Past News
2025
Macon County has been hard at work growing their own food and embracing the beauty of home gardening. These raised beds gardens are a testament to what’s possible with a little soil, sunlight, and care.
Here’s to fresh harvests, healthy eating, and hands-on learning all spring long!
2024
The Tuskegee University team had an exciting and impactful day in Macon County during their recent community nutrition session.
Dozens of residents joined them for an engaging, hands-on event focused on heart health and raising awareness about type 2 diabetes.
During the nutrition education portion, participants explored practical strategies to support a healthier lifestyle. One of the highlights of the day was the interactive plate-building activity, in which attendees were paired into teams to create two sample plates: a balanced plate for everyday individuals and a diabetes-friendly plate designed to support blood sugar management.
After the session, everyone enjoyed a flavorful, nutritious meal that included: veggie pizza, zucchini fries, baked chicken, brown rice, mixed green salad, bean salad, fresh fruit assortment. The atmosphere was filled with energy, learning, and community spirit.
Tuskegee University’s Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences continues to address nutrition-related health issues in rural African American communities across Alabama’s Black Belt.
Over 25 participants actively engaged in hands-on learning during the Selma cooking demonstration and nutrition workshop. Community members expressed excitement about incorporating familiar ingredients into healthier versions of their favorite dishes. This initiative supports the broader goal of reducing chronic disease risk by increasing nutrition literacy and promoting fresh produce access through sustainable gardening.
Project personnel engaged with community participants and students in discussions focused on nutrition mental health, and hypertension. Topics included making healthy food choices, utilizing the nutrition label to assess sodium content, and interpreting nutrition label language.
On Saturday, November 23, 2024, the Out of the Garden Project, Makayla Eugene brought together MANRRS students to address food insecurity in the local community.
Held at Piedmont Classical High School, the event aimed to support families facing nutritional challenges by distributing essential food items and fostering a spirit of community service.
The event served approximately 200 families, providing fresh produce, bread, meat, and shelf-stable items to helpmeet their immediate needs. Families were identified as qualifying for assistance and welcomed into a supportive environment created by the dedicated volunteers.
MANRRS students played a vital role in every aspect of the event. They arrived early to organize and arrange food items for smooth distribution, ensuring that the setup process was efficient and welcoming. From 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM, students engaged directly with families, guiding them through the selection process and offering assistance with specific requests. Volunteers received prior training to ensure respectful and effective communication, which contributed to the positive atmosphere.
At the conclusion of the event, the team packed up remaining items, organized supplies for future use, and restored the distribution area to its original state. Families expressed immense gratitude for the event, with many highlighting the welcoming and supportive atmosphere created by the volunteers.
The Out of the Garden Project also emphasized the importance of access to nutritious food in promoting community health. By providing fresh produce and protein-rich items, the event highlighted the critical role of a balanced diet in combating food insecurity. MANRRS students reported a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by underserved populations and the impact of direct community involvement.
This project was a resounding success, not only addressing immediate food needs but also fostering empathy and teamwork among participants. Looking ahead, recommendations for future events include expanding the volunteer team and increasing outreach efforts to serve even more families in need.
Make Fruits and Vegetables For All
The Tuskegee University, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences continues to expand the objective of “making fruits and vegetables available to all” These past months spring through summer have see the establishment of new gardens at the community and individual levels, and on currently providing sustained assistance to previously established gardens. It is important to note that this project is reaching the lives of rural residents living in Alabama Black Belt counties at all levels i.e. adults and youth, ether, as groups or as individuals. In this report two community groups will be featured, The Tabernacle of Praise and the New Possibilities andYouth Programs (NPYP). The Tabernacle of Praise, group had a large harvest they were able to sponsor a “No Cost Farmers Market”. This group harvested an estimated total of 280 lbs. of a wide variety of vegetables as shown in
Figure 1. The NPYP, had surplus, which was also shared with the community.
Figure 1. The amount of vegetable harvested in (lbs.) in the Tabernacle of Praise group.
The Center of Excellence hosted JagriFest on Wednesday, August 21st, a back-to-school extravaganza during Welcome Week, in conjunction with the JAGFresh Market on Fisher Hall Lawn.
Students, faculty, and staff were able to gain tools and resources to improve their diet and quality of life, with an emphasis on nutrition, mental health, and physical activity, thanks to 25 exhibitors. The first 100 students who registered received FREE food. Students were able to get active by participating in a volleyball pool, sports arena, whack-a-mole, obstacle course, basketball inflatables, and riding theme mechanical bull. They captured memories in the Photo Booth. Pet therapy was available to help reduce stress and anxiety during the first-week jitters. Attendees shopped locally and fresh at our JagFresh Market. The SU College ofAg 'AGvocated for Change' alongside the Power Coalition and the Divine 9. Additionally, 45 students received FREE cotton candy for becoming registered voters.
The Center of Excellence served as a Co-Sponsor for The Well Woman: BR
On Saturday, May 4, 2024, The Maxine Firm hosted The Well Woman: Baton Rouge | Conversations Around Improved Wellness at the Valdry Center for Philanthropy. The event brought together over 100 women from surrounding areas, all eager to enhance their knowledge, behaviors, and skills on a variety of wellness topics at no cost to the attendees. The Well Woman: Baton Rouge provided a platform for women to engage in meaningful conversations, gain valuable insights, and build a supportive community focused on holistic wellness.
The event featured sessions on:
• Yoga & Mindfulness: Techniques for stress reduction and mental clarity.
• Balanced Nutrition: Tips for creating healthy, sustainable eating habits.
• Health Equity, Policy & Advocacy - Addressing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes through policy advocacy.
• Black Maternal & Infant Health -Focused on improving outcomes for Black mothers and infants during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.
• Mental & Spiritual Wellness - Anxiety & Depression: Strategies for managing mental health challenges.
• Mental & Spiritual Wellness - Grief & Loss and Relationships: Support and resources for navigating difficult emotional experiences.
• Diabetes & Hypertension: Information on prevention, management, and treatment.
• Mastering the 15-Minute Face with a MUA: Quick and effective makeup techniques for busy women.
This impactful event was made possible by the support of our sponsors and community partners, including: The 1890 Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life, State Representative Vanessa Caston LaFleur, Louisiana Healthcare Connections, The Nu Gamma Omega Educational and Charitable Foundation, The Power Coalition, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, and Sista Midwife Productions.
The Center of Excellence collaborated with Mental Health Specialist, Ashlyn Harrison, on the “Fuel your Future: Vision Party”.
This vision party provided students with the opportunity to goal set for their future in addition to learning the importance of how they should fuel their bodies by prioritizing healthy eating habits. Lastly, kudos to our students for making this event a success!
On November 17th, SU Dietetic Interns led a hands-on, two-part food demonstration and nutrition education session covering MyPlate and Basic Food Safety regulations for Southern University Lab fourth and fifth graders.
They made an apple pie in a cup, infused water, and a salad consisting of five food groups. This project was a collaboration between the Center of Excellence for NHWQL, the SU Dietetic Internship, and the SU SNAP-Ed nutrition education program.
2023
On October 11, 2023, the Center of Excellence presented at the Seeds to Success: Louisiana Farm to School Conference.
Cornelius Jackson, our Extension Area Agent/garden expert, gave a presentation on the accomplishments of the three community gardens housed under our Center. Mrs. Fitzgerald, Ag teacher at Westdale Middle and Mr. Jackson also spoke of the partnership between Westdale Middle School and Southern University's Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life.
If interested in contacting Cornelius Jackson, please email Cornelius_jackson@suagcenter.com or call 225.963.6356.
The first SU Together class was held by our Center of Excellence on October 3, 2023. Students were given a brief overview of the program and the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle.
The students took part in a hands-on cooking demonstration where they made acai bowls.
The Center of Excellence and SNAP-Ed Nutrition Program went into the freshman dorms and provided a free nutrition class to the students.
Students were taught how to make healthy “dorm-friendly” meals as well as given free “mini” parfaits.
Through a collaboration with Southern Universities COE, Scotlandville CDC, and the SULC Children and Family Law Society, students in the Scotlandville community are now able to take part in a free gardening education and tutoring program.
We completed our first official day on August 19th. Students assisted with park cleanup and bed clearance at Scotlandville CDC. Additionally, the kids participated in icebreaker activities and had a discussion with the parents about what to anticipate going forward. Join us on Saturday, September 2 from 10am-12pm at 1920 Goudchaux Street!
The Center of Excellence partnered with Jagcation to do a hands-onfood safety presentation with the students.
We discussed cross-contamination and ways to prevent hazards in the kitchen. The students were able to create their own personal pizza while practicing skills learned.
On June 10th the Center of Excellence participated in the Kidsfest 2023 Fair.
We helped organize a kid's scavenger hunt with Scotlandville CDC. We also set up a booth giving hands-on demonstrations on how to develop starter plants. We were able to give away over 50 bell pepper starter plants to participants. While also explaining the process of transplanting their plant and proper care.
On May 24th the Center of Excellence participated in the Know your number: Blood Pressure Awareness health fair in Lafayette, La.
The health fair provided free blood pressure checks and community resources. Our Center provided resources on various ways to reduce waste, tips for dining out, and gave out MyPlate incentives to participants.
During spring 2023 semester, the Walmart Health Disparity Scholars at N.C. A&T worked collaboratively with the NCAT Pathway 2 Human Lactation Training Program and clinic on creating informational videos to educate nursing mothers as they complete their intake forms.
The videos addressed the following topics:
· Key Vitamins and Minerals for Breastfeeding
· Breastfeeding Benefits for Babies
· Breastfeeding Benefits for Mothers
· Nutritional Considerations for Breastfeeding Mothers
· Nutrition During Pregnancy
The videos have been submitted for further review and should be updated on nursing mothers’ intake forms sometime during the summer. Meanwhile, the group prepared educational flyers that focused on nutrition for nursing mothers. The scholars also toured the clinic and gained insight into its operation.
Additionally, the scholars met with the director of the Greensboro Urban Ministry PartnershipVillage, a transitional housing community for individuals and families rebuilding self-sufficiency after experiencing homelessness (www.greensborourbanministry.org), to develop ways in which the team can promote healthy eating patterns in their residents. The scholars led a presentation that gave an overview of functional foods and their benefits to the village residents on the day that they received food from the distribution center. Nursing students from Elon University were also there to provide blood pressure and blood sugar checks for the residents, coordinating with the scholars so more residents were reached.
2022
The Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness and Quality of Life participated in Scotlandville’s Kids fest on June 11, 2022.
Families from all over Baton Rouge came out and participated in a day full of activities with food and fun. At our booth, children were able to demonstrate how to properly plant sunflowers and identify the different parts of the plant. We also connected with members of the community about several programs that we are offering this summer. Funding was provided by the WalmartFoundation Center for Racial Equity and the 1890 Universities Foundation.
