AmeriCorps Position-The Open Door Garden to Table Specialist

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Must complete an official application here: https://americorps.equalheart.org/hiring.html

****Applicants Must select The Open Door Food Pantry Specialist when applying****

The Open Door is a hunger relief agency that serves Dakota County, MN. Garden to Table is a sustainable approach to eliminating local hunger by empowering communities to learn and grow together. Over 300 garden plots are available at 12 sites across Dakota County for low-income families, and participation includes plants, seeds, tools, and training needed to grow healthy foods.

Garden to Table also organizes businesses, schools, churches, and other organizations to plant gardens and urban farms on their property and donate the produce to The Open Door’s food shelves.

Responsibilities:

Support volunteer shifts and community events

• Procure and organize materials needed for each event: daily volunteer shifts.
• Coordinate volunteer activities with supervisor
• Organize seed library
• Data Entry

Support Program Operations

• Complete tasks at each garden including turning compost piles, tracking fruit trees and harvests, plots, and path maintenance
• Follow up with gardeners by in-person, phone, and email on the following:
  • Upkeep up the garden plots and take appropriate steps to ensure household/volunteer commitment
  • Obtain unrecorded harvest weights
  • Call gardeners for event reminders

Qualifications

• Vegetable gardening experience
• Experience effectively working with people from multiple cultures, races, and ethnicities
• Computer skills to include email, Microsoft, and data spreadsheets
• Flexibility to work evenings/weekends
• Ability to work independently and exercise good judgment and confidentiality
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and strong ability to communicate across cultures

Multiple term options available. Must be able to complete 300 hours in each 10 week term
Term 1: April 19th-June 28th, 2022
Term 2: June 28th-August 30th, 2022
Term 3: August 30th-November 7th


Requirements

• The ability to work outdoors in all weather, including cold, hot, windy, rainy, as needed
• The ability to lift 40 pounds
• Possess a valid driver’s license and automobile insurance
• Travel with personal vehicle (mileage reimbursement provided)
• Pass successful background check
• Pass successful review of references
• Horticulture or agriculture experience

Required Event Hours

• Plant Pick-up Day May 12th 9-1pm and 4-8pm
• Some evenings and weekends.

Preferred

• Bi-Lingual in Spanish or Russian
• Volunteer and Event coordination
• Light carpentry skills
• Fruit tree experience

Benefits:

• $2,800 Total Living Allowance
• $1,311 Education Award, distributed after successful completion of the program and can be used for existing student loans or future education expenses like tuition and books
• Experience in the non-profit service sector

Successful candidates should be:

• Organized
• Self-motivated
• Able to lift
• Interested in making a difference in the community

Great opportunity for students taking night classes or recent college graduates looking for experience in the non-profit sector.

What is AmeriCorps?

AmeriCorps is a national community service program allowing individuals to give back to their community and get paid for it!

AmeriCorps is available to all, without regard to religion, race, color, national origin, gender, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, creed, or veteran status.

Must complete an official application here: https://americorps.equalheart.org/hiring.html