This VISTA AmeriCorps position is a 1 year National Service Opportunity in the State of Maine.

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Join us! Engage in multiple levels of non-profit management while expanding the impact of Foodscapes programs in Southern Maine. Drive growth within the organization by building capacity.

Maine Foodscapes addresses food insecurity by providing families and individuals with free vegetable gardens and resources to get started growing fruits and vegetables at home. The Foodscapes Garden Programs & Education VISTA will research, design, and collaborate with local affordable housing entities to plan and set up a program of integrating food access with affordable housing. The signature project in the program is to form partnerships with affordable housing facilities to provide free vegetable gardens for residents of southern Maine affordable housing facilities, to be implemented in the Summer. The Member’s activities will include working towards ending the cycle of poverty through addressing food insecurity experienced by residents by assembling project background research on food insecurity, affordable housing, and local food systems in Cumberland and York Counties, prepare an action report to guide partnership formation, coordinate the efforts of Maine Foodscapes to build partnerships with affordable housing entities in southern Maine, including surveys, design site-specific garden projects for each partnership. The member will also lead, recruit and manage the Gardener Mentors program and coordinate year round community education and Gardener Mentor events.

The VISTA will work towards ending the cycle of poverty through increasing Maine Foodscapes’ capacity to address food insecurity experienced by residents of Southern Maine. The VISTA will expand the Foodscapes Garden Programs (FGP) year-round programming to have 150 low- income families and 10 organizations across Southern Maine who have vegetable gardens installed by Maine Foodscapes; Manage all FGP Gardener digital and phone communications; coordinate and manage year-round educational and FGP Gardener events; and coordinate Foodscapes’ community education programming.

Benefits

• Bi-Weekly Living Allowance of $877/Biweekly
• Relocation Allowance of $750 plus $.40 per mile (for those moving more than 50 miles)
• Health Benefits
• Childcare Reimbursement if Eligible
• Student Loan Forbearance for eligible federal loans (interest paid by AmeriCorps)
• SNAP Eligibility (depending on financial situation)
• Training and Professional Development
• LifeNavigator (on-staff licensed counselor for members)
• Choice of Segal AmeriCorps Education Award ($7300) or an end-of-term bonus ($1800) upon term completion
• Non-Competitive Eligibility for federal employment for one-year post-term

*Individuals are limited to two full Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards in their lifetime

Job Types: Full-time, Temporary

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to Relocate:

• Windham, ME: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person