Summer HungerCorps Associates - Seattle Parks & Rec OAMR Unit

LOCATION: Seattle, WA

CLOSING DATE: June 8, 2023

OPPORTUNITY TYPE: Internship

Paid Position

JOB #: 19553

POSTED: May 8, 2023

Description:

Seattle Parks and Rec OAMR Unit and United Way of King County are partnering together and seeking a team of full-time Summer HungerCorps Associates to end hunger in King County. This team will help families and youth access nutritious food during the summer months. 

Seattle Parks and Recreation

Seattle Parks and Rec is a national leader and innovator in the services and programs we provide to our residents who enjoy our public spaces such as parks, community centers, specialty gardens, and swimming pools. Our mission is to provide welcoming and safe opportunities to play, learn, contemplate, and build community and promote responsible stewardship of the land. We promote healthy people, a healthy environment, and strong communities. We strive to deliver excellent customer service to each visitor and participant. SPR is also deeply committed to advancing the City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI)This link will take you away from uwkc.org by working to end institutional and structural racism. 

Program Overview:

Access to good food and supportive relationships shouldn’t end when school is out. In King County, 100,000 low-income children and teenagers rely on free or discounted meals during the school year, but only 1 in 5 of them access locally served free meals during the summer. Additionally, since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, local leaders estimate that hunger in our community has tripled. Low-income families and families of color have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and are experiencing hunger at unprecedented rates.  

The Summer Food Service Program (Summer Meals) is a critical resource to ensure that children continue to have access to summer nutrition support. National studies show that summer meals programs increase food security, reduce susceptibility to chronic diseases, and mitigate summer learning loss for children from low-income families – but prior to the pandemic, less than 15% of low-income youth in King County accessed Summer Meals programs each year. This is due to preventable barriers – including too few sites, lack of awareness about the program, and a lack of activities and incentives to engage kids and teens.  

Your Role:

This Summer HungerCorps Associate will be part of a passionate cohort of 100 total direct service AmeriCorps members working across King County in partnership with food banks and community-based organizations to connect families with the food they need. Here at Seattle Parks and Recreation you will join 16 other members in this work to support food security during the summer months in your local area. Our Summer Associates will target the barriers to Summer Meals through their service. They will work to implement creative solutions that increase access to the Free Summer Meals program by increasing the days, hours, and frequency of meal site operations, while also facilitating hands-on educational activities to engage youth. Additional duties include conducting grassroots community outreach to get the word out about available food resources, which is imperative in breaking down barriers. Responsibilities include: 

  • Provide excellent customer service to the public at summer meal sites. 
  • Responsible for the general cleanliness daily setup and breakdown of the site including proper signage. 
  • Responsible for weekly food ordering and adjustments of meal counts based on demand, serving meals following safety guidelines and federal program regulations, and ensuring that weekly calendar of events and menus are created and disseminated to the public. 
  • Perform other administrative tasks and recreational program related duties as assigned. 

Your service will aid in protecting participation and access to the Summer Meals program and help ensure that our community is able to achieve a just and equitable economic recovery from the pandemic. As a part of this team, you will be supported with a robust orientation, ongoing training, and the tools and resources you need to be successful. Full training and certification provided.  

Additional Details:

Opportunity Start-End Dates: 6/20/2023 - 8/28/2023
Compensation: $1,027 bi-weekly
Transportation: ORCA Pass. Mileage comp. if required

Skills/Eligibility:
  • At least 18 years of age
  • US citizen, US national, or lawful permanent residents, or persons legally residing in a state. Persons legally residing in a state include (but not limited to) those having the following legal residency classifications: refugee status, asylum or asylee status, temporary protected status, deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) status. Unfortunately, F1 Visas are not sufficient.
  • Available full-time (40 hours per week) from June 20, 2023 to August 28, 2023
  • Must go through background checks
  • High school diploma/GED
  • Per United Way of King County policy, AmeriCorps members must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the first day of service. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. If you are a selected candidate, you will be required to provide proof of vaccination. Please reach out to unitedwayamericorps@uwkc.orgThis link will take you away from uwkc.org if you need information on medical or religious accommodation. 
  • As part of the hiring process, all candidates will be asked to complete a screening survey. This survey will confirm eligibility and will ask a few started questions to learn a bit more about you. We will send you the link to the screening survey once we have your application, but you can also get a head start on it here: https://forms.gle/ouRsXxwH2ThSDd7ZAThis link will take you away from uwkc.org 
How to Apply:

Create an application on My AmeriCorps Portal or click here: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=40cbdfa2-7e40-4c34-a848-d9f9c7c13663&ccId=19000101_000001&lang=en_US&jobId=455514

Benefits & Compensation

  • Bi-weekly stipend of $1,027, pre-tax
  • Completion bonus from United Way of King County in the amount of $1,000 after successful completion of your service term
  • Eligible to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award ($1,459.26), or a cash stipend ($345.80) after successful completion of your service term. By law, only AmeriCorps VISTA members who are either US Citizens, US Nationals, or Lawful Permanent Residents are eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Segal Education Award. All other members will receive an end of service cash stipend.
  • Unlimited public transportation (ORCA) pass
  • Mileage reimbursement for travel between service sites, if required by your site placement
  • Receive a Food Handler’s Permit and other professional development trainings
  • Become part of the AmeriCorps Network and part of a high-impact team
  • Receive special consideration for United Way’s Full-Time AmeriCorps teams beginning Fall 2023

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