A little over two years ago, the residents of Eatonville voiced the need for nutrition and physical activity education. To meet this need, Winter Park Health Foundation (WPHF) staff reached out to Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Inc., a community-based, not-for-profit organization formed to educate high-risk, culturally diverse populations about nutrition strategies to prevent diet-related diseases. With a three-year grant award from WPHF, Hebni’s programmatic expertise, and space for classes at Healthy Eatonville Place (founded in part through WPHF support), Project Oasis was brought to Eatonville.

Through hands-on cooking classes and nutrition education centered on increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables, Project Oasis participants learn about the importance of healthy food consumption and how to cook healthy meals. Each week, program participants receive a recipe card for the meal that is prepared in class, plus a bag of the ingredients to take home with them to prepare a healthy meal. Hebni uses pre- and post-tests, behavior surveys, and weekly consumption surveys to measure positive changes in knowledge and behaviors. Hebni also measures pre- and post- blood glucose levels, cholesterol, blood pressure, and BMI enabling each participant to track their progress and changes in health status.

Congratulations to the eighteen Eatonville residents who recently completed their eight-week Project Oasis class!