Food Access and Community Engagement Coordinator

Note: These roles are part of the Commonwealth Corps Service Internship Program

Role Description

The Food Access and Community Engagement Coordinators will assist in outreach and engagement efforts to grow our food access partnerships and provide local food distribution support. Service members will perform the following:

• Food Hub Logistical Support: support food hub warehouse packing and distribution logistics; support volunteer training and management in the food hub; engage in improvement of standard operating procedures for the food hub; generate newsletters and weekly outreach materials to promote local food.
• CSA and Senior Share Logistical Support: support weekly management and logistics for packing and distribution of several hundred shares of locally grown fresh produce to be delivered to community members and senior clients; implement volunteer training and management for 5-10 consistent volunteers per week in food hub produce packing.
• Mobile Market Program Management and Evaluation: direct Mobile Market operations; provide nutrition education; implement surveys and track results to improve our model for our mobile market program in low-income communities; engage food insecure communities and food access partners in a North Shore Mobile Market Coalition.
• Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement: engage and manage 5-10 consistent weekly volunteers as well as occasional volunteer groups; identify volunteer needs on farm and in food hub; improve volunteer recruitment and onboarding processes.
• Farm to School: support coordination of Farm to School programming at K-12 schools in the Salem/Ipswich/Beverly area; generate educational materials.
• Community Event Planning and Support: support community engagement events on farm and volunteer roles needed; engage community partners to leverage outreach; and support execution of events and follow up services.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Complete a minimum of 1,500 hours of service, serving August 17, 2026, through June 19, 2027.
• Attend a minimum of 6 Commonwealth Corps trainings and events held by MSA, generally 1-2 times per month.
• Participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of MSA-related activities each week. This may include filling out timesheets, completing a bi-monthly reflection or check-in, or other MSA-related tasks or activities.
• Participate in Food Hub coordination and management, including share packing, volunteer supervision, marketing, CSA/Senior share newsletter development, and connecting low-income consumers to fresh locally grown food.
• Engage communities in New Entry’s Mobile Market program and engage food access partners in the North Shore Mobile Market Coalition.
• Support programming increase Farm-to-School adoption among public school educators in the Greater Boston Area by engaging in standards-aligned curriculum.
• Conduct community outreach to increase awareness and engagement in New Entry programs and services to build partnerships and generate community support for the mission.
• Recruit, engage, manage, track, and steward volunteers to support New Entry operations.
• Contribute to New Entry newsletter development and website content.

Marginal Responsibilities:

• Support planning and coordination of on farm community events and tours for the public.
• Support Farmer Training team to prepare produce for market (harvesting, washing, and packing produce).
• Support demonstration plot maintenance (planting, weeding, watering).
• Facilitate produce distribution to consumers.
• Support online agricultural training courses and workshops.
• Facilitate project evaluation, collection of metrics, and tracking of project outcomes.
• Be a part of the greater Commonwealth Corps community, including participating in cross-site learning groups, writing a short profile for the CC newsletter, connecting with other members on our online platforms, and attending optional social/service events.

You must be:

• A Massachusetts resident with legal authorization to work in the U.S.
• 18 years of age at minimum (member age range is 18 – 70 years old)
• Excited to give back to your community and interested in developing your skills and gaining new professional experiences
• Committed to 10 months of service and able to balance service internship commitments with personal commitments in a sustainable way
• Passionate about food justice, local food, farming, and building community connections to food and land
• Excited and able to be outdoors in all weather conditions, on uneven terrain in an agricultural setting
• Eager to interact with diverse individuals and plan engaging community events and activities for all ages
• Adept at computer programs such as Microsoft Office, social media, and willing to learn new skills
• Have access to reliable transportation to get to the farm/office each day

It would also be great if you:

• Have adult education and farm-based education experience
• Have Salesforce CRM database expertise
• Have graphic design experience
• Have experience in community outreach, promotion, and marketing and are comfortable speaking in front of small and large audiences and giving tours
• Have experience in recruiting, managing, engaging, and supervising diverse volunteers of all skill levels
• Can lift at least 25 lbs. repeatedly to help move produce boxes and stack bins
• Are willing to drive a box truck or delivery van and have a clean driving record
• Speak a language other than English – multi-lingual candidates encouraged to apply

• Stipend of $1,250 semi-monthly while in service, up to $26,250, minus taxes and withholdings;
• Health insurance (individual coverage only)
• Member assistance program, including unlimited, confidential, 24/7, phone counseling services and up to three free, in-person counseling sessions, plus a lot more;
• Completion award of up to $4000 upon successful completion of service, minus taxes and withholdings;
• Reimbursement for outside training or professional development opportunities relevant to member’s service and/or goals (Up to $100; Dependent on approval from MSA)
• Fresh Produce from the farm (fruit, vegetables)
• Professional development opportunities and access to New Entry farmer training courses and workshops and regional agricultural conferences and learning opportunities
• Extensive training from MSA with a diversity, equity and inclusion focus and other professional development opportunities;
• Limited reimbursement for travel to Corps-wide MSA-sponsored activities;
• Internet reimbursement up to $50/month while required to complete some service from home;
• Limited travel reimbursement from their host site for certain service-related travel away from their usual service location, according to that agency's policies;
• 10 Mental Health/Personal Days (1 day=8 hours) counting towards service hours
• The opportunity for at least 10 days of planned absences (may include holidays, does not count towards hours requirement.)

Please note that receipt of these stipends/benefits may impact an individual’s eligibility for certain public benefits.

• Position Start Date: August 17, 2026
• Position End Date: June 19, 2027
• Service commitment: 40 hours per week during the following days/times:
• Monday –Friday 8 am – 5 pm; with a 1-hour break for lunch.
• Potential for up to 2 weekend commitments per month (events, courses), with two weeks’ notice provided. Some evenings required with advanced notice.
• New Entry will be closed for Holiday Break between December 24, 2026 – January 1, 2027.
• In-person service at the farm required; option of Friday remote workdays.

Early applications are encouraged as applications will be accepted on rolling basis, with preference given to candidates who apply by June 9th. Questions about this position can be directed to eduardo.tovar_lopez@tufts.edu.

New Entry Sustainable Farming Project will recruit and select persons in all positionsto ensure a diverse and inclusive climate without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, color, political affiliation, creed, national origin, marital status, or any other status as protected by federal, state, and local laws. New Entry Sustainable Farming Project welcomes applications from individuals with disabilities and will make reasonable accommodations for interviews and for service upon request.