TSU’s SNAP-Ed program empowers community for healthy living

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Ramona Crawford of Nashville, is a 1978 TSU graduate who told the University that she recently started making her own organic juices at home to live a healthier, nutritious lifestyle. Now, along with her juices, Crawford will be creating new and easy recipes after receiving free produce and observing food demonstrations during TSU's SNAP-Ed program F.R.E.S.H. Fair community event.

TSU alumnus Reggie Marshall hands TSU senior, Zahria Austin a mint beverage with ingredients picked from his local farm.

"A lot of people, when they get older, they need to eat healthy nutrients to have a long life style," Crawford said. "I came because I wanted to sample the vegetables and the pinto bean salad. I liked it, and I will try to make it at home myself.”

Crawford was one of more than 60 community attendees for the first ever F.R.E.S.H. Fair to cultivate a healthier, more connected community.

On July 15, program hosts, vendors and volunteers arrived early to set up their abundance of produce, resources and cooking demonstrations. Tennessee State University dedicated the morning to continuing its commitment to fill the gap in its North Nashville community categorized as a grocery store desert.

Free produce was given out to community goers who attended the F.R.E.S.H event hosted by the SNAP-Ed program.

Hosted by the SNAP-Ed program, the event took place at Friendship Missionary Baptist church.

The event also brought awareness to the University’s efforts in fighting food insecurity and free available resources. Something that TSU senior, Zahria Austin, said she was grateful to be a part of. Austin, who is a family consumer science major, volunteered for the event. “I assisted making food demonstrations and teaching everyone the importance of nutritional snacks they can make," Austin said. “It was a great turn out and a lot of people tried different samples.”

In addition to the recent event, Austin had been teaching nutritional classes to lower income residents and local homeless shelter residents.

“I wanted to spread the love and help out the community."

SNAP-Ed program agent demonstrates how to make a quick and easy, affordable vegetable recipe.

One of the many demonstrations began with the art of making homemade hummus. A member of the SNAP-Ed program whipped together chickpeas, lemon juice, and an array of ingredients in a blender to show the crowd the simplicity of the process.

They learned quick and easy, healthy recipes that could be made without cooking and were then given a bag full of ingredients to make the recipes at home. From hummus, to black bean dip to hearty vegetable salad, participants said they enjoyed the samples and demonstrations.

TSU alumnus Reggie Marshall, a farmer from West Tennessee, supported the event as one of the five vendors.

He provided bell peppers, 15 varieties of herbs, freshly made lemon zucchini bread and mint tea. All the ingredients were picked right from his own farm, Reggie Veggie Farm in Antioch.

SNAP-Ed program agents demonstrate how to make homemade hummus during the community event.

“I've been given so much in life and this is a small token of appreciation and gratitude," Marshall said about attending his alma maters event. He noted that he wanted to educate the community on different herbs to elevate meals rather than just using salt and sugar. “Try something new," he told the participants.

"We become creatures of habit. Nothing taste as good as healthy feels.”

Through the ongoing efforts, program host continued to inspire individuals of all ages, proving that healthy eating was not only possible but also a joyful and enriching experience.

TSU SNAP-Ed Agent Angela Settles said the goal was to create and develop incentives for the community during the event with impact on parents, first-time parents, and children.

Director of community outreach Rita Fleming, left and SNAP-Ed Agent Angela Settles shows ingredients to the community during a food demonstrations at the F.R.E.S.H fair.

TSU Director of community outreach, Rita Fleming, said the event did just that.

"Today was an opportunity to meet people where they are and give them an idea of what we do for nutrition education," Fleming said. “We made great connections today.”

ABOUT TSU F.R.E.S.H. Fair

The fair was presented through a collaborative effort by the University’s SNAP-Education and the Family Consumer Science Programs.

The fair had five vendors present:

Dr. Arvazena Clardy (Associate Professor of Horticulture and Extension Specialist/ TSU Community Garden)

Mary B. Wakefield (TSU FCS Agent)

The University of Tennessee College of Nursing

Reggie Marshall(Reggie Veggie Farm)

Health Hero Tennessee