Hello, my name is Yolanda, and this is my fourth summer interning with Oregon State University Extension Service. This summer I lead a Walk With Ease group in Nyssa. This allowed community members to engage in physical activity at least three times a week and socialize with their neighbors. The goal for starting Walk With Ease in our county was to reduce isolation rates among community members, increase physical activity and increase awareness of healthy habits. Group members also received Food Hero resources each session. Seeing community members across all age groups enjoy each other’s company as we walked each morning was rewarding. I am beyond proud of my group because everyone started by walking 10 minutes the first week and over the course of the summer have now built up to walking 30 minutes three days a week. Walk With Ease was a beneficial and engaging program I highly enjoyed teaching this summer.

While I’ve worked at farmers markets in the past, this year I had the opportunity to work at the WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) farmers market hosted by the Malheur County Health Department. At the WIC farmer’s market, I engaged with over 400 families sharing the Food Hero website and explaining the various features they can utilize. Majority of the families I spoke to were not aware of Food Hero and everyone found it to be a very helpful resource. It’s always a delight to use my bilingual skills to assist community members who often struggle to access resources due to a language barrier. I learned that the WIC farmers market is more than a place to buy produce or share resources. It’s also a place to connect with families and community members who share the same environment, celebrate common successes, and face similar challenges.

Malheur County ranks at a high rate of food insecurity and there is much effort from families who do their best to tackle this challenge. Being at farmers’ markets and teaching about healthy nutrition, easy access and low-cost recipes, is one way I’ve seen Malheur County Extension contribute to the prevention and recovery of food insecurity. Community outreach has been one of my favorite parts of my internship. Being from Malheur County, I deeply value the opportunity to engage with families, students and community members. It feels like a direct impact is being made, leading to positive development. I am most fortunate to have been able to serve Malheur County this summer and look forward to contributing to all the continued work there is to deliver.