What are the responsibilities and job description for the Project POWER AmeriCorps Member- Community Meals Partnerships & Volunteer Coordinator position at Children First Communities in Schools of Buncombe County?
Host site: Bridge Meals
Program: Project POWER AmeriCorps, Children First / Communities in Schools of Buncombe County
Term: Half-time (900 hours, approx. 20 hours per week)
Service area: Western North Carolina (Asheville / Buncombe County, with regional travel)
Reports to: Will Oseroff, Founder & CEO, Bridge Meals
Position summary
Bridge Meals partners with local restaurants to serve free, community-funded meals to anyone who needs one, with no screening and no one turned away. The Community Meals Partnerships & Volunteer Coordinator will expand and strengthen this network by recruiting new restaurant partners, building and training a sustainable volunteer base, and serving as an on-site liaison during restaurant meal windows. The role is designed to build lasting organizational and community capacity: the member will create systems and relationships that allow Bridge Meals to serve more people, more reliably, well beyond the term of service.
Key responsibilities
Restaurant partner recruitment and support
- Identify and reach out to prospective restaurant partners across Western NC
- Join the founder in partner pitch meetings and, over time, lead outreach independently
- Help onboard new partners and support existing ones so meal service runs smoothly
Volunteer network development
- Recruit, onboard, and train a network of community volunteers
- Build repeatable systems (schedules, role guides, onboarding materials) so the volunteer program is sustainable and can grow
- Coordinate volunteer coverage across partner restaurants
On-site meal service and community liaison
- Serve on-site during restaurants' designated bridge meal windows (typically 2 to 4 hour shifts), running food and ensuring a welcoming experience for every guest
- Act as the Bridge Meals point of contact at partner locations, supporting both meal recipients and restaurant staff
- Raise community awareness of the meal program on-site, including directing interested community members to contribute toward meals
Capacity-building focus
This position is fundamentally about building capacity rather than one-time direct service. By the end of the term, the member will have expanded the roster of active restaurant partners, established a trained and self-sustaining volunteer network, and documented the systems that keep both running. These outcomes leave Bridge Meals materially stronger and able to reach more food-insecure community members going forward.
Required qualifications
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills; comfortable with outreach and relationship-building
- Reliable transportation and a willingness to travel across Western NC for restaurant shifts and partner meetings
- Organized, self-directed, and able to build simple systems and processes
- Commitment to Bridge Meals' mission of dignified, no-barrier food access
Preferred qualifications
- Experience in community organizing, hospitality, food service, or volunteer coordination
- Familiarity with the Asheville / Western NC restaurant or nonprofit community
Logistics and requirements
- Approximately 20 hours per week across restaurant shifts, partner outreach, and volunteer coordination
- Member may wear Bridge Meals branding alongside AmeriCorps identifiers
- Member may hold other employment, including at partner restaurants, consistent with program rules
Pay: $17,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
Salary : $17,000