"When you teach from the heart, the community feels it and responds with gratitude. That is the most beautiful thing about my job," said Nelly Camacho, reflecting the enthusiasm and dedication that have marked her more than 20 years as a nutrition educator of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).
Nelly found her calling at EFNEP, motivated by her genuine love of teaching and commitment to sharing practical knowledge about nutrition and health. For her, each class represents a unique opportunity to connect deeply with families, offer them concrete tools and empower them to live healthier lives.
Nelly's creativity shone, especially during the most challenging days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. While many faced uncertainty, she transformed her own home into a dynamic virtual classroom, offering live nutrition classes from her phone via FaceTime.
"In those difficult times, I felt an immense responsibility to ensure no family was left unattended,” Camacho recalled. “I organized WhatsApp groups, made personal calls and sent weekly messages. Hence, everyone had access to useful and timely information on how to eat well and stay healthy.”
Over the past few years, Camacho has noticed a significant shift in the needs of participating families, especially with the growing number of communities from Central America, many of whom speak indigenous dialects. Without hesitation, Nelly has ingeniously adapted the classes to integrate traditional recipes, keeping cultural roots alive and making them healthier.
Nelly's greatest lesson throughout her career is simple but powerful. "I have learned that the most important thing is to be present and help people when they need it most,” she said. “The real teaching happens when you connect with people, and when the community feels you understand and respect their lives.”
To educators who are just starting out, Camacho offered this advice: "Always be creative and authentic in your classes. Each class is an opportunity to make nutrition education meaningful and fun for everyone."
This Women's History Month, we celebrate with admiration Nelly Camacho and the rest of the professional women at UC ANR, who bring energy, passion and creativity to their work nurturing the health and spirit of countless California families.