Food Security Coordinator

Service Site: Mountain Roots Food Project
Address: 107 E Georgia Ave Ste. 3B Gunnison CO 81230

Start Date: January 13th, 2025 End Date: December 14th, 2025

Program Overview
Localizing our food system is one of the most impactful and actionable steps we can take to solve so many of our global problems. Across the central Rocky Mountains and southwestern Colorado, AmeriCorps service with Mountain Roots Healthy Futures Program builds social, economic, and environmental health for rural communities. We work with organizations throughout the region who are leaders in their fields, activating community-driven initiatives including Farm to School, Regenerative Agriculture & Community Gardens, Hunger Solutions (Community Food Security), and other programs in public health, conservation, and the environment. With Healthy Futures AmeriCorps, you’ll build a bridge from college to career while building and sustaining healthy communities, healthy people, and a healthy environment.

Organization Overview
The Mountain Roots Healthy Futures Program builds community food security by creating synergies Agriculture & Community Gardens, Hunger Solutions (Food Security), and Public Health programs, working together to build and sustain healthy communities, healthy people, and a healthy environment. Mountain Roots Food Project is on a mission to cultivate a resilient food system in the Gunnison Valley by enhancing healthy connections between food, earth, and community. We foster knowledge, teach skills, and provide opportunities that ensure access to affordable, nutritious and sustainably produced food.

Service Description

The position will coordinate collaborative and equitable food access programs such as, food rescue, cooking classes, community gardens, Spanish language food assistance distributions, and senior outreach in the Gunnison Valley. Gunnison food security organizations collaborate on targeted, innovative efforts to reduce food insecurity and increase self-sufficiency among underserved rural community members. The member joins a small but passionate team and serves to combat rural food deserts, food insecurity, and obesity by developing new and strengthening existing programs for children and adults that increase access to and use of food assistance services promoting healthy eating, active lifestyles, economic development, and environmental stewardship.

Rural food systems initiatives combine education programs, community gardens and local farms, and community food security programs. In this role, members actively engage with low-income and other underserved audiences; develop current access strategies into lasting programs that increase access to and consumption of fresh, nutritious food; build self-sufficiency and improve individual and community health; address the root causes of poverty/social determinants of health; and bridge age, cultural, and socioeconomic gaps. Primary activities include Cooking Matters courses, food demonstrations, Garden distribution, and food rescue programs.

Location and Service Conditions:

This position is based at Mountain Roots Food Project in the Gunnison Valley. Position will involve frequent days of service outdoors and/or in a school or community building.

Qualifications:

Specific Knowledge
• Understanding of conventional vs. resilient/sustainable food systems
• Knowledge of Regenerative Agriculture and why the practice is necessary for resilient food systems and food security in general
• Ability to identify threats to food security in Gunnison County, a rural mountain community such as demographics & climate (extreme cold, high altitude)

Qualities

• Passionate, motivated, respectful, driven, curious, determined, inquisitive, knowledgeable, patient, courteous, flexible, focused, friendly, sincere, committed, open-minded, persistent, analytical, conversant, well-rounded
• Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Knowledge:

• Describe commonly known principles required to perform the service position
o Sustainable food production
o Current conventional food system pitfalls
o Community-based non-profit and charitable work
o Home Gardening
o Basic food safety principles
o How diet, the food system, and culture all contribute to or take away from local food security

Skills:

• Proficient reading/writing
• Basic understanding of spreadsheets/information tracking
• How to operate a computer and email
• Bilingual preferred
• Conflict resolution
• Intentional listening
• Cooking/nutrition skills preferred
• Food handling/processing skills preferred

Abilities:

• Ability to lift 50 pounds
• Ability to suspend personal beliefs/opinions to understand others’ perspectives
• Ability to work outdoors and complete challenging physical work (hot & cold weather & sun, manual labor, rain & snow)
• Determination to work with vulnerable members of the community (children, the elderly, the socioeconomically disadvantaged, underinsured individuals, or those with certain medical conditions) with a focus on dignity, respect, and safety.

AmeriCorps Required Qualifications:
• At least 17 years old at start of service
• Must be a high school graduate, GED recipient, or working toward attaining a high school diploma or GED during the term of service. Members must obtain either a diploma or GED before using an education award.
• Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States

• Able to pass a National Service Criminal History Check (state, FBI, and National Sex Offender Public Website checks) per 45 CFR 2540.202

Healthy Futures AmeriCorps Program Benefits
• AmeriCorps members will receive a bi-weekly living allowance of $810, totaling $19,440 over the service period.
• Members are also eligible for an Education Award of $7,395 upon successful completion of service. This can be used to pay back student loans, or to further your education.
• Eligible AmeriCorps Members may receive childcare assistance.
• Eligible AmeriCorps Members may receive healthcare benefits.
• Members receive professional development and training, plus covered travel costs for attendance at state or regional conferences.
• Members may be eligible for Federal program assistance (SNAP, Medicaid, etc.)
• Members may qualify for student loan forbearance (postponing the payment of loans) while in service.
• Alumni benefits may include priority hiring with organizations that are part of Employers of National Service and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to eliminate educational debt.

About the Living Allowance
An AmeriCorps Living Allowance is not a wage, salary, or hourly pay. You are enrolling in a SERVICE position, not a job. The Living Allowance is a stipend designed to support the basic necessities of the individual while in service, such as room and board, utilities, and transportation. Carefully consider this when applying.