EXCITE Project
Clemson EFNEP was recently awarded a grant through the Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) project. The EXCITE project is an Interagency Agreement with the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding the Cooperative Extension System to address health disparities among rural and underserved communities.
Bridge Access Program
As you are probably aware, COVID-19 vaccinations play a vital role in protecting our community and reducing the spread of the virus. However, some community members may lack access to reliable information about vaccination opportunities. Therefore, Clemson EFNEP partnered with the CDC’s Bridge Access Program, which provided free COVID-19 vaccines to adults without health insurance and adults whose insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs. The project aimed to increase awareness of eligibility for free updated COVID-19 vaccines among uninsured and under-insured adults and to increase awareness of where and how to get a free updated COVID-19 vaccine through the Bridge Access Program. EFNEP’s target audience is families with limited resources to improve their nutritional health and well-being. Thus, EFNEP is likely serving individuals and families that may not have health care coverage and would benefit from the Bridge immunizations and EXCITE resources. From July 1st to August 31st, 2024, EFNEP strove to improve our communities through COVID-19 vaccine awareness.
General Immunization Awareness
From September 1st, 2024, to March 31st, 2025, EFNEP will strive to incorporate general immunization awareness into our ‘Eating Smart Being Active’ (ESBA) curriculum which is used in EFNEP adult programs.
These adult programs meet the needs of the participants in four core areas:
- Diet Quality and Physical Activity
- Food Resource Management
- Food Safety
- Food Security.
By incorporating EXCITE materials, Nutrition Educators are bringing awareness of how important regular immunizations are to whole-body wellness and encouraging participants to protect themselves and their families in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The EFNEP team is also sharing immunization information about health fairs and community events in order to make a greater local impact.
What's on Your Healthy Lifestyle Checklist?
- Drink Water
- Eat Fruits
- Exercise
- Eat Veggies
- Meal Planning
- Food Safety
- Regular Immunizations
Staying up to date on your immunizations is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle! Dont forget to ask your Doctor about these vaccines:
- Flu Shot
- MMR
- Chicken Pox
- Tdap
- Shingles
- Hepatitis A & B
- COVID
- HPV
