Program Specialist (Non-Profit) jobs in Lansing, MI

Job description

Position Title: Food Access Specialist I Host site: Northwest Initiative

Position Type: Quarter-Time, 450 hours/year (~25 hrs/week)

Stipend: $5291/year (~$504 paid bi-weekly)

Dates of Service: April 22nd, 2024- August 23rd, 2024

What is AmeriCorps?

AmeriCorps is often referred to as the domestic version of the Peace Corps. Instead of serving two years abroad, corps members serve with a nonprofit or government agency in the U.S. for 4-12 month periods.

The ICHD AmeriCorps team partners with organizations across Ingham County to improve health outcomes for residents. ICHD AmeriCorps members spearhead food distributions, facilitate health & wellness workshops, and support volunteer engagement at their host sites. By the end of their service term, corps members gain valuable experience in empowering communities at the micro level, while building professional skillsets. Our program is a great fit for those looking to gain more experience in the agricultural, government, nonprofit, and/or social service sectors!

To learn more, please visit https://www.facebook.com/ichdamericorps/.

Host Organization Information:

NorthWest Initiative (NWI) is a small nonprofit community development organization working to improve the overall health of the community and the quality of life for low-income residents living in the northwest quadrant of the City of Lansing and Lansing Township. For the past 22 years, NWI has been providing emergency and basic needs/social service assistance to over 5,000 adults, senior citizens, and children annually. We also offer a variety of empowerment activities designed to help lift our families out of poverty. One of our major focus areas is helping to "improve access to, availability of and knowledge about healthy foods in northwest Lansing. Our territory has a high percentage of residents who demonstrate health disparities, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and infant mortality. Several of the neighborhoods in northwest Lansing are considered food deserts which means that many of these neighborhoods are void of healthy food options, have a higher percentage of lower income families, are without reliable transportation to get to and from a big box grocery store, and thus, have a difficult time accessing fresh healthy produce. Our Outreach Program has led the efforts to help our residents to access healthy food options. Our Food Systems Program (FSP) has been working with children in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 6th teaching garden-based nutrition education to students at Riddle, Willow, & Sheridan Road Schools. Each of our schools have a garden and Riddle & Willow also have large hoop houses that extends the growing season. They are also teaching nutrition education to adults and senior citizens. Our ARRO Program works to help

ex-offenders to have a successful transition back into our community from a federal or state correctional facility or long-term jail stay. They also coordinate, in collaboration with the Ingham County Courts, an intensive adult diversion program for individuals aged 17-60. Over the past twenty-one years, we have hosted over 40 AmeriCorps members on a variety of projects and

through different AmeriCorps programs! We have not hosted an AmeriCorps member since 2019-2020, but are excited to once again be able to host two AmeriCorps members.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Gardening

● Independently, and in collaboration with other partners, maintaining the school/community gardens at Willow at Riddle School in Lansing, including, but not limited to: infrastructure repairs, tilling, mowing, weeding, watering, and harvesting

● Assisting NWI participants and volunteers with the management of garden plots Health & Wellness Programming

● Coordinating and facilitating Health & Wellness-related programs (i.e. back-up support with teaching nutrition education in schools, senior citizens housing sites, community centers, and NWI office site.

● Assist with coordination of the monthly cooking classes for community members (generally evenings).

● Assist Outreach Coordinator with seasonal Lansing Mobile Farmers Market

(July-October), and help with preparation, set-up, tear-down, and assistance during the market hours. This is a non-profit program of NWI where we're trying to get fresh fruits and vegetables to people who need it and do not have easy access to a full-service grocery store!

● Assist Outreach Program Coordinator with twice a month, free food distribution for low-income people in our community. Must travel to the Greater Lansing Food Bank to pick-up food, return to NWI and get the program set-up for the event (October through June).

● Assist Outreach Coordinator with summer produce box program; senior citizen women’s personal needs boxes; and BIPOC men’s personal needs boxes.

● Developing and distributing promotional materials for corps member-led events and workshops

Volunteer Coordination

● Coordinating and facilitating volunteer opportunities for residents and community partners

● Providing support to host staff to maintain and expand its current food distribution program

Fundraising

● Supporting host site fundraising activities (i.e. soliciting in-kind donations, supporting gala activities, grant writing, etc.).

● Coordinating and engaging volunteers for fundraising events

Required Activities

● Engaging in weekly host site supervisor meetings and monthly AmeriCorps check-ins

● Attending AmeriCorps orientation at the Ingham County Health Department from 10/3-10/7

● Attending the mid-year AmeriCorps retreat (date TBD)

● Supporting both AmeriCorps and host teams in data collection/analysis tasks (i.e. bi-weekly timesheets, quarterly program reports, etc.)

Minimum Qualifications

● Certify that they have or will obtain the diploma/GED to be in accordance with the PD manual requirements

● Be 17 years or older at the start of service (no upper age limit)

● Pass a national service criminal history check

● Hold one of the following citizenship statuses: US citizen, US national, or Lawful Permanent Resident

Schedule

● Flexible schedule between 9am-5pm, with occasional weekend and evening availability preferred

● Full year members will be required to attend:

● A mandatory training from Monday, October 3rd to Friday, October 7th.

● A monthly training and service project with the ICHD AmeriCorps cohort

● National Day of Service projects on 9/11 and MLK Day (1/16)

● Sick or personal days are allowed, but members lose possible days to earn the required number of hours needed to successfully complete the term of service. There are additional benefits offered if the member has a compelling personal circumstance.

Preferred Skills:

● Ability and willingness to work outdoors in all weather conditions

● Excellent communication skills, including ability to reflect on and self-advocate for needed support from supervisors

● Adaptability

● Well-organized, efficient with time, with a drive to complete projects that have already been started

● Ability to serve both independently and in a team setting

● Some experience in gardening, farming, landscaping, irrigation &/or construction (Technical knowledge of horticulture or urban agriculture a plus.)

● Computer proficiency, specifically Microsoft Office Suite

Benefits

● Amount of the Education Award received upon successful completion of their term of service.

● Amount of the Living Allowance

● Health care, if applicable

● Childcare coverage if the member qualifies

● Student loan forbearance for eligible loans

Physical Demands:

● Standing/kneeling for extended periods of time

● Able to lift 50 pounds

Evaluation and Reporting

● All members will participate in a mid-year performance evaluation (mid-March for full-year members)

● All members will be required to submit bi-weekly timesheets, quarterly data reports, and other data tasks requested by the host site and AmeriCorps program

● Independently, and in collaboration with other partners, maintaining the school/community gardens at Willow at Riddle School in Lansing, including, but not limited to: infrastructure repairs, tilling, mowing, weeding, watering, and harvesting

● Assisting NWI participants and volunteers with the management of garden plots Health & Wellness Programming

● Coordinating and facilitating Health & Wellness-related programs (i.e. back-up support with teaching nutrition education in schools, senior citizens housing sites, community centers, and NWI office site.

● Assist with coordination of the monthly cooking classes for community members (generally evenings).

● Assist Outreach Coordinator with seasonal Lansing Mobile Farmers Market

(July-October), and help with preparation, set-up, tear-down, and assistance during the market hours. This is a non-profit program of NWI where we're trying to get fresh fruits and vegetables to people who need it and do not have easy access to a full-service grocery store!

● Assist Outreach Program Coordinator with twice a month, free food distribution for low-income people in our community. Must travel to the Greater Lansing Food Bank to pick-up food, return to NWI and get the program set-up for the event (October through June).

● Assist Outreach Coordinator with summer produce box program; senior citizen women’s personal needs boxes; and BIPOC men’s personal needs boxes.

● Developing and distributing promotional materials for corps member-led events and workshops

Volunteer Coordination

● Coordinating and facilitating volunteer opportunities for residents and community partners

● Providing support to host staff to maintain and expand its current food distribution program

Fundraising

● Supporting host site fundraising activities (i.e. soliciting in-kind donations, supporting gala activities, grant writing, etc.).

● Coordinating and engaging volunteers for fundraising events

Required Activities

● Engaging in weekly host site supervisor meetings and monthly AmeriCorps check-ins

● Attending AmeriCorps orientation at the Ingham County Health Department from 10/3-10/7

● Attending the mid-year AmeriCorps retreat (date TBD)

● Supporting both AmeriCorps and host teams in data collection/analysis tasks (i.e. bi-weekly timesheets, quarterly program reports, etc.)

Minimum Qualifications

● Certify that they have or will obtain the diploma/GED to be in accordance with the PD manual requirements

● Be 17 years or older at the start of service (no upper age limit)

● Pass a national service criminal history check

● Hold one of the following citizenship statuses: US citizen, US national, or Lawful Permanent Resident

Schedule

● Flexible schedule between 9am-5pm, with occasional weekend and evening availability preferred

● Full year members will be required to attend:

● A mandatory training from Monday, October 3rd to Friday, October 7th.

● A monthly training and service project with the ICHD AmeriCorps cohort

● National Day of Service projects on 9/11 and MLK Day (1/16)

● Sick or personal days are allowed, but members lose possible days to earn the required number of hours needed to successfully complete the term of service. There are additional benefits offered if the member has a compelling personal circumstance.

Preferred Skills:

● Ability and willingness to work outdoors in all weather conditions

● Excellent communication skills, including ability to reflect on and self-advocate for needed support from supervisors

● Adaptability

● Well-organized, efficient with time, with a drive to complete projects that have already been started

● Ability to serve both independently and in a team setting

● Some experience in gardening, farming, landscaping, irrigation &/or construction (Technical knowledge of horticulture or urban agriculture a plus.)

● Computer proficiency, specifically Microsoft Office Suite

Benefits

● Amount of the Education Award received upon successful completion of their term of service.

● Amount of the Living Allowance

● Health care, if applicable

● Childcare coverage if the member qualifies

● Student loan forbearance for eligible loans

Physical Demands:

● Standing/kneeling for extended periods of time

● Able to lift 50 pounds

Evaluation and Reporting

● All members will participate in a mid-year performance evaluation (mid-March for full-year members)

● All members will be required to submit bi-weekly timesheets, quarterly data reports, and other data tasks requested by the host site and AmeriCorps program

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $5,291.00 per year

Expected hours: 25 – 30 per week

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Loan repayment program
• Professional development assistance

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Work setting:

• In-person
• Office

Ability to Relocate:

• Lansing, MI 48933: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person