Reaching the Underserved
Judy Stevens, MS
SNAP-Ed State Project Associate
Virginia Master Well Owner Network Training
October 29-30, 2008
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Financial and Technical Assistance
 Virginia Dept of Housing and Community Dev’t
(http://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/HousingPreservationRehabilitation/default.htm)
 Emergency Home Repair Program
 Indoor Plumbing Rehabilitation Programs
 Livable Homes Tax Credit
 Virginia Lead Safe Homes Program
 Water/Sewer Programs
 USDA Rural Development Housing
Programs(504) (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/nofas/index.html)
 Very low to moderate income housing loans for single or multi-family
homes
 Grants for homeowners 62+
 Rural rental housing loans
2
Financial and Technical Assistance
 Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project
(http://www.sercap.org/programs/rc_facilities_dev.htm)
 Rural Communities Facilities Development Program (emergency
housing loans to low income families)
 Many resources for small community water and wastewater systems
 SAIF Water Wells (Northern Neck)
(http://www.saifwater.org/)
 Faith-based effort for safer drinking water for rural Virginians
 VALUABLE resources/brochures for less-educated homeowners
 Provide financial and technical assistance
 What is available locally in your area???
3
Locating Your Audience
 Free Clinics http://www.vafreeclinics.org/
 Public Schools (50% free or reduced lunch)
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/ss_services/nutrition/
resources/statistics/free_red_elig/0708/sch/schfreered_07-08.pdf
 Head Start
http://www.headstartva.org/program/index.htm
 Area Agency on Aging
http://www.vda.virginia.gov/aaalist.asp
Locating Your Audience
 Habitat for Humanity
http://www.habitatvirginia.org
 Local DSS, Local Health Department, Local CSB
 Local Food Pantry/Local Churches/Child Care
Centers
 SNAP-Ed Program Assistants
Smart Choices in the Grocery Store
 Health Fairs
Locating the Diverse Audience
 Same as above
 Nuevas Raices (Spanish newspaper)
Carolina Parietti: cparietti@nuevasraices.com
 Local Ethnic Food Stores
Reaching Your Audience
 Flyers and Handouts:
Use Emotion-Based Messages
 Referrals
Partner with a Person of Trust
(Ex. pastor, center director, doctor)
 County/Local Mailings
 Local Media
Understand Your Audience
 Background
 Education Level
 What’s important to THEM
 Attitude
Teaching Your Audience
 Stick to the “Need-to-Knows”, not the
“Nice-to-Knows”
 Showing/doing - not telling
 “Sneak” in the education
 Use Emotion-Based Messages
Emotion-Based Messages
 Using underlying emotional motivators to drive
acceptance of an idea is more effective than
appealing with facts.
 Find out:
- What emotional motivators do your audience have?
- How can you use them to translate your message?
Use the Four Steps….
Four Steps to Facilitating Emotion-Based
Motivation
1. Anchor (Open) – ask questions that will lead to
emotion-based conversation
2. Apply (Dig) – draw out true feelings about an
issue
3. Add (Connect) – show how personal needs are
connected with the activities you are suggesting
4. Away (Act) – discuss specific actions to take for
getting the job done as well as the potential
benefits.
Some Emotion-Based Issues
Target the real issues/desires in your audience’s
life:
-Being a good parent
-Having healthy children
-Feeling accepted, supported – not isolated
-Being in control of one’s life
-Staying well
What Pictures Would Express These
Concerns on a Flyer?
 Are you buying water because you don’t trust
your well water? $$$$$$$
 Does your well water smell like rotten eggs?
 Do you need to use much more soap to get your
clothes clean?$$$$$$$
 Are there rust stains on your sink/clothes?
 Are there black stains on your laundry?
In Conclusion:
Only Effective Messages Make
A Difference.
What Will Make Them Come?

Understand your audience
 Know how to interact with your audience
 Know how to reach your audience
 Use Emotion-Based Messages – they are effective.
References
 “What will make them come?”. Pam McCarthy.
 “Teaching Limited Resource Audiences Effectively”.
Online resource, Oregon State University.
 “Faces Of Poverty”. PowerPoint. Mary McFerren.
 www.touchingheartstouchingminds.com accessed
online November 14, 2007.
 Carrington A, Clarke V. “Learner Centered Approach
to Nutrition Education”. PowerPoint.