Just Food – Member Assignment Description

Deadline: May 23, 2008 / Start Date: July 28, 2008

AmeriCorps* VISTA Greenmarket EBT Project Outreach Associate

Background:

Greenmarket is a program of the not-for-profit Council on the Environment of NYC. We operate 46 open-air farmers’ markets throughout NYC and provide opportunities for nearly two hundred local food producers to sell directly to NYC residents. Just Food and Greenmarket share a common mission, to bring fresh food into city neighborhoods, and our EBT project helps residents get access to that food. When food stamps were converted from paper coupons to a debit-style Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT aka food stamps) card, farmers’ markets, which lack phone lines and electricity, became unable to accept Food Stamps. To ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the highest quality, freshest local foods and to help provide income opportunities for area farmers, Greenmarket is using wireless terminals to re-link farmers and Food Stamp customers in one of the most ambitious EBT programs in the country.

Greenmarket’s EBT Project seeks a full-time VISTA member to work closely with the EBT Project Coordinator to promote and publicize EBT use at markets. The VISTA member will work both independently and with others on projects such as developing publicity materials, identifying and recruiting community partners, educating community groups and the public about local food and EBT use at markets, evaluating Greenmarkets including those with which serve low-income residents and offer EBT and providing support to other project members as appropriate. The VISTA member will be an important part of the EBT Project’s success, and will have many opportunities to work directly with community groups, EBT using customers and the Greenmarket farmers that we serve.

Position Activities:

The VISTA Member is directly supervised by Greenmarket’s EBT staff. Just Food will provide additional training and support.

• Develop outreach materials to promote EBT usage at farmers’ markets and oversee their distribution to community groups;
• Partner with community organizations working to increase EBT enrollment and establish Greenmarkets as assessment centers ;
• Conduct EBT outreach at tenant associations, obesity clinics and other community-based organizations by educating the public about local food, farmers’ markets and EBT usage at those markets;
• Establish community partnerships with local Greenmarkets in order to enhance community ownership, activity and shopping;
• Work with the USDA to evaluate eight existing Greenmarket, 7 or which serve low-income residents and offer EBT;
• Visit and study non-Greenmarket operated farmers’ markets to evaluate their EBT models and community participation;

Qualifications:

• BS or equivalent work experience in direct marketing, publicity, public health, or nutrition;
• Working knowledge of Spanish strongly preferred;
• Strong interpersonal communication, writing, editing, research, and organizational skills;
• Capacity for collaborative project development;
• Strong public speaking, participatory facilitation and organizing skills;
• Dedication to issues related to farming, food, nutrition, and economic development;
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Internet research;
• Must be comfortable working in cross-cultural and diverse settings, including a desire to work with low-income community members;
• Experience in agriculture, food access, community health, small farm livelihood issues are helpful but not necessary;
• Be flexible with a great sense of humor;

To apply: Qualified candidates visit www.americorps.org to apply or contact Krissa Nichols by email at jobs@greenmarket.cc. Greenmarket and Just Food are Equal Opportunity Employers. This position is contingent on the approval of Just Food’s renewal application to AmeriCorps* VISTA.