Farm Fresh Rhode Island seeks an outgoing and energetic Farm to School AmeriCorps VISTA with demonstrated initiative and a passion for food and agriculture education to build capacity for Farm Fresh RI’s Farm to School (F2S) program. As a core partner of the National Farm to School Network, our Farm to School program has been a leader in the movement in RI since day one. This position will work on comprehensive Farm to School projects within a budding organizational and statewide reinvigoration of F2S. This offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in creating F2S programs that connect the classroom, cafeteria, and community. Through research, development, and piloting of programs and systems, this position will support a Rhode Island school district and Farm Fresh RI’s efforts to take Farm to School to the next level. This position requires a one-year commitment to begin in July 20, 2020. Application deadline is June 5, 2020.
Primary Responsibilities
- Enhance and expand current knowledge of best practices, barriers, and facilitators to implementing sustainable, comprehensive F2S programs.
- Conduct a needs assessment and research to develop F2S guidelines for our organization.
- Engage with and support the newly formed RI Farm to School Collaborative.
- Conduct interviews with school community members.
- Develop Farm to School lessons and programs, including environmental and sustainability topics and health concepts..
- Pilot Farm to School programming and technical assistance to the school community.
- Explore and expand F2S outreach efforts for Farm Fresh RI and the RI F2S Collaborative.
- Improve and enhance internal data systems for farm to school activities, stakeholders, relationship maps, and outreach systems.
- Curate relevant grant opportunities and other funding sourcing, including a system for use by Farm Fresh RI and the RI F2S Collaborative.
Skills Required
- Excellent professional communication skills (written and verbal)
- Great attention to detail
- Self-starter and ability to maintain a self-motivating attitude
- Ability to collaborate and work as part of a team
- Excellent time-management skills
- Ability to think, react, iterate, and redirect in a fast-paced environment
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite
- Ability to prioritize and handle a variety of assignments simultaneously in a vibrant work environment
- Spanish or other language skills a plus
- Grant writing experience a plus
- Nutrition/Health/Community education experience a plus
- Able to bend and lift loads up to 50 pounds
About Farm Fresh RI
Begun in 2004 as a student thesis project at Brown University, Farm Fresh RI has grown briskly to capture the public interest in locally grown food and translate it into sales for RI farmers and producers. Strongly mission-driven, Farm Fresh achieved 501c3 status in 2007, and has since implemented a variety of programs to enhance the local food system of the Rhode Island region, with particular attention to farm viability and low-income access to fresh food. Farm Fresh operates a wide range of marketplace programs (retail, wholesale, processing) that engage and connect tens of thousands of RI, MA and CT eaters with thousands of RI, MA and CT farmers.
Mission: Farm Fresh Rhode Island is growing a local food system that values the environment, health and quality of life of RI farmers and eaters.
Vision: A New England abundant with diverse family farms and fertile soils, with locally and honestly produced foods and flavors at the heart of every dinner table.
About AmeriCorps VISTA
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. AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) members bring passion and perseverance where the need is greatest: to organizations that help eradicate poverty. AmeriCorps VISTA members serve as a catalyst for change, living and working alongside community members to meet our nation’s most pressing challenges and advance local solutions.
AmeriCorps VISTA Member Benefits:
- Bi-weekly living allowance of $479.08
- Student loan deferment
- Mileage reimbursement
- Professional development opportunities
- CNCS health benefit & childcare assistance
- $6,195 Segal Education Award upon completion of service to help pay for college, graduate school, or vocational training, or to repay student loans
To Apply
This is a full-year position starting on July 20, 2020 and ending July 19, 2021. The deadline to apply is 6/5/2020. Applications must be submitted through the AmeriCorps VISTA site, as described below. Farm Fresh Rhode Island cannot accept applications directly.
- Please review the AmeriCorps VISTA information here: www.americorps.gov/about/programs/vista.asp.
- Then visit my.americorps.gov/mp/login.do and click Search Listings. For the search, select the “Rhode Island” and “AmeriCorps VISTA” options.
- On that page, scroll until you find this position. Click on it, and click “Apply Now.”
- Submit your application including two references.
Farm Fresh Rhode Island is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment for all employees. We encourage enquiries from candidates who will enrich and contribute to the cultural and ethnic diversity of our organization. Farm Fresh RI does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin, or disability status in employment or programming. Farm Fresh Rhode Island is an Equal Opportunity Provider.