Cooking Up Change: EFNEP, Mustard Seed Community Health Empower Greensboro Families 

EFNEP Educator Shanna Scott, right, discusses ingredients with LJ Redondo, center, lead health outreach worker, and Adriana Cardenas, who is cooking at a Mustard Seed workshop.

EAST GREENSBORO — At Mustard Seed Community Health, lives are being transformed — one recipe at a time.

By partnering with Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T, Mustard Seed refers community members, many of them with limited resources who are battling chronic health conditions, to Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). Led by Shanna Scott, Guilford County’s EFNEP educator, the program empowers participants to take control of their diets and, ultimately, their lives.

What began around the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has grown into a steady collaboration, with Scott leading 10-week classes out of the Cooperative Extension office, about a mile away from Mustard Seed. Participants, many referred through Mustard Seed’s clinic or its mobile market, learn to cook healthier meals using accessible ingredients, often incorporating produce from the market itself. The mobile market, presented the second Thursday of every month, offers fresh fruits and vegetables to families in need, but does not provide food preparation or cooking instructions.

“Mustard Seed was already doing great work providing food to families through the market,” said Scott. “But their team knew they needed a nutrition component. It wasn’t enough just to hand out healthy food. People needed to know how to prepare it in ways that support their health.”

The results speak for themselves.

“I’m diabetic, and my sugar was uncontrollable. Since taking this class, it’s gone down significantly,” she said.

“Every time I eat, I think about that plate they showed me — the portions, the balance. It completely changed my mindset.”

The classes offer more than education — they nourish hope. “I was depressed,” Garcia added. “I had lost people close to me, and I didn’t want to go out or talk to anyone. This class gave me something to look forward to.”

Shirley Baldwin, a repeat participant, echoed the sentiment. “I keep coming back because I learn something new every time,” she said. “I’ve learned to cook without salt and how to make meals using whatever’s in the fridge. My blood pressure’s been great.”

Scott’s culturally sensitive approach plays a key role in the program’s success. With participants from diverse backgrounds — African American, Hispanic, African and more — she’s intentional about tailoring recipes and encouraging adaptation rather than replacement.

“I had one gentleman who insisted he’d never eat enchiladas without salt,” she recalled. “But once he tried our low-sodium version using garlic, onions and peppers, he said, ‘No salt, no salt!’ He loved it.”

EFNEP’s practical focus is another draw. Classes include hands-on cooking, nutrition lessons, and even brief exercise sessions to encourage a holistic approach to wellness. At the end of each class, participants take home the ingredients needed to recreate the day’s meal with their families, extending the impact beyond the classroom.

The ripple effects are visible. “We’ve had participants whose a1c levels dropped, some who were able to reduce their insulin intake, and others who simply feel better and more confident,” said Scott. “They take this knowledge home, and it starts to influence their children and even their neighbors.”

Every time I eat, I think about that plate they showed me — the portions, the balance. It completely changed my mindset.

Mustard Seed Community Health Worker and Interpreter Elizabeth Medina-Ledezma underscored the importance of the partnership. “As a healthcare provider, we see patients every day dealing with preventable conditions,” she said. “Working with Cooperative Extension allows us to not just treat illness, but address its root causes through education and empowerment.”

The class, now meeting every other Monday, continues to grow in popularity, although the daytime scheduling makes attendance difficult for some area residents. “We’d love to get more working families involved,” Baldwin said. “So many people need this.”

EFNEP may not make headlines, but its impact is seen every day in the likes of Garcia, Baldwin, and dozens of others in East Greensboro. Through cooking and nutrition education, participants can take a step toward better physical and mental health, and lasting change.

As Scott puts it: “We’re not just teaching people how to cook — we’re showing them how to take care of themselves and their families. And that’s powerful.”