Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) has helped NVFS shelter guests with a wide range of life skills workshops, from nutrition to finances to parenting.

In the summer of 2017, VCE hosted cooking and nutrition classes at the Hilda Barg shelter. Guests learned about the importance of healthy foods, how to find them and read nutrition labels, and how to cook a healthy, well rounded meal. Anita Eggleton of VCE played a key role in facilitating these classes. “I wanted to teach nutrition and healthy cooking classes at Hilda Barg because I thought it would help the residents make better food choices,” Anita shares. “I thought that it would bring families together, cooking and learning together. One resident and her teenage son come to class together and he loves cooking. Another resident brings her toddler and she loves to help us cook.” Read more about Anita’s volunteer efforts here.

VCE has also educated shelter guests at Hilda Barg on utilizing their SNAP cards at local farmer’s markets to have access to fresh produce.

Thank you to Anita and the VCE team for supporting NVFS’ Hilda Barg Shelter’s guests on their quest to good health!

In Sept. 2017, VCE offered parenting skills workshops, hosted by Renee Lane.

Throughout the fall and winter of 2017, VCE hosted financial workshops at SERVE Family Shelter. Guests were able to participate in workshops such as Getting Out of Debt, Understanding Credit and Your Credit Score, Spending Plans and Goal Setting over the course of a four-week period.

We look forward to our continued partnership with VCE in providing our shelter guests with the tools to build healthy, lasting well-being!