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Enhancing Health

We use interdisciplinary approaches to enhance health and prevent disease in humans, animals, and the environment. 


Program Spotlight

The UConn College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources has a variety of community nutrition resources available for you and your family. We offer recipes, shopping tips, nutrition advice and other resources. Browse our websites below to find all of the resources available for you.

UConn 4-H is the youth development program of UConn CAHNR Extension. 4-H is a community of over six million young people across America who are learning Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), leadership, civic engagement, and life skills through their 4-H project work. Learn more and enroll your child in the UConn 4-H program.

Whether you are looking for a weekend hike, an afternoon stroll, or a new place to bike, paddle, or ride, you can plan with confidence knowing that all Connecticut Trail Finder postings are reviewed and approved by the people who know them best.

Find a Program

Center for Learning In Retirement (CLIR)

CLIR provides meaningful and serious intellectual activities for retirees and other adults from all walks of life, conducted in an informal and relaxed atmosphere. There are no academic requirements.

Website

Community & Economic Development

We provide information, education, and assistance to community and economic development leaders and decision makers to help them best respond to local needs and opportunities.

Website

Community Nutrition & Health

The State of Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) has been designated by the USDA to administer the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) activities. DSS, in turn, has contracted with UConn and the CT Department of Public Health to design and implement SNAP-Ed projects. Nutrition education and obesity prevention are provided for SNAP recipients and other eligible low-income individuals, focused on building knowledge and skills to help people make healthy choices on a budget and increase physical activity. The program is evidence based and consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate.

Website

CT Trail Census

The Connecticut Trail Census is an innovative statewide volunteer-based data collection and education program that encourages data-informed decision making and promotes active citizen participation in multi-use trail monitoring and advocacy. The Trail Census includes trail use counts recorded by infrared pedestrian counters, trail user intercept surveys administered by trained volunteers, and public education programs. The project is statewide and serves community leaders and decision makers including local elected officials, planners, economic development professionals, trail advocates, trail maintenance professionals, environmental, health and outdoor activity advocates, as well as the general public. The program was developed as a partnership program between the University of Connecticut, the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments, the Connecticut Greenways Council, and local trail advocacy organizations.

Website

CT Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

The Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL) at the University of Connecticut is dedicated to providing top-quality diagnostic services to our clients, who are veterinarians; members of the agricultural industry; owners of companion, zoo, and aquatic animals; stewards of Connecticut wildlife; and residents of Connecticut, New England, and beyond. We strive to work cooperatively with federal and state veterinary agencies to enhance disease surveillance and response.

Website

Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program

Since 1968, EFNEP has been funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and is an integral part of the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System. Currently, it is one of the federal government’s longest running educational outreach programs targeted to low-income families. Specially trained EFNEP Nutrition Assistants, who know their communities well, work with program families in their homes or in small community groups to offer knowledge and skills to help people control and manage their food and nutrition practices for better health and quality of life. In combination with food assistance programs such as WIC and the USDA Food Stamp Program, EFNEP can make a difference in improving food choices and health.

Website

Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN)

UConn EDEN seeks to reduce the impact of emergencies and disasters in Connecticut through research-based outreach education.

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Family Economics & Resource Management

The UConn Extension Financial Education Program provides a variety of workshops, professional development sessions, events, and resources to help Connecticut citizens as they strive to work toward a better financial future. Our financial literacy programming reaches adults and youth across our state with relevant, research-based information and tools to encourage them to adopt sound financial management practices..

Website

Food Safety

The CDC estimates that each year roughly 48 million people get sick; 128,000 are hospitalized; and 3,000 die of foodborne illness. The safety of our food supply is the responsibility of all who grow, process, sell, prepare, and eat food.

Choices made regarding the safe production, processing, preparation, and consumption of food should be based on current science-based safe handling guidelines.

Here you will find the food safety information and resources Connecticut consumers, producers, processors, retailers, and others need to help them produce and prepare safer food.

Website

Healthy Family Connecticut

Interested in more nutrition information for you and your family? The Healthy Family Connecticut website from the UConn Department of Allied Health Sciences offers many fact-based and nutrition resources for you and your family to stay healthy that are offered in both English and Spanish. Resources are offered for adults, parents of kids under five, tweens and teens.

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Healthy Homes

A healthy home supports the health and safety of the people who live there. UConn Extension has an educational series of workshops and information on how to make your home a healthy place to be. Your health is affected by the health of your home. Learn about indoor air quality, asthma and allergies, lead poisoning prevention, carbon monoxide, residential drinking water, mold and moisture, household products, safe and green cleaning, pest control, and home safety.

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Korey Stringer Institute

The Korey Stringer Institute (KSI) serves the needs of active individuals and athletes at all levels – youth, high school, college, professional, people who are physically active, recreational athletes – and those who supervise and care for these individuals. Components of these services include: consultations, advocacy, education, research, athlete testing, and mass-market outreach.

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Master Gardeners

The UConn Extension Master Gardener Program is an educational outreach program that is part of UConn Extension. The program started in 1978 and consists of horticulture training and an outreach component that focuses on the community at large. Master Gardeners are enthusiastic, willing to learn and share their knowledge and training with others. What sets them apart from other home gardeners is their special horticultural training. In exchange for this training, Master Gardeners commit time as volunteers working through their local UConn Extension Center and the Bartlett Arboretum in Stamford to provide horticultural-related information to the community.

Website

One Health

UConn is joining other colleges and universities around the world in adopting a new approach to sustainable health. The College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources along with UConn Extension promote the holistic concepts of One Health and believe that an integrative/inclusive approach to health is where solutions to complex problems may lie. Through educational, experiential learning programs, UConn aims to train the next generation of educators and environment-friendly citizens to address health issues using One Health principles. This is achieved through the expertise of program leaders in all disciplines including food production, food safety, and water resource management. The well-being of the planet as a whole is dependent on the interactions between humans, animals, and the environment, and One Health education provides knowledge to collaboratively address world-wide health issues.

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People Active on Trails for Health and Sustainability

PATHS (People Active on Trails for Health and Sustainability) is an interdisciplinary team of University of Connecticut extension educators, faculty, and staff committed to understanding and promoting the benefits of trails and natural resources for health, community & economic development and implementing a social ecological approach to health education. The UConn Extension PATHS team works in a wide variety of departments and disciplines including public health, health education, nutrition, community development, and landscape architecture.

Website

People Empowering People

The UConn People Empowering People Program is an innovative personal and family development program with a strong community focus. The UConn PEP program is for adults and older teens. The program is designed to build on the unique strengths and life experiences of the participants and emphasizes the connection between individual and community action.

Website

UConn PT C.A.R.E.S. Pro Bono Clinic

The UConn Physical Therapy C.A.R.E.S. Pro-Bono Clinic is a student-led, faculty-guided initiative of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program that offers rehabilitation and wellness services to uninsured or underinsured community members who may not otherwise be able to receive physical therapy services. Students, working with licensed physical therapy faculty, will provide a variety of physical therapy services at the clinic site and within the community.

Website

Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program

The Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provides benefits to participants who are 60 years of age or older OR disabled individuals under the age of 60 living in housing facilities occupied primarily by older individuals where congregate nutrition services are provided.

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Strengthening Immunization Excitement

Safe and effective vaccines are America's best protection against COVID-19. UConn Extension received funding to strengthen immunization excitement in Connecticut through a grant funded project by USDA-NIFA and the CDC. The UConn project focuses on residents in Windham, Middletown, East Hartford, Mashantucket, and Groton. Our goal is to strengthen excitement for immunization in our five secondary cities in Connecticut. We are working with stakeholders to understand the barriers, identify key community influencers, create target social media and print media to increase vaccine awareness, efficacy, and safety and willingness to obtain vaccination.

Learn More

Sustainable Food Systems & Locally Grown

UConn Extension hosts several programs to help build a sustainable food system that can supply fresh, healthy, local food to residents. Sustainability encompasses environmental integrity, economic vitality, and social equity. We are a small, hard-working team that values a diversity of perspectives and life experiences. Our progress is thanks to collaboration with state agencies, community-based non profits, municipalities, producer associations, and researchers/experts. We receive support through federal, state, and private grants.

Website

4-H Youth

4-H is the youth development program of UConn Extension. As part of the University of Connecticut, 4-H has access to research-based, age-appropriate information needed to help youth reach their full potential. The mission of 4-H is to assist all youth ages 5-18 in acquiring knowledge and developing leadership and life skills while forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive, and contributing members of their families and communities.

Website

4-H Escape

4-H Escape is a library of virtual escape room and puzzle solving activities in which youth are challenged to look for clues to unlock their way through a series of scenes and scenarios. 

Click here to view the 4-H Escapes available.

Contact an Educator

Emily Alger – 4-H

Erica Benvenuti – EFNEP

Erica Benvenuti

Erica Benvenuti

EFNEP - New London County

erica.benvenuti@uconn.edu

860-885-2825

Angela Caldera – EFNEP

Angela Caldera

EFNEP - Hartford County

angela.caldera@uconn.edu

860-409-9072

Marc Cournoyer – 4-H

Tina Dugdale – Community Nutrition and Health

Tina DugdaleTina Dugdale

Community Nutrition and Health

tina.dugdale@uconn.edu

860-486-4262

Sharon Gray – EFNEP

Oak LeafSharon Gray 

EFNEP - Hartford County

sharon.gray@uconn.edu 

860-409-9062

 

Heather Peracchio – EFNEP

Heather Peracchio

EFNEP - Fairfield County

heather.peracchio@uconn.edu

203-207-3266

 

Umekia Taylor – EFNEP

Umekia TaylorUmekia Taylor

EFNEP - New Haven County

umekia.taylor@uconn.edu

203-407-3169

 

Indu Upadhyaya – Food Safety

Indu Upadhyaya

Food Safety

indu.upadhyaya@uconn.edu

860-875-3331

Mary Ellen Welch – Healthy Homes

Oak LeafMary Ellen Welch

Healthy Homes

mary.welch@uconn.edu

860-885-2829

Denis Coble – Allied Health, Cancer Prevention

Denis CobleDenis Coble

Allied Health, Cancer Prevention

denis.coble@uconn.edu

860-486-0014

Valerie Duffy – Public Health Nutrition

Valerie DuffyValerie Duffy

Public Health Nutrition

valerie.duffy@uconn.edu

860-486-1997

Toni Ellis – EFNEP

Oak LeafToni Ellis

EFNEP - New Haven County

toni.ellis@uconn.edu

203-407-3171

Faye Griffiths-Smith – Family Economics and Resource Management

Heather Pease – EFNEP

Oak LeafHeather Pease

EFNEP - Hartford County

heather.pease@uconn.edu

860-409-9073

Mike Puglisi – EFNEP

Mike PuglisiMike Puglisi

EFNEP, Program Director

michael.puglisi@uconn.edu

860-486-1198

Dianisi Torres – EFNEP

Dianisi TorresDianisi Torres

EFNEP - Windham County

dianisi.torres@uconn.edu

860-774-9600

Zoraida Velazquez – EFNEP

Oak LeafZoraida Velazquez

EFNEP - New Haven County

zoraida.velazquez@uconn.edu

203-407-3169

 

Nancy Wilhelm – 4-H

Nancy Wilhelm

Educational Program Coordinator - 4-H Youth

nancy.wilhelm@uconn.edu

860-486-4127