candy or cookies. Additionally, 35 percent of children decreased the number of hours of TV watched per day.

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Urban Agriculture Program

The UME-Baltimore City Master Gardener Program volunteers provided agriculture literacy to over 4,000 individuals at numerous events, such as: B’more Healthy Expo, UMD Wellness Fair, Baltimore Herb Festival, Creative Minds Festival, Maryland State Fair, and JFX, Johns Hopkins, Pimlico and Waverly Farmers Markets. The Master Gardeners donated over 2,500 pounds of produce to various food pantries and soup kitchens across the city. The volunteers contributed over 5,500 hours of service to the City of Baltimore. Twenty-four UME- Baltimore City Master Gardener interns completed the required volunteer commitment and became certified UME Master Gardeners.

Program Highlight: Citywide Outreach

• A Food for Profit training session was held in Baltimore City in early spring teaching food-based entrepreneurs the basics of starting a food business. Thirteen individuals successfully completed the one-day training session.

• Fourteen urban famers became certified in Nutrient Management and are now able to write their own nutrient management plan.

• During the summer, eight young people, ages 17-21, participated in the Urban Agriculture Summer Training Program in partnership with three urban farms. The common theme amongst the youth was that they all resided in food desert regions of the city. Youth were exposed to various aspects of commercial farming and had the opportunity to participate in a local farmers market as well as assist a local caterer with a catering job.

• UME-Baltimore City Master Gardener Program hosted Farming in the City Tour. Attendees included UME Educators and Specialist, members of Maryland Department of Agriculture, Nutrition Educators, Master Gardeners and community members. The purpose of the tour was to raise awareness and promote urban agriculture.

• The first Bay-Wise and Beautiful Tour took place in the Dickeyville and Mt. Washington communities allowed participants the opportunity to see Bay-Wise principles in action. A total of 13 properties agreed to be a part of the tour. Master Gardeners hosted the tours noting key highlights of the properties. The tour was so well received that it is now an annual event. A record number of 26 properties were certified Bay-Wise, five of which were community gardens.

“Extension’s Urban Agriculture Program has given me the opportunity to enhance my knowledge about

composting and how to improve the soil.” - Urban Farmer