FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 8, 2010

All Union County Residents Invited to Join
“Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ Online Challenge”

Union County, NJ – Small changes can lead to big improvements, and Union County residents can put that idea to work for themselves by joining the Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s online “Small Steps to Health and Wealth™(SSHW) Worldwide Challenge 2010.” The goal is to improve personal health and get control of household finances by following ten simple guidelines for nutrition and budgeting skills.

The free online-only program is open to all. It lasts for six weeks, from January 17 to February 27. Participants track their goals online and are awarded points for progress, with prizes awarded for the highest scores.

For more information or to sign up, visit the Extension website at http://njaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/ and follow the steps to enroll in “SSHW Challenge 2010.”

In the Challenge, participants practice five simple, daily nutrition goals: eating more fruits and vegetables, walking and getting more exercising, avoiding sugary drinks, and learning more about health and nutrition.

Participants also practice five simple financial goals that include saving pocket change, keeping track of daily spending, eating home-made lunches, investing a few dollars daily through a retirement savings plan or other means, and learning something new about personal finance.

The Rutgers Cooperative Extension is supported in part by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. For more information about the Challenge and all Union County Extension programs, call 908-654-9854.

Dr. Karen Ensle, the health and nutrition expert who heads the Union County Extension, co-authored the “Small Steps to Health and Wealth” workbook and partnered with finance expert Dr. Barbara O’Neill to develop the national “Small Steps to Health and Wealth™” initiative.

The Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension of Union County is part of a nationwide network that includes thousands of counties in the United States, designed to bring science-based knowledge from research institutions directly to the community. The Union County Extension programs include popular organizations such as 4-H, Master Gardeners, and Master Tree Stewards as well as classes on health, nutrition, and personal finances, and guidance in many aspects of home and commercial agriculture.