Careers

Description:

Do you care about Food Education and Food Access? Do you love making a difference in the world? Apply to serve as a Response Corps member at Modest Family Solutions!

Dates of service: August 23, 2021 - August 12, 2022

Total amount of service: 1700 hours minimum (full time!)

About Modest Family Solutions
Modest Family Solutions- MFS is moving toward our goal of a sustainable social enterprise that builds capacity for the BIPOC community through agroecology education, career development, and youth entrepreneurship. MFS empowerment network with incorporation of Afrocentric education to protect ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest prioritize working with BIPOC communities as they are underrepresented in farming communities in the Pacific Northwest and face additional barriers to farming including food injustice, microaggressions within the farming community, and land inequality. Additionally, our goals and partnerships allow us to reach formerly incarcerated BIPOC youth to support their reentry into society and youth development.

Ummah Sustained Agroecology Center at Modest Family Solutions is a unique Farm School program that provides hands-on, garden-based lessons rooted in science content, permaculture, local food tastings, farmer visits to classrooms, farm field trips, farm to school related family and community engagement. Each AmeriCorps Food Educator will have an understanding or have interest in permaculture design and serve at one or more of Modest Family Solutions partner sites.

Modest Family Solutions is a host site for the Statewide AmeriCorps team hosted by Common Threads Farm, located in Bellingham, WA. The service site is located in Everett, WA.

GENERAL POSITION GOALS AND DUTIES
● Respond to food access, food education, and food sovereignty needs - particularly those highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic
● Provide ongoing garden-based education and local food engagement activities in partnership with schools and other community organizations.
● Maintain strong relationships with teachers, administrators and staff, parents, and other community stakeholders and partners.
● Cultivate a safe, engaging environment throughout all program activities that is responsive to the academic, behavioral, social, emotional and physical needs of participants while recognizing the diversity of backgrounds and experiences participants bring with them.
● Increase the visibility of Ummah Sustained Agroecology Center at Modest Family Solutions Jr Master Gardener and Discover through Hydroponics programming in our region.

SPECIFIC POSITION DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
● Teach regular hands-on, garden based lessons to Pre-K-8th grade classes, following Ummah Sustained Agroecology Centers’, Discover Through Hydroponics, and 4-H’ garden science activity guide; provide these lessons virtually when necessary.
● Lead tasting table events promoting local, regional, and Washington produced foods and foodproducers.
● Provide hands-on demonstration and lessons set up
● Preparing lesson plans for outdoor gardening, environmental field studies, and community cultural history informationals
● Maintain worm composting, oversight of on-site organic waste management
● Indoor hydroponic nutrient, soil, and water testing, and harvesting during spring, fall, winter .
● Prepare recipes from Modest Family Solutions culturally relevant food cooking from scratch lesson plans during summer community outreach events
● Oversight of volunteers
● Plan and facilitate farmer engagement activities for Pre-K-8th grade classes such as farmer visits to classrooms, field trips to local farms, and farm field trip videos.
● Plan and facilitate family engagement events such as National Farm to School Month Local Food Open Houses.
● Collaborate with USAC - MFS staff, contractors, school and community partner staff, and parents and volunteers to maintain gardens; lead volunteer work parties at garden sites.
● Participate and help facilitate monthly community garden committee meetings, seasonal meetings with school administrators, and school staff meetings as determined.
● Provide technical assistance, develop regional resources, facilitate annual gatherings, and participate in training as Washington State Department of Agriculture School Gardens and Farms Network and National Farm to School educator.
● Work with team members to cross promote MFS programming and local food engagements.
● Invite ongoing feedback from teachers, administrators and staff, parents and students to enhance Farm to School educational programming.
● Participate in weekly team and staff meetings and staff retreats and trainings as determined.
● Keep garden and lesson materials well stocked and organized.
● Complete monthly tracking forms and support data collection for program evaluation as needed.
● * Additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Additionally, as a member of the COVID-19 Response Corps, members are expected to participate in statewide Response Corps programming. Additional duties at the statewide level include:
● Attending live monthly development training (via webinar) with other Response Corps members. The monthly sessions will equip the Response Corps members with additional skills and tools for professional and personal growth and development (including leadership, collaboration, communication, etc.) and for the completion of their capstone project.
● Participating in asynchronous monthly online professional development courses. The monthly online courses will equip Response Corps members with additional skills and tools for professional and personal growth and development (including leadership, collaboration, communication, etc.) and for the completion of their capstone project.
● Developing and completing a capstone project by the end of their Response Corps experience. The capstone may address topics including, but not limited to: raising youth awareness of community/national issues, the impact of national service on members and the communities they serve, creating awareness about innovative programs and solutions to address community needs in communities with moderate to high levels of vulnerability.
● Attending virtual working group meetings or virtual conferences as needed to successfully develop and complete the capstone project.
● Presenting the capstone project to targeted audiences through online posting of completed capstone projects on various online platforms and/or virtual live presentations. Targeted audiences may include, but are not limited to: youth, AmeriCorps members, and state, nonprofit, and philanthropic leaders.
● Participating in communications and program awareness activities, including amplification on social channels and story sharing opportunities (e.g.video/photography, interviews) as needed.
Each service member may also collaborate with the full team (staff and Food Educator teammates) to:
● Provide residents in Snohomish and King County with information on plant care and selection, insect and animal plant pests, plant disease issues, IPM alternatives to pesticide use, weed management, urban food growing systems, soil building, soil biology, composting of yard debris and food scraps (zero waste practices), use of compost and mulch, grass-cycling, natural lawn care, outdoor water conservation and home stormwater management.
· Reach out to the public in Snohomish and King County through virtual and in person educational workshops and presentations, garden tours, tabling at events and other activities with community partners.

Benefits:
● Make a positive difference in your community during a time of uncertainty by getting healthy food
into the hands of hungry kids and families
● Learn new skills and gain new experiences
● Make new personal and professional connections
● Receive a stipend of $30,200 ($2516.67 monthly) before tax for full-time position.
● Receive an Segal AmeriCorps Education Award from the National Service Trust in the amount of `
$6,345 upon successful completion of service
● Health care coverage including dental and vision
● Subsidized childcare for qualified members
● Basic Food Benefits eligibility
● Opportunity to learn and grow in the company of other passionate service members
● Federal Holidays excluding Martin Luther King Jr Day, which is an AmeriCorps day of service
(additional time off approved on a case-by-case basis)
● Professional development including but not limited to:
○ Education - Trauma Informed Curriculum teaching and adapting lessons based on the
S.H.A.H.A.D.A ( Social emotional.Healing, Afrocentric, Horticulture, Action based, Differentiated
Instruction , Around Oneness/ AHAD). Experience the nurturing self identification grounding
essential to emotional stability prior to navigating academia necessary to empower entrusted global
citizens as economic, environmental, and social substantial stewards. Observe teaching through
diverse equitable engagements to provide youth mentorship. grant research, develop strategies in
entrepreneurial food systems goals, global networking, empowering documentation of intellectual
legacy, intergenerational community building and demonstrating human rights literacy.
○ Farming & Gardening- Experience growth mindset around hydroponics, permaculture
design, outdoor classroom management, culturally relevant produce and foods trauma-informed
teaching practices, mindfulness for resilient educators,
○ Equity - Provides an opportunity to nourish lived experiences into safe spaces for BIPOC
youth and family to experience racial equity in food justice. Participate in production and
distribution to the Feed the People Nourishing Neighborly needs initiative in Snohomish County.
○ Professional skills - Observe Re-Entry Team Management planning, intra communal
(Code Switch) communication styles, storytelling for social media content creation, anticipatory
conflict resolution, constructivist listening, resume and cover letter writing, inter discipline
calendar management
Skills and Qualifications
Minimum requirements:
● A U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the U.S.
● Between the ages of 17-25
● Have obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent (or agrees to obtain a high school diploma or
its equivalent before using an Education Award)
● Satisfy the National Service Criminal History Check eligibility criteria
● Passion for and understanding of Modest Family Solutions’ mission and programs
● Willing and able to serve in-person and remotely in Snohomish, WA
● Willing and able to travel to multiple service sites in Snohomish and King County, WA
● Willing to serve long hours outside in all weather
● Passionate, committed, creative, adaptable, detail-oriented, capable of working both independently
and as a team
● Ability to create own structure within the day and work independently, and be a proactive
self-starter on projects
● Basic computer skills
● Must have a commitment to inclusive and responsive teaching practices, modeling a growth
mindset, and applying equity considerations to all activities.
●How to Apply:

Fill out our application online and send a resume, cover letter, and two letters of reference to admin@modestfamilysolutions.org. If computer access is a barrier to applying, please contact us at admin@modestfamilysolutions.org for a paper application.

Modest Family Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or marital status in employment or the provision of services.