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Expanding Annie´s Project In The Northeastern States

Madeline Schultz

Summary

Annie’s Project is a teaching methodology that helps bring financial security and well being to women in rural communities where food, fiber, and fuel production are synonymous with family. The first Annie’s Project class was taught in 2003 by Ruth Hambleton, program founder. Demand for the program grew and with the help of an RMA grant, the Annie’s National Network Initiative for Educational Success (ANNIES) was established in October 2008. Through the ANNIES program at Iowa State University, this national network of educators strives to empower farm women to be better business mangers through networking and by managing and organizing critical information. In this session, Schultz will provide an update on the progress and activity of ANNIES. Dill and Rhodes will discuss their experience implementing Annie’s Project in Maryland, serving 47 women in 2008/2009. With the help of NC-RME funding, they have nine regional class sites planned for Maryland and Delaware in 2010 with a goal of 180 participants. This expansion included 20 collaborators who use a team wiki to improve information sharing and will help facilitate the sites. A highlight of this session will be hearing from Maryland Annie’s Project class participants who will share their classroom experiences and talk about how the classes benefited them. There is a strong demand for Annie’s Project in the Northeast and Wells will explain how ANNIES is helping local educators adapt Annie’s Project to meet the risk management needs of women in the region.

Details

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