The Extension Food and Nutrition Education program was set up by the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service to assist low-income families in improving their diets. Carrying out the program on a one-to-one basis are 365 assistants who are taught the basics of nutrition by trained home economics extension agents. These assistants then go into the field and work with individual families providing knowledge, skills, and motivation to improve diets; assisting families with budgeting problems; disseminating information about institutional services and programs for the family; and helping families broaden the range of their homemaking skills. SPIFFY (Special Program in Food For Youth) groups that feed and teach children about nutrition are also available. (JB)