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Food Rescue AmeriCorps Direct Service Member

Maya J. Sze

Hope’s Harvest Food Recovery AmeriCorps Direct Service Member

Hope’s Harvest RI seeks a full-time, seasonal Food Rescue AmeriCorps Direct Service Member, who will support the rescue of surplus food from local farms and its distribution to food insecure individuals and families throughout Rhode Island. They will recruit and manage volunteers, lead food rescue (gleaning) trips, create and disseminate volunteer and stakeholder communications via online newsletters and social media, and assist with annual volunteer engagement events and activities. Hope’s Harvest RI is fiscally sponsored by Farm Fresh RI, a food hub with many different programs working together to build a stronger food system in Rhode Island. 

Members must commit to a full time 25 weeks of service, from March 7 to August 29, 2022. The application deadline is February 14, 2022. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Primary Responsibilities

Stakeholder recruitment and management:

  • Conduct volunteer recruitment via webinars, newsletters, listservs, and in-person events (when possible during pandemic restrictions).
  • Support planning and logistics for annual volunteer orientation event.
  • Update and ensure accurate volunteer data in CRM database.
  • Develop and deploy outreach tools to encourage farmer utilization of gleaning services.
  • Map out schedule of program gleaning activities based on farmer contracts and pre-season planning.

Lead food rescue trips:

  • Lead regular gleaning trips on farms throughout the harvest season (starting in June), including pre- and post-trip prep, clean up, and administration. 
  • Deliver food to hunger relief agency partners, ensuring compliance with Hope’s Harvest RI food safety SOPs.
  • Provide educational content about hunger relief, farming, and food justice to volunteers.
  • Track accomplishments and outcomes of food rescue operations.
  • Document gleaning activities for communications content. 
  • Perform regular cleaning/maintenance on equipment (trucks, harvest tools, etc.).

Communications:

  • Write blog posts detailing program activities to share on social media and our website.
  • Support content creation for newsletter and social media platforms to grow stakeholder engagement and increase community awareness of program activities and impact.
  • Update program website with search engine optimization tools. 

Program tracking and evaluation:

  • Log all program activities and participation.
  • Support administration of end-user beneficiary survey to better understand the impact of Hope’s Harvest RI program activities.
  • Support additional stakeholder input gathering and analysis via online survey tools.

Essential Skills

  • Must have high school diploma/GED, college degree, or working toward one preferred but not required.
  • Be at least 17 years of age at the time of position commencement.
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or Permanent Resident and be able to provide documentation of citizenship.
  • Must be willing to undergo a National Criminal History Background Check.
  • Willing to work occasional weekends during the harvest season (at least 1-2 times per month).
  • Able to build relationships with people from varied cultural, economic, educational, racial, and religious backgrounds.
  • Able to bend and lift loads up to 60 pounds repetitively. 
  • Must hold a clean driving record, valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and willingness to drive large vehicles (no CDL required).
  • Must uphold AmeriCorps state and national branding and uniform standards.
  • A self-starter and have the ability to maintain a self-motivating attitude.
  • Able to collaborate and work as part of a team.
  • Able to think, react, iterate, and redirect in a fast-paced environment.
  • Strong and evolving commitment to anti-racism and actively confronting white supremacy as an end in itself and as a means toward liberation for all people. 
  • Comfortable working in farm fields in all types of New England weather. This typically includes hot and humid summer days, wet and cold autumn, and early winter conditions.

Non-Essential Skills

  • Experience with CRM (Salesforce,) and/or training a plus.
  • Excellent professional communication skills (written and verbal) preferred.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite preferred.
  • Spanish skills or other language skills are a plus.
  • Background in adult education, leading volunteer/tour groups, and/or organizing service work teams.
  • Background working on farms or in community garden settings.

About AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs, made up of three primary programs that each take a different approach to improving lives and fostering civic engagement. Members commit their time to address critical community needs like increasing academic achievement, mentoring youth, and fighting poverty. Members commit to a fixed term of service and receive a weekly living allowance and end of service education award.

Terms of Service & Hours Requirement

Members must commit to a full-time 25 weeks, approx. 36-38hour/week AmeriCorps service term from March 7 to August 29, 2022 — totaling 900 hours of service.

Members must have the ability to work early mornings or Saturdays, as needed, for certain gleaning days with advance notice. Member schedules can be flexible with prior approval by supervisors.

Members will be given the opportunity to fulfill all service hour requirements while also allowing for holidays and 50 hours of paid time off (PTO). Missed hours can be made up on or off-site depending on supervisor approval. All Members must participate in AmeriCorps national, state, and local service projects as a part of their service term.

Orientation, Training & Evaluation

Members will receive one-on-one training on AmeriCorps program impacts, history, and prohibited activities as well as orientation to the local food system and food justice topics addressed by Farm Fresh RI and Hope’s Harvest RI. Training will not exceed more than 20% of the Member’s total service hours completed.

All Members will have opportunities for weekly one-on-one check-ins with supervisors as well as end-of-service performance evaluation. Members will be responsible for submitting weekly timesheets and monthly program narrative reports.

Benefits

  • $9,375 living stipend (total), divided and paid in 25 equal weekly installments
  • $3172.50 Segal Education Award (upon completion of 900 hours of service)
  • Student loan forbearance
  • Mileage reimbursement
  • Professional development opportunities

To Apply

Complete this online application form. After filling out your application, please email your resume to info@hopesharvest.org. Applications are due by February 14th, 2022, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.