Engagement with the Community

Alameda County Nutrition Services provides pathways for volunteers, interns, and the community to pursue public health as a career and, at a minimum, gives an early view to see if it is of interest. Volunteers, interns, and community champions reflect the diversity and resilience of Alameda County.

Nutrition Services’ Program Event Participation Requests Form (PDF)

HEALTH AMBASSADORS

Help with one-time or short-term projects like organizing inventory, participating in feedback sessions and focus groups, or putting lunches together at the annual Healthy Living Festival. Opportunities may be volunteer and/or paid, depending on the project.

INTERNS

Seasonal program internship opportunities exist for high school, undergraduate, and graduate-level students who have lived or have work experience with Alameda County, are interested in public health community-based nutrition education and physical activity, and have a desire to promote healthy living with local communities. Intern projects contribute to spreading awareness about the benefits of adopting healthy eating, the importance of regular physical activity, and even policy change. Visit the Intern Testimonials webpage.

A student services agreement between the host institution and Alameda County must be in place before placement. This process may take a minimum of four months. Prospective interns will be interviewed. Internships are available based on staff time and capacity. Fingerprinting, background check, TB test, and physical may apply.

Inquiries for dietetic rotation preceptors can be directed to Annette Laverty, MPH, RD at annette.laverty@acgov.org or Nori Grossmann, MPH, RD, at (510) 268-4225 or nori.grossmann@acgov.org.

Organizations that would like to establish a student services agreement contact Rachel P. Paras at Rachel.Paras@acgov.org or call (510) 268-4217.

Healthy Living Champions

Cooking for Health Academy graduates are eligible to take the California Food Handler certification online course at no cost and can become a Healthy Living Champion (peer leader).

Champions may represent at health fairs along with staff and host a Rethink Your Drink or Healthy Snack Day table or event.

Champions with an interest in healthy retail may conduct food demos with staff and even co-teach a Cooking For Health Academy or Bingocize class. Feedback from Champions helps us improve how we do our work to better serve the community.

Questions? Please reach out to Brenda Lesh (brenda.lesh@acgov.org) or Joe Whittaker (Joseph.Whittaker@acgov.org or (510) 268-4207) to learn about more opportunities.

Community Partnerships

The work Alameda County Nutrition Services does cannot happen without dedicated, equity-focused partners. Chronic disease prevention is a charge shared with many organizations and collaborative efforts. Through our collaborative partnerships, we hear from member representatives about ground-truthed, community issues and how our services can better meet community needs. Below are some examples of our collaborative partnerships.

• Bay Area Nutrition and Physical Activity Collaborative (BANPAC): BANPAC is a regional initiative that empowers communities to make systems and environmental changes to support healthy living. Contact Nori Grossmann, Program Specialist/RD, at (510) 268-4225 or nori.grossmann@acgov.org.
• Ashland Cherryland Healthy Communities Collaborative: Nutrition Services actively participated in the development of the Environmental Justice Element of the county general plan (SB 1000). We continue to be active partners, assisting this collaborative around nutrition, food access, and physical activity initiatives.

County Nutrition Action Partnership

The Alameda County Public Health Nutrition Services convenes the Alameda County Nutrition Action Partnership (CNAP).CNAP’s goal is to support environments that promote optimal health for all SNAP-Ed-eligible Alameda County residents, where local nutritious food and physical activity opportunities are readily available and easy to access. CNAP usually convenes virtually on the 4th Tuesday of the month from 1 – 2:30 p.m. Contact Rachel Paras, Director, at rachel.paras@acgov.org for bi-laws and more information.

Objectives:

By September 30, 2026, CNAP will:

1. Support the promotion of at least two selected region-wide campaigns (Rethink Your Drink Day, Healthy Snack Day, etc.).
2. Assess and explore potential partnerships with at least 10 non-traditional partners, build relationships, and develop collaborative activities to increase nutrition knowledge, physical activity, and/or food accessibility at sites in SNAP-Ed eligible communities.
3. Support at least 10 strategies per year that promote selected neighborhood campaigns.
4. Collaborate through an integrated work plan on direct and indirect multi-level, place-based strategies to promote nutrition, wellness, physical activity, and PSE changes, incorporating common messaging to expand the development of obesity prevention efforts in two focus neighborhoods.
5. Convene meetings a minimum of six times per year to implement a three-year integrated work plan, share information about member programs, secure new partners to leverage opportunities to expand program outreach, and continue to implement consistent NE/PA messaging to the SNAP-Ed eligible population.
6. Identify resources and current programming by CNAP agencies, CBOs, government agencies, and key stakeholders.

Active Member Agency Roster FFY 2024-2025

• 18 Reasons
• AC Area Agency on Aging
• AC Community Food Bank
• AC Nutrition Services
• AC Social Services Agency
• AC Women, Infants, & Children (WIC)
• Alameda Alliance for Health
• Alameda Family Services Head Start
• Alameda Health System
• City of Berkeley, Public Health Division
• City Slicker Farms
• CocoKids
• Fresh Approach
• Health & Human Resource Education Center (HHREC)
• Healthy Berkeley
• Healthy Black Families Inc
• HOPE Collaborative
• Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative
• La Clinica
• Oakland Unified School District
• San Lorenzo Unified School District
• Sutter Health Community Programs
• Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center
• UC Cooperative Extension-EFNEP
• UC Cooperative Extension-CalFresh

Picture of CNAP Active Member Agency Roster FFY 2022-2023