Region 4 Mid-Columbia (Hood River & Wasco counties)

Region 4 Mid-Columbia

(Hood River & Wasco counties)

Healthy Communities Outreach Project

“Focus on Seasonal Eating, Whole Grains & Physical Activity”

The Mid-Columbia region will work to create three program elements that focus on seasonal eating, whole grains and physical activity that will allow for community collaboration and higher impact in the region. These elements include the YA4-H! Teens as Teachers program, expanding tasting tables and integrating seasonal eating into adult SNAP-Ed programs, and focus on out-of-school and in-school food science and exercise education.

Team Members

  • Hood River/ Wasco: Lauren Kraemer (FCH)
  • Wasco: Lynette Black (4-H) and Brian Goodwin (North Wasco County School District)
  • Hood River: Dani AnnaIa (4-H)
  • OSU Campus: Mary Arnold, Professor and Youth Development Specialist (4-H)

Highlighted Partners

  • Mid-Columbia Housing Authority
  • Gorge Grown Food Network
  • Hood River County School District
  • Hood River Migrant Education
  • FISH Food Bank
  • North Wasco County School District

Project Files

Moore Family Center Outreach Activities

Five young women standing in a kitchen holding thank you signs.
  • Young Entrepreneurs Day: Teens learned about value added foods such as baking bread and canning pickles
Two young girls, one with blonde hair and one with dark hair, smiling and holding a baking tray filled with granola.
  • Train YA4-H! Youth advocates for Health Teens as Teachers
  • Create tasting tables and seasonal eating with adult SNAP-Ed
  • Teach out-of-school and in-school food science and exercise classes

Project Updates

In August, the team worked to offer a Young Entrepreneur’s Day Camp Series focused on food production and value-added products. Throughout four days students learned to make cheese, pickle vegetables, grind grain and bake bread. They learned to develop a marketing strategy, design a display, sell products and handle money and resources for starting a value-added food business. Hood River County 4-H, Gorge Grown Food Network, OSU Master Food Preservers, The Next Door Inc. and Hood River Valley FFA partnered to make this series a success.