For the best local information check with your local MSU Extension office, listed by county in the directory.

Better Kid Care

The Better Kid Care Program works to develop quality child care programs in our Michigan communities through education, training, and mentoring.

Furthering Families 

Furthering Families provides informational materials to help families cope with food safety, financial management, and family stress issues.

Furthering Families is a grant-funded partnership between Michigan State University Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture made available through the Bovine TB Eradication Project.

Building Strong Families 

In 1989, the Extension Home Economics Program developed a comprehensive parenting program called "Building Strong Families: Parenting Young Children." "Building Strong Families" is designed to deliver parenting information to limited-resource parents of children aged 0 to 3 in small groups or one-on-one.

Family Nutrition Program 

The Family Nutrition Program (FNP) provides nutrition education to anyone eligible for or receiving food stamp benefits. MSU Extension collaborates with other agencies to coordinate efforts and refer families to local community services that best meet the families' needs.

Financial & Housing Matters 

The Financial Literacy and Housing program at Michigan State University Extension is dedicated to: “Helping people improve their lives through an educational process that applies knowledge to critical needs, issues, and opportunities.”

This website is designed to assist individuals and families in gaining understanding in basic financial management and housing related topics through web-based resources and educational tools.

Immunization Education

Michigan State University Extension and the Michigan Department of Community Health have joined together to develop tools and training to help raise Michigan's immunization rate and promote better health among all citizens.

Watch Me Grow - Healthy, Happy and Strong! Calendar

Being a parent is a tough job, wouldn't you agree? It is often tough to know who to turn to for information about parenting, nutrition, safety and many other issues that arise in families. Now there is something to help!

The Watch Me Grow calendar is specifically designed for families with young children in Michigan. Each month highlights a different program - offering both program information and telephone numbers. Activities and tips for parents are also offered throughout the calendar providing information on health, safety, nutrition and parenting.

For the best local information check with your local MSU Extension office, listed by county in the directory.

Breast-Feeding Initiative

The Breast-Feeding Initiative is recognized as the best source of nutrition for infants. The lowest rates of breastfeeding in Michigan are found among the WIC eligible population, the very group whose infants are at the highest risk of poor health and development.

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) 

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) provides nutrition education to low-income families with children. MSU Extension instructors provide education in a way that is fun and interesting to help families maximize their resources.

Family Nutrition Program

The Family Nutrition Program (FNP) provides nutrition education to anyone eligible for or receiving food stamp benefits. MSU Extension collaborates with other agencies to coordinate efforts and refer families to local community services that best meet the families' needs.

Michigan Nutrition Network (MNN)

The Michigan Nutrition Network fosters multidisciplinary, community-based, public-private collaboration to build and strengthen alliances focused on nutrition and physical activity. The Network facilitates the development of effective, high quality nutrition and physical activity initiatives that reach Michigan consumers - with a special focus on reaching those with low income.

Project Fresh 

Project FRESH program provides participants with nutrition education and encourages participants to improve their dietary choices by providing them with coupons to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at local farmers’ markets. The program increases the demand for Michigan grown produce and boosts the income of farmers who sell fruits and vegetables at participating markets.

Take Charge of Your Diabetes
 
Through funding from Medicaid, MSU Extension in conjunction with the MSU Department of Family Practice has developed and implemented a health behavior change program to address the lifestyle management of type 2 diabetes in Medicaid-eligible population in Michigan. Take Charge of Your Diabetes is a modification of the successful program, Sticking to It for Diabetes, which was designed to encourage behavior change in a variety of nutrition and health areas. Take Charge of Your Diabetes is designed to help participants feel empowered to take control of their own health.

Watch Me Grow - Healthy, Happy and Strong! Calendar

Being a parent is a tough job, wouldn't you agree? It is often tough to know who to turn to for information about parenting, nutrition, safety and many other issues that arise in families. Now there is something to help!

The Watch Me Grow calendar is specifically designed for families with young children in Michigan. Each month highlights a different program - offering both program information and telephone numbers. Activities and tips for parents are also offered throughout the calendar providing information on health, safety, nutrition and parenting.

For the best local information check with your local MSU Extension office, listed by county in the directory.

Caring for My Family

 The Caring for my Family curriculum helps mothers and fathers of newborns learn about building healthy relationships through a series of interactive educational experiences. The purpose of the program is to equip unmarried mothers and fathers with skills for making healthy decisions and to explore future options for their relationship including the potential of getting married. New parents will learn skills for parenting together and strengthening their family unit. The program consists of four modules; each module contains from four to ten lessons that are best offered as a series of 90- to 120-minute sessions. Lessons on specific topics can be selected and tailored for one-on-one or group education. 

Building Strong Families

In 1989, the Extension Home Economics Program developed a comprehensive parenting program called "Building Strong Families: Parenting Young Children." "Building Strong Families" is designed to deliver parenting information to limited-resource parents of children aged 0 to 3 in small groups or one-on-one.

Don’t Croak

Don’t Croak is a passive smoke education curriculum developed by Michigan State university Extension’s Family and Consumer Sciences program. The target audience is parents and caregivers of young children. The curriculum includes four lessons covering the following topics:

• The need to eliminate children’s exposure to secondhand smoke
• Risks related to exposure to secondhand smoke
• Anti-exposure techniques for use around the home and in public arenas
• Assertiveness skills for exposure reduction

Immunization Education

Michigan State University Extension and the Michigan Department of Community Health have joined together to develop tools and training to help raise Michigan's immunization rate and promote better health among all citizens.

 Financial & Housing Matters

The Financial Literacy and Housing program at Michigan State University Extension is dedicated to: “Helping people improve their lives through an educational process that applies knowledge to critical needs, issues, and opportunities.”

This website is designed to assist individuals and families in gaining understanding in basic financial management and housing related topics through web-based resources and educational tools.
 

For the best local information check with your local MSU Extension office, listed by county in the directory.

Gardening in Michigan
Developed by MSU Consumer Horticulture Team with MSU IPM Program

 Master Gardener
The Michigan Master Gardener Program is a horticulture education and volunteer leader training program offered by Michigan State University Extension. 

Ornamental Plants Plus
MSU Extension full text database on cultivars, diseases, and pests, management and planting. Very comprehensive. 

MSU Diagnostic Center
From the Diagnostic Center, information on the kinds of tests they run, how to take them, and the costs.

MSU Gardens
Links to many of the gardens, some with virtual tours. You will need to scroll down to see the listing.

MSU Extension Bookstore
Many bulletins on gardening topics, some online.

For the best local information check with your local MSU Extension office, listed by county in the directory.

Furthering Families

Furthering Families provides informational materials to help families cope with food safety, financial management, and family stress issues.

Furthering Families is a grant-funded partnership between Michigan State University Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture made available through the Bovine TB Eradication Project.

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program(EFNEP) 

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) provides nutrition education to low-income families with children. MSU Extension instructors provide education in a way that is fun and interesting to help families maximize their resources.

Family Nutrition Program

The Family Nutrition Program (FNP) provides nutrition education to anyone eligible for or receiving food stamp benefits. MSU Extension collaborates with other agencies to coordinate efforts and refer families to local community services that best meet the families' needs.

This website is an outcome of the work done as part of the Voices and Visions Food Safety Project directed by the MSU Extension Food Safety Area of Expertise Team and the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center at Michigan State University. Be sure to look at the page of useful links.

Food Preservation Resources

MSUE Preserving Food Safely

National  Center for Home Food Preservation

Penn State Home Food Preservation Database