Week-day Program Volunteer

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About New Haven Farms

New Haven Farms’ nonprofit charitable mission is to promote health and community development through urban agriculture. We transform vacant urban land into vibrant and productive organic farms. Our Farm Manager and volunteer corps cultivate urban farms, and our harvest is made accessible to low-income families who struggle with diet-​related chronic diseases and food insecurity. Farm members receive produce baskets combined with farm education, cooking demonstrations, and nutrition education on a weekly basis. For more information about New Haven Farms, visit newhavenfarmsct.org .

Position description:

This position will help our Cooking and Nutrition Educator to prepare healthy meals and snacks as well as greet participants as they enter the farm, deliver individual participant surveys, and provide program support as needed. The volunteer may also help reviewing program participants food journals in order to increase participants awareness of personal food and activity habits and to reinforce healthy lifestyle behavior change.

This position will help us more effectively and efficiently deliver cooking and nutrition lessons, as well as healthy meals, to Farm-Based Wellness Program participants. By working in this position, volunteers will also help New Haven Farms collect data so that we can create more valuable programming for participants, and will create an environment that is welcoming to participants.

Measures of success:

This volunteer’s activity is measured by amount and quality of data recorded for our program, as well as by the relationships formed with the participants at our Farm-Based Wellness Program.

Activities:

• Welcome participants to Farm-Based Wellness Program
• Record participant weights and deliver individual intake surveys
• Provide various program tasks, as needed

Preferred qualifications:

• Investment in farm-based wellness as means to reduce risk of chronic disease
• Ability to work with diverse populations, including youth and adults
• Reliable
• Bilingual English-Spanish (only necessary for Tuesday sessions)

Time commitment:

Research & Welcome Volunteers should be available for regular weekly hours. The Farm-Based Wellness Program runs from 5:30-7:30pm every Tuesday and Thursday from June through mid-September, with Research & Welcome Volunteers needed from 5pm-6:30pm these days.

Site:

Volunteers will meet a member of our program staff at one of our program sites, depending on which day the volunteer is working. These sites are at 15 James Street and 170 Ward Street in New Haven.

Supervision:

A member of New Haven Farms’ program staff and Community Health Ambassadors will work with volunteers and oversee all activities.

Benefits and support:

New Haven Farms will provide supervision and all necessary supplies. This position provides volunteers with experience in recording medical statistics and in hospitality. It is also an opportunity to build community within New Haven.

Volunteers will be welcome to have meals along with program participants when meals are served.

To volunteer:

Fill out the volunteer intake form on our website and our volunteer coordinator will follow up with you. You may also direct any questions to Haley Goldblatt at volunteercoordinator@newhavenfarmsct.org.