Food Access Coordinator - The Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (ORIS)
Description:
About ORIS And Fresh Start Farms
The Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (ORIS) is an ethnic community-based nonprofit organization with the mission to aid in the resettlement of refugees and immigrants in New Hampshire by providing training, assistance, resources, and opportunities that promote self-sufficiency. ORIS’s Board of Directors and staff are majority new Americans, representing eight countries and fluent in thirteen languages. The power of ORIS lies in its cultural understanding, linguistic expertise and first-hand knowledge of the immigrant experience.
ORIS’s New American Sustainable Agriculture Program (NASAP) engages refugees and immigrants in developing their own small farm enterprises, including farmer training and business development support. Participants are able to sell their produce through ORIS’s Fresh Start Farms brand, which includes a farmshare, a new retail store in Manchester, farmers markets throughout the region, and the Fresh Start Food Cart, a mobile farmers market. Since many new Americans in New Hampshire are considered “low income”, Fresh Start Farms operates several food access initiatives to bring fresh, culturally appropriate foods to low income and disadvantaged groups throughout Manchester, Nashua, and Concord.
Position Overview
The Food Access Coordinator will lead ORIS’s food access programming which includes the operation of the Fresh Start Food Cart (mobile farmers market), overseeing a Community Ambassador program, assisting with our “Cool Kids Food Box” & Veggie Rx programming and coordinating food donations with community partners. Additional tasks and responsibilities regarding food access work may be added as new opportunities arise.
The Fresh Start Food Cart typically operates June-October, with significant planning and preparation in the spring. The Coordinator will manage relationships with property management at Fresh Start Food Cart sites, monitor inventory and procurement for the Cart, drive the large van with trailer to and from sites, and be the point-person at all market stops providing customer service and conducting transactions. During the growing season, the Coordinator will manage food donations to community partners. Additionally, throughout the year, the Coordinator will oversee a Community Ambassador program to promote local, fresh food consumption in our communities, including through promotion of SNAP, WIC, and other federal nutrition incentive programs. In the winter months the primary focus of the role will be to engage potential sponsors and distribution partners for our “Cool Kids Food Box” program and develop innovative ways to reach disadvantaged communities with fresh produce. This is an exciting opportunity to be involved with an impactful and community-driven organization and play a key role in building a local food system that provides for and includes everyone.
Key Responsibilities
- Maintain and build relationships with community partners, Cart site property managers and the wider community;
- Recruit Community Ambassadors at Cart sites and among the broader community and collaborate with each to develop and implement outreach and promotion strategies;
- Collaborate with state administrators of federal nutrition programs (SNAP, WIC) to develop trainings and tools for Community Ambassadors to promote these programs and their benefits among the public;
- Engage with local businesses and community leaders to identify grow the reach of our food access programs;
- Coordinate with Amoskeag Health to implement their Veggie Rx pilot program; explore opportunities for improving and/or expanding this program with other healthcare partners;
- Oversee interns/volunteers responsible for providing support at Cart sites;
- Manage day-to-day operations of Cart, including inventory management, driving the 30’ trailer to sites safely, set up and break down at sites, customer service, and processing payments.
- Deliver exceptional and proactive service to customers, including answering questions and providing informational materials;
- Coordinate with community partners to donate unsold and gleaned produce for local pantries and value-added production;
- Collaborate with ORIS’s farm incubator program to provide outreach and engagement of community gardeners;
- Manage data collection and ensure accurate reporting to internal and external partners.
- Other duties as assigned
Base pay range
$16/hr - $20/hr
Featured benefits
Based on information provided by the employer
Skills/Eligibility:- 1-2 years’ experience in community outreach/organizing/development, food systems, customer service or other relevant fields
- Exceptional time management and organizational skills
- Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills
- Demonstrated ability to engage with diverse communities and partners in a sensitive and competent manner
- Demonstrated ability to collect data and keep accurate, meticulous records
- Ability to both collaborate as a team and be self-motivated working with minimal supervision
- Interest in food systems/food access, sustainable agriculture, community development, and/or issues impacting new American communities
- Must have a driver’s license and clean driving record
- Comfort driving large vehicle with a trailer is required; experience doing so in urban settings preferred
- Ability to lift 50 pounds
- Experience selling at farmer’s markets or other local food system market channels is preferred but not required
- Proficiency in another spoken language will be considered an asset (Spanish, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Maay Maay, Nepali, Swahili etc.) and multilingual candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
- Candidates with first-hand or lived experience in new American communities are especially encouraged to apply
- Evening and weekend availability