TRANSMITTAL LETTER

November 4, 2019

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

50 College Road East
Princeton, NJ 08540-6614

Dear Sir or Madam,

My fellow dietetics students and I are submitting a proposal for funding to promote and develop
the Family Meal Time (FMT) program. This program is intended to educate low-income families
on how to cook healthy meals on a budget, as well as how to strengthen relationships. The proposal
requests $27,285.60 for a project to be completed by December 31, 2019. Please see below for
additional documents. This is in response to our current expiring grant.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Cathy Merrill (Project Director)

Kirsten Mellott (Project Manager)
MacKenzie Bean
Emma Luymes
Elyce Gamble
Utah County Extension Office L600
100 East Center Street
Provo, Utah 84606
Phone: 801-851-8468
Email: cathy.merrill@usu.edu
 TITLE PAGE

Project Title: Utah State University (USU) Extension Family Meal Time Program
Grant Program: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant for Public Education and Strategic
Communications
Proposed Start Date: October 1, 2019
Proposed End Date: December 31, 2019
Funds Requested: $27,285.60

Project Director:
Kirsten Mellott (Project Manager)
MacKenzie Bean
Emma Luymes
Elyce Gamble
Brigham Young University
Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science Dept.
Provo, Utah 84606
Phone: 801-422-3912
Email: dieteticstudents@gmail.com

The award should be made to:

USU Extension

Authorized Organizational Representative:

Cathy Merrill, USU Extension Assistant Professor
Utah County Extension Office L600
100 East Center Street
Provo, Utah 84606
Phone: 801-851-8468
Email: cathy.merrill@usu.edu
 PROJECT SUMMARY

With the many challenges low-income families face—namely food insecurity, obesity, and
depression—it is important that community services are available to help reduce these burdens on
low-income families. One impactful and relatively simple intervention is for families to have
frequent meals together. USU Extension (USUE) has created the FMT program to give families
this opportunity. The FMT program models the positive behaviors as demonstrated by recent
research including the family meals that are at a table, have limited digital distractions, and have
parents that facilitate the conversation. Family meals have also been linked to lower rates of
anxiety, depression, and eating disorders for both male and female adolescents. In regard to
physical health, eating together as a family helps children maintain a healthy weight. These results
are most likely influenced by the fact that children who eat most of their meals with their families
have a higher intake of fruits and vegetables and an overall increased quality of diet. With all the
dramatic benefits of implementing family meals, it is important that a community program be in
place to help low-income families remove barriers to family meals and increase their perceived
benefits of eating together. Increasing awareness and enrollment in the FMT program will benefit
low-income families in our community by providing them with resources for healthier meals. Our
ultimate goal is to aid in recruitment and marketing for the FMT program. Thus, the objectives for
this project are: (a) By December 2019, increase enrollment in the FMT program by 50% compared
to last year’s attendance; (b) By December 2019, increase the @CreateBetterHealthUtah Instagram
followers to 500. Create Better Health Utah is USUE’s campaign page for the community project.
Our evaluation plan includes calculating the increase in FMT enrollment and the followers on the
@CreateBetterHealthUtah Instagram page. We will also use the Instagram analytics tool to
identify where we can improve in our social media marketing efforts in the future. This project
will span three months and the budget request is $27,285.60.
 GRANT NARRATIVE

Needs Statement

With the many challenges low-income families face—namely food insecurity, obesity, and
depression—it is important that community services are available to help reduce these burdens on
low-income families (1,2,3). One impactful and relatively simple intervention is for families to
have frequent meals together. Research has repeatedly demonstrated the multifaceted benefits of
family meals. The type of family meals that have the highest benefits are those that are at a table,
have limited digital distractions, and have parents that facilitate the conversation (1, 2). A huge
benefit of frequent family meals in a positive environment is the decreased risk of eating disorders
in girls (3). Research shows that the families that have more frequent meals together are typically
less strict with feeding behaviors, which leads to fewer eating disorders (4). This positive
environment can be fostered as parents help children make healthy choices at family meals,
monitor children’s food intake, manage children’s behavior at the meal, and facilitate conversation
and communication (2). Family meals have also been linked to lower rates of anxiety and
depression for both male and female adolescents, which further lowers the risk of eating disorders
and other negative consequences that have become very prevalent among today’s youth (5). In
regard to physical health, eating together as a family helps children maintain a healthy weight (6)
and families who eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together create healthier eating habits that
typically result in healthier body mass indexes for preschool children (7). These results are most
likely influenced by the fact that children who eat most of their meals with their families have a
higher intake of fruits and vegetables and an overall increased quality of diet (2, 8). Lastly, research
has shown that low-income and racially diverse populations who eat together specifically have
increased fruit and vegetable intake, better mental health, and better weight management (9).
Despite the many benefits of family meals as outlined by the previous statistics, one study found
that only 43% of mothers surveyed felt that eating together as a family was important (6). With all
of these dramatic benefits of implementing family meals, it is important that a community program
be in place to help low-income families remove barriers to having family meals and increase their
perceived benefits of eating together.

Research shows that both income and race/ethnicity play a role in the quality of dietary
intake among individuals. Low-income families who utilize the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program—previously known as food stamps—tend to buy unhealthier, energy-dense foods (10).
For example, they pick legumes, fatty meats, and potatoes instead of fresh fruits and vegetables
(10). On the flip side, those with higher incomes tend to choose more fruits and vegetables, lean
meats, and low-fat milk (10). Research shows that the reason low-income families pick energy-
dense, high-fat foods and desserts is because of the convenience and limited kitchen appliances
(11). It is reported that low enjoyment of cooking is also a barrier in creating healthful family
meals (9).

Low-income families would greatly benefit from the FMT program because the program
provides a positive environment to learn how to cook healthy meals on a budget with limited
kitchen appliances and incorporate fruits and vegetables for a tasty meal. Our project is creating
social media content and flyers to help promote the FMT program operated by USUE. The FMT
program targets low-income families and lower barriers to family meals by teaching families how
to cook and eat together as well as teaching nutritional and food safety information and providing
a relationship workshop. The purpose of our project is to help recruit low-income families and
increase FMT program attendance. By achieving a higher attendance, we hope to increase each
family’s food security, understanding of nutrition, and their ability to cook and eat healthy meals
together.

In accordance with our funding agency, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the FMT
program also seeks to promote and aid individuals in making healthier choices. One of the main
aims of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s grants and grant programs is to identify and
expand community-based programs that have a meaningful impact on community health (12). As
a program that targets the family, the basic unit of society, the impact of FMT can be generational
in its effect of the nutritional knowledge and skills that are passed down. LaCee Jimenez, the social
marketing and eligibility coordinator for FMT in 2017, said that FMT has been shown to improve
the ability of low-income families to plan and prepare healthy meals on very tight budgets (13).
For these reasons, The FMT program would be the perfect fit for the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation grant.

Finally, the FMT program follows the Healthy People 2020 initiative by encouraging
families to “consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods within and across the food groups” (14).
Not only does FMT coincide with the nutrition and weight status topic area of Healthy People
2020, but is also in accordance with the overall goals and objectives of aiding in the development
of healthy behaviors across all life stages and decreasing disparities in health and economic status.
The FMT Program provides a large variety of benefits both short- and long-term to the individuals
and communities served.

Project Goals and Objectives

1. What is your team's selected agency?

USUE
2. What is the target population for your community project?
Low-income families that qualify for SNAP.
3. Goal(s) for your community project:
Aid in recruitment and marketing for the FMT program.
4. Outcome Objective(s) for your community project:
By December 2019, increase enrollment in the FMT program by 50% compared to last
year’s attendance.
By December 2019, increase @CreateBetterHealthUtah Instagram followers to 500 (current
following 395).
5. Process Objectives for your community project:
Throughout October 2019, dietetics students will create 10 social media posts for weekly
marketing (image and caption).
Throughout October 2019, dietetics students will distribute 100 flyers among schools,
community centers and other applicable locations in the Franklin School District.
*Flyers will include information to access social media posts with a QR code and Instagram
handle.
 Project Methods

Summary

The FMT Program was created by USUE to improve family relationships and provide
nutrition education among low-income families. This program includes eight community classes
that demonstrate cooking and budgeting methods. USUE has received a grant to implement the
FMT program that needs to be used by the end of 2019.
USUE is currently in need of recruitment and promotion for the FMT program. We are
creating 10 social media posts advertising FMT for @CreateBetterHealthUtah. These posts will
create awareness of the program and its benefits, thus increasing enrollment.
In addition to the social media posts, we are developing and distributing flyers in low-
income areas. The flyer template we create will be given to USUE to use for future FMT sessions.
This flyer will include both a QR code that links to the registration website for quick access.
Making more people aware of the program will increase enrollment and ultimately lead to more
families eating together and developing healthy habits.

Activities

We will be developing 10 Instagram posts including content and images to 1) recruit

participants for the FMT program and 2) demonstrate program effectiveness. One of the social
media posts will include testimonials from the program participants to be shared, showcasing the
impact FMT has on low-income families. We will also create a flyer to promote the
@CreateBetterHealthUtah Instagram and provide information about the FMT registration. These
will be distributed in the South Franklin, Provo, Utah area in local food banks, community centers
and elementary schools to reach both parents and children of low-income families. While this
program has been implemented in past years, it has had low attendance. Our targeted marketing
will increase enrollment and allow for more families to experience the benefits of the FMT
program. The digital content we create will be sent to Cathy Merrill, the Extension Assistant
Professor, via email, for her to post on the @CreateBetterHealthUtah Instagram page and utilize
at her discretion.

Evaluation Plan

Outcome Objectives

On December 31, 2019, our group will look at the current FMT enrollment and calculate if
it has increased by our goal of 50% since the 2018 enrollment count. Enrollment numbers will be
accessed through the USUE registration website. We will work with Cathy Merrill to access those
numbers.

Our group will also look at how many followers the @CreateBetterHealthUtah and see if it
their followers have increased from 399 to our goal of 500. Lastly, we will use the analytics tool
on Instagram to see the demographic breakdown of who follows @CreateBetterHealthUtah, how
each follower found FMT Instagram posts, and follower engagement, hashtag activity, and
clickthrough rates. Our group will use this data to identify where we could improve gaining and
retaining followers in the future.

Process Objectives

On October 31st, 2019, we will count how many posts have been created and review the
content of each post. Each post should have an image as well as a related caption. If 10 posts have
not been created, we will evaluate why by conversing with the dietetic students in charge of
creating the posts to see if they managed their time wisely and how they can improve in the future.
Lastly, on October 31st, we will assess if all 100 flyers were distributed and displayed in each
appointed location.

If our group has not met enrollment goals for 2019 by December 31, 2019, we will evaluate
why by identifying how many people the social media posts reached, sending out a survey to
current participants to determine how they found out about FMT, and by conversing as a group to
determine if all 100 flyers were distributed to the proper locations. We have not yet received a list
of places to distribute the flyers, but as we receive these locations, we will assign each group
member a location to go and distribute all of the flyers given to them. Each group member will be
given 25 flyers to distribute, which equals a total of 100 flyers. After distributing their flyers, each
group member will report to the entire group that they completed their assigned task.

Sustainability

We will prepare social media posts as well as a flyer template that can be edited and
adjusted in the future to meet their needs. This way, the materials we are making and giving to
USUE will be able to be used for years to come and the Education Ambassadors will be in charge
of changing the materials each time they are used.
 BUDGET

DIRECT COSTS

Personnel (4 Dietetics Students): $25/hr.- $12,000

Fringe Benefits: $1,440
Equipment $8950
Supplies $78
Travel $180
Social Media Statistical Analysis $90

TOTAL DIRECT: $22,738

INDIRECT COSTS: 20%

GRAND TOTAL (Direct & Indirect Costs): $27,285.6

Budget Narrative
DIRECT COSTS
A. Salaries and Wages
a. Personnel
i. Dietetics Students (4): Full-time (40 hours/week) for three months for a
total of $12,000. Responsibilities include: creating content for social
media posts to promote the FMT program; collecting and/or taking photos
for social media posts; analyzing social media statistics to assess program
effectiveness; creating flyers and distributing them around the community
in South Franklin schools, food banks, government housing, and the
recreation center; coordinating with Cathy Merrill, the Extension Assistant
Professor to promote the FMT program.
B. Fringe Benefits
a. Fringe benefits are 12% for all 4 dietetics students @ 0.12 x 12,000 for a total of
$1,440.
C. Total Salaries, Wages, and Fringe Benefits: Total wages and fringe benefits= $13,440
(total wages $12,000 and total fringe benefits $1,440).
D. Equipment
a. 4 computers $4,000 total ($1,000/each) to be used by the dietetics students for
social media content development and flyer creation.
b. Software program (Qualtrics) $750 total ($250/month) to create and distribute
surveys to assess program effectiveness.
c. 4 iPads $3,600 total ($800/each) to facilitate registration for the FMT program
and use for completing surveys by program participants.
d. Camera $500 total to take quality pictures for social media posts and flyers, and
take pictures during the program to use for future promotion.
e. Printer $100 total for printing the flyers and other necessary documents.
E. Materials and Supplies
a. Stock photos total $33 for any necessary social media photos.
 b. Paper total $15 for printing 100 flyers and any necessary documents.
c. Ink total $30 for printing activities.
F. Travel
a. Mileage to office and South Franklin areas for flyer distribution $180 total ($60
per month- 400 miles per month)
G. All Other Direct Costs
a. Instagram analytics tool total $90 for assessing social media effectiveness (how
many people viewed posts, scanned QR code, etc.)
H. Total Direct Costs
a. Total costs for C through G above equal $22,738

INDIRECT COSTS: Indirect costs equal $4,547.60 (20% of total direct costs)

TOTAL COSTS: Total direct and indirect costs equal $27,285.60

 REFERENCES

1. Kasper N, Ball SC, Halverson K, et al. Deconstructing the Family Meal: Are
Characteristics of the Mealtime Environment Associated with the Healthfulness of Meals
Served? JAND. 2019;119(8):1296-1304. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2019.01.009.
2. Trofholz AC, Schulte AK, Berge JM. A qualitative investigation of how mothers from
low income households perceive their role during family meals. Appetite. 2018;126:121-
127. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2018.03.017.
3. Munoz DJ, Israel AC, Anderson DA. The Relationship of Family Stability and Family
Mealtime Frequency with Bulimia Symptomatology. Eat Disord. 2007;15(3):261-271.
doi:10.1080/10640260701323516.
4. Berge JM, Draxten M, Trofholz A, Hanson-Bradley C, Justesen K, Slattengren A.
Similarities and differences between families who have frequent and infrequent family
meals: A qualitative investigation of low-income and minority households. Eat Behav.
2018;29:99-106. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2018.02.007.
5. White HJ, Haycraft E, Meyer C. Family mealtimes and eating psychopathology: The role
of anxiety and depression among adolescent girls and boys. Appetite. 2014;75:173-179.
doi:10.1016/j.appet.2014.01.007.
6. Mamun AA, Lawlor DA, Ocallaghan MJ, Williams GM, Najman JM. Positive Maternal
Attitude to the Family Eating Together Decreases the Risk of Adolescent Overweight.
Obes Res. 2005;13(8):1422-1430. doi:10.1038/oby.2005.172.
7. Berge JM, Truesdale KP, Sherwood NE, et al. Beyond the dinner table: who’s having
breakfast, lunch and dinner family meals and which meals are associated with better diet
quality and BMI in pre-school children? Public Health Nutr. 2017;20(18):3275-3284.
doi:10.1017/s1368980017002348.
8. Sweetman C, Mcgowan L, Croker H, Cooke L. Characteristics of Family Mealtimes
Affecting Childrens Vegetable Consumption and Liking. J Am Diet Assoc.
2011;111(2):269-273. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2010.10.050.
9. Trofholz AC, Thao MS, Donley M, Smith M, Isaac H, Berge JM. Family meals then and
now: A qualitative investigation of intergenerational transmission of family meal
practices in a racially/ethnically diverse and immigrant population. Appetite.
2018;121:163-172. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.11.084.
10. Kirkpatrick SI, Dodd KW, Reedy J, Krebs-Smith SM. Income and Race/Ethnicity Are
Associated with Adherence to Food-Based Dietary Guidance among US Adults and
Children. JAND. 2012;112(5). doi:10.1016/j.jand.2011.11.012.
11. Drewnowski A, Eichelsdoerfer P. Can Low-Income Americans Afford a Healthy Diet?
Nutr Today. 2009;44(6):246-249. doi:10.1097/nt.0b013e3181c29f79.
12. Grants and Grant Programs. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
https://www.rwjf.org/en/how-we-work/grants-and-grant-programs.html. Published June
19, 2019. Accessed October 23, 2019.
13. Reese J. USU extension’s “Create family mealtime” campaign promotes making family
meals a priority. Utah State University Extension. September 2017.
14. Nutrition and Weight Status. Nutrition and Weight Status. Healthy People 2020.
https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/nutrition-and-weight-status.
Accessed October 24, 2019.
 APPENDICES
Gaant (Timeline) Chart
 Project Materials

Our Social Media posts are aimed to promote the FMT Program to low-income families
through colorful, informative, interactive posts to help people engage and register for the program.
For these posts we will need images that reflect the target population demographic including
families eating and cooking together, images of common foods, and images that follow the
specified colors of Create Better Health Utah (Orange, Green, Purple, Yellow). In addition to the
images themselves, we will create a social media outline that provides a suggested caption. These
captions will have information about the FMT program and availability of upcoming classes, links
for registration and information, and testimonials from past participants. Our hope is that via social
media marketing, we will increase the Create Better Health Utah Instagram page following by 100
people.

FMT Promotional Flyer and Instagram Posts

 Theme: Register For FMT
Caption: We are excited to start our Family Meal
Time program in just ONE WEEK! Sign up today
and learn how to cook and dine as a family.
#FamilyMealTime
Purpose: This post is intended to gather as many
interested participants for FMT before the FMT
program begins.

Theme: Relationship Workshop

Caption: Do you want to improve your
relationships and strengthen your family? Part of the
Family Meal Time program is dedicated to teaching
tips and tricks for increasing family unity. Come find
out more! Click the link to register.
#RelationshipsMatter #FamilyMealTime
Purpose: The purpose of this post is to show
followers that FMT not only teaches families how to
cook together, but it also provides workshops to
strengthen familial relationships. This is intended to
encourage followers to sign up for FMT.

Theme: Meals on a Budget

Caption: Come learn how to build healthy meals for
your family by including a variety of nourishing, low-
cost foods at each meal. Incorporating foods from each
of the food groups is a great way to improve the overall
health and wellness of your entire family. Click the link
to register. #HealthyEatingOnABudget
#FamilyMealTime
Purpose: This post is intended to educate followers
that Family Meal Time will teach families how to cook
appetizing meals together all while sticking to a budget.
This is intended to encourage followers to sign up for
the FMT program.
 Theme: Incorporating Veggies In Meals
Caption: Whether you have picky kids or even picky
adults at home, it can be difficult to get everyone excited
about eating vegetables. How do you make vegetables a
fun and enjoyable part of your family meals?
#FamilyMealTime
Purpose: The purpose of this post is to encourage
followers to incorporate more veggies in their meals by
creating an interactive dialogue between
@CreateBetterHealthUtah Instagram moderator and their
followers.

Theme: Benefits of Family Meals

Caption: As a parent, it can be scary and
overwhelming when you think about trying to raise your
teenagers in the world in which we live in, but
preventing undesirable outcomes is easier when you
have regular family meals. It may seem simple, but
research has shown numerous benefits of family meals.
Have you had a family meal today?

Sign up for our Family Meal Time program to jump

start or add to your family meal routine!
#FamilyMealTime

Purpose: The purpose of this post is to 1) inform

followers of the many benefits research has shown about
family meals, and 2) encourage them to sign up for the
FMT program.

Theme: Food Quote

Caption: Do you ever feel like you struggle connecting
to your kids or other family members? One way to
reconnect is by taking the time to eat together. Make
family dinner tonight a priority! #FamilyMealTime
Purpose: This post is intended to catch people’s
attention through the picture of a popular food (tacos) in
the background. By catching their attention, we then
hope they will read our caption and become curious
about the Family Meal Time program.
 Theme: Cooking as a Family
Caption: Try to incorporate the whole family in
cooking, and you’ll quickly see amazing results!
#FamilyMealTime
Purpose: The purpose of this post is to encourage
people to cook together as a family while also
promoting the FMT program.

Theme: Dine Well Quote

Caption: Taking time to eat nutritious food with your
family will give you the energy you need to do what
you love. Come join our Family Meal Time program
and learn how to cook simple and delicious meals on a
budget! Click the link to register. #FamilyMealTime
Purpose: The purpose of this post is to catch
people’s attention as they scroll through their feed. The
hope is that they will pause, read the quote, and then be
interested enough in our content to register for the
Family Meal Time program.

Theme: Follow up of FMT at the very end of the

program.
Caption: TBD after the FMT program has been
implemented.
Purpose: The purpose of this post is to broadcast
how the FMT program went and try to encourage
people to sign up the next time it is held. We have
designed an image for this post but have not made a
caption. Since the program has not yet happened, we
did not want to make a generalized caption that did not
fully capture what occurred during the FMT program.
 Theme: Conversation Topics
Caption: Put away the distractions
and engage in meal time conversation.
Swipe right to see some table topic
ideas! #FamilyMealTime
Purpose: This Instagram post will
include multiple photos, each photo
being a question that can be used as a
conversation starter. This post is
intended to be interactive by helping
family members strike up
conversations during family meals.

Situation
USUE has received a grant
that must be used by the end of
2019, or they will not receive
future funding. The Extension
Assistant Professor, Cathy
Merrill, would like to use the
grant to implement the FMT
program. She is in need of social
media content to promote the
program and recruit participants.
Activities
Our project includes the
following three activities, 1)
creation of 10 social media posts
for FMT weekly marketing, 2)
creation of 100 flyers for FMT
participant recruitment, and 3)
ambassadors will prepare the
class curriculum and activities.
Logic Model
Inputs Influential Factors
S: Grant money, ambassadors, dietetics
Inputs for our project students, well-developed FMT program.
include the following: dietetics W: Grant money must be used by the end
students, computer, software of the year, limited time, dietetics students
don’t have professional marketing
program, iPads, camera, printer, expertise, changed Instagram account
stock photos, paper, ink, (branding changed).
Instagram analytics tool, office O: Franklin School District support,
space, grant admin costs, and potential large target population of low-
misc. financial resources. income families.
T: previous engagements at potential
Outputs FMT facility, other budgeting and
cooking classes in the area, low-income
Outputs for our project families are independent in their choice to
include the following: social participate.
media posts for marketing
(captions, images), flyers for
FMT recruitment, and FMT
classes.
Initial Outcomes: By November 2019, FMT enrollment will have increased by 15%
compared to 2018. By November 2019, Instagram followers will have increased to 400.
Intermediate Outcomes: By December 2019, FMT enrollment will have increased by
50% compared to 2018. By December 2019, Instagram followers will have increased to
500.
Long-term Outcomes: By December 2020, FMR enrollment will have increased by
75% compared to 2018. By December 2020, Instagram followers will have increased to
1,000.
Goal: Aid in recruitment and marketing for the FMT program.