Farming and Operations Coordinator VISTA

Position: Farming and Operations Coordinator VISTA

Full-time (40 hours/week)

Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Service dates: July/August 2021 - July/August 2022

Go where you’re needed Help battle food insecurity as you coordinate the moving parts of over 20 urban farms in this exciting position with Feed Iowa First!

Feed Iowa First is a grass-roots community of businesses, faith organizations, schools, farmers and volunteers that unite in relationship-based service to help our neighbors to “Combat Food Insecurity by Growing Food and Farmers.”

We believe access to fresh, healthy produce can and does transform lives. Fresh, healthy food is a basic human right, and ensuring access to it is key to building vibrant communities where citizens can reach their full human potential.

Feed Iowa First manages 25 urban farm sites that produce approximately 25,000 pounds of fresh produce to be distributed free of charge to food insecure households across Linn County. In partnership with UNI Center for Energy and Environmental Education, Feed Iowa First hosts AmeriCorps VISTA members who contribute their skills to the organization in various capacities. The Farming and Operations Coordinator VISTA will plan, assist in, and facilitate field management and organization of vegetable production for distribution in Linn County, Iowa.

​​If you love working to help your local community flourish, have a passion for healthy food and farming, this is for you!

Member Duties:

-Coordinate urban farm operations that meets or exceeds vegetable production expectations

-Create a detailed farming plan to be executed across 25 community partner urban farming sites in the 2022 growing season

-Research best practices for successful seedling production and monitor seedling production

-Oversee community volunteers in tilling, planting, harvesting, and tear down of urban farm

-Facilitate urban farm partner relationships with volunteers in a welcoming and engaged work environment.

-Coordinate weekly large-group volunteer events through the growing season, taking into account various age and ability ranges of volunteers

-Provide support to community partners through continual communication strategies and addressing necessary partnership concerns

-Create and implement protocols for the safe handling, storage, and distribution of fresh produce to food-insecure community members.

-Outline a process for produce intake during harvest operations by creating a manual detailing the process

-Enhance organizational capacity to enhance food safety by becoming ServSafe Certified

Program Benefits:

-Living Allowance: $12,490 before taxes (distributed evenly in biweekly installments over the course of the service term)

-Segal Education Award: $6,095 Education Award or $1,800 cash stipend

-Professional Development Training

-Loan Forbearance and interest payment during service

-Relocation allowance

-Non-competitive Eligibility (NCE)

-VISTA Health Benefit

-Child Care benefit (if eligible)

TO APPLY:

Submit an application by August 1 to be considered: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=105185