tional materials created for these classes were created in English and Spanish. In all of the communities and counties where we have UC MFP, we are serving the public and positioned to advance multiple complex public health topics, as well as the diverse cultural traditions and sheer enjoyment of preserving food. When it comes to fermenting cabbage, for example, we need to be as adept and authentic in teaching kimchi as we are in teaching sauerkraut. By building a volunteer base that is representative of the cultural diversity of our communities, and supporting our staff to adapt effectively in working across cultures, we’ll continue to grow our appeal, our reach, and our impact across California.
What could other Extension teams learn from you?
THE IDI ASSESSMENT provides individuals a score across a continuum of intercultural develop- ment, with examples and descriptions that allow them to visualize their tendencies and the impacts of their actions. Each person also receives an intercultural development plan to guide their growth and learning. The MFP team has provid- ed intercultural develop- ment training to nearly 30 staff and volunteers, and 22 of them have taken the IDI assessment, debriefing their results and partici- pating in small Learning Circles to advance their intercultural development skills. This effort is also increasing awareness and helping the MFP team identify barriers to partici- pation in the program.
I hope our work inspires others to consider how they can contribute to broader public health efforts by expanding and diversifying their program reach. I have three suggestions: • Pay attention to how this effort might connect to any existing strategic plans, core values, or condition change statements you have in your Extension organization. • Communicate and reiterate how staff skill-building (and measuring skill de- velopment) is essential to achieving program goals and having the intended community impact. • Meet people where they are. Provide a variety of experiences and learn- ing opportunities for teammates to engage in new topics. Leverage your early-adopters to build momentum for positive change and create on- ramps for those who become ready at any moment along the way.
Community volunteers and a Master Food Preserver volunteer
“I was pleased to work with and mentor Amira through this process. She learned to access her state’s Extension assets and quickly modify her original plan to accom- modate those assets and her audience’s needs.”
Can you tell us a bit about the program’s work in food banks?
UC MFP began working more frequently with food banks in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every month, our staff and volunteers provide food bank clients with relevant recipes and share techniques for preserving food that might otherwise spoil and end up in the landfill.
What does the future hold for your work?
As our staff and volunteers grow and evolve, so does our program. We are learn- ing and adapting to working across cultures, while striving to reflect and respond to the diversity of our state and to the inequities that affect our communities. The UC ANR Community Health and Nutrition unit is building a strategy for community nutrition and health and looking for opportunities to be more visible in our Extension community and beyond. In spring 2023, we hosted a webinar series on health equity for colleagues across the division. We are participating in more public health spaces and positioning ourselves to bridge education, workforce development, public health, food systems, health care, and more. We’re connecting with the Western region network, learning more about inter- sections of physical health and social-emotional health and hope to learn more about approaches that other states are taking to build Extension work in these broadened health and equity areas. ■
How does the program appeal to culturally diverse audiences?
One of our nutrition education program supervisors in San Diego County acquired local funding to bring UC MFP techniques to Spanish-speaking participants in her nutrition education program. She saw an opportunity to offer new and relevant content to this group and leverage their interest and desire to learn together. In San Bernardino County, the UC MFP team provided two workshops for parents as part of a project that reaches Hispanic/Latino communities. Each workshop emphasized food safety, food storage techniques, sanitation, and handwashing. The first workshop, “Refrigerator Pick- ling,” included a live demonstration that walked parents through the process. They were given a kit with carrots, jalapenos, garlic, pickling salt and spices, a container, a bottle of vinegar, and the recipe to take home to create either a sweet or salty dish. All the promo-
—Fred Schlutt, NTAE Catalyst
See the Community is Our Jam team members on page 80.
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EXTENSION FOUNDATION/NTAE | 2022-2023 YEARBOOK
2022-2023 YEARBOOK | EXTENSION FOUNDATION/NTAE
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