About Green Mountain Farm-to-School
Green Mountain Farm-to-School (GMFTS) is a nonprofit organization promoting the health and well-being of Vermont's children, farms and communities by providing programs to connect schools and farms through food and education. In the 2022-2023 academic year, GMFTS aims to serve school communities in the Northeast Kingdom (NEK) of Vermont with school gardens, educational programming and fresh local farm foods, benefiting over 5,000 students. For more information about GMFTS and this position, please visit our website: gmfts.org/get-involved/americorps
Position Description
Are you interested in gardening, working with kids, and supporting local food systems through farm-based education? The AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinator position could be the perfect fit for you! This is a great opportunity for you to launch your career and engage in community service, all while experiencing the unique beauty and culture of Northern Vermont. Position starts August 21, 2023 until August 2, 2024 for a 1,700 hour term of Service.
The AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinator position duties:
- Comfort working in a kitchen (home or commercial) desirable but not required
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, rapidly growing non-profit environment
- Offer contingent upon results from National Service Criminal History Check
- Develop and maintain relationships with GMFTS partners
- Serve as the primary contact for 3-5 schools
- Create lesson plans for programming and maintain educational materials
- Conduct Harvest of the Month taste tests by cooking with students and serving at lunch
- Facilitate and lead farm field trips of various types
- Deliver in-class workshops to K-8 students on food and agriculture topics
- Plant, maintain, and harvest school gardens
- Use database to collect, analyze, and report data for program evaluation
- Photo document activities and download in a timely manner
- Run Afterschool programs at schools
- Create educational newsletters showcasing programming at schools and taste test results
- Serve as an independent member of a team of Coordinators
- Work closely with staff, parents, food service directors, and farmers
- Plan, organize, and attend community and organizational events, like Harvest Festivals
- Recruit and train community volunteers
- Design outreach and publicity materials
- Communicate organization’s mission through social media (Facebook, Instagram)
Qualifications
- Available to start August 21, 2023 and commit to serve until August 2, 2024 for a 1,700 hour term of Service
- US citizenship
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
- Knowledge of local food systems and sustainable agriculture
- Some teaching (formal or non-formal) experience
- Strong interest in working with children
- Some knowledge of gardening and vegetable production
- Excellent public speaking, writing skills, and organizational skills
- Strong interpersonal skills
Compensation and Benefits:
- A biweekly stipend totaling approximately $21,000 for the year
- Mileage reimbursement
- Health insurance
- Child care, if necessary
- Student loan forbearance
- Subsidized housing
- Auto scholarship for $600
- Career mentoring, professional development, and strong work experience
- Eligible for monthly SNAP benefits
AmeriCorps Members who complete their term of 1700 service hours in a full-time position will receive:
- A $7,395 Education Award for past or future education
GMFTS is hiring for 4 AmeriCorps positions for 2023-2024, To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, and three references to [email protected]. No phone calls please.