AmeriCorps Community Health Leader

Food & Farm: AmeriCorps Community Health Leader
Location: Richmond, Vermont

Dates: March 16, 2026 – October 23, 2026

Weekly compensation (housing included): $565

Weekly compensation (housing not included): $685

Education Award: $5,176.50

Age requirement: 20

Who We Are

VYCC is a mission-driven organization where we strive to take action and build community

by working and learning together with the land. VYCC’s Food & Farm Program is a youth and

workforce development initiative that provides hands-on agriculture training while advancing

food security and food-as-medicine programming to improve the health and resilience of

Vermont communities. We believe in the power that food has to connect us with the land, our

community, and each other.

On the farm, young people take part in the daily work of organic vegetable production,

gaining hands-on experience in every aspect of growing food. The produce they cultivate is

distributed to more than 400 families through the Health Care Share—a public health initiative

that connects Vermont families to locally grown food through their medical providers. Patients

experiencing diet-related illnesses or barriers to accessing fresh produce receive a free weekly

share of vegetables, supporting both individual and community health. In addition to

vegetables, the farm raises laying hens for eggs, chickens for meat, and grows flowers and

herbs, which are sold through our on-site farm stand.

Beyond their time in the fields, Corps Members also spend time in the kitchen learning

essential cooking skills. Using the ingredients they’ve helped grow, they experiment with

recipes and prepare daily lunches served to all farm crews—creating a meaningful connection

between the work they do on the farm and the food that nourishes them each day.

These projects are made possible through VYCC's partnership with AmeriCorps and The

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Corps Network.

Who We’re Looking For

A successful Community Health Leader is a motivated, adaptable individual who approaches

challenges with a positive attitude and a commitment to personal and professional growth. We

seek someone who is passionate about food as medicine and dedicated to excellent customer

service, eager to advance VYCC’s mission through hands-on service, and meaningful

community impact.

What You Can Expect

The Community Health Leader helps administer VYCC’s Health Care Share (HCS), a food-as-

medicine initiative that provides more than 400 Vermont households with a free weekly share

of organic groceries throughout the summer and fall. This position involves indoor and

outdoor work. The Community Health Leader spends time indoors coordinating logistics,

communicating with partners, and managing packing operations. The person in this position

also works outdoors on the farm and interacts with program partners, community members,

and VYCC staff. Leaders serve an average of 40–45 hours per week, Monday through Friday.

Every day includes a half-hour lunch break. Lunch is not counted toward AmeriCorps service

hours. Typical hours run from 7:45AM to 4:45PM, but schedules vary as the season progresses.

For example, Farm Leaders adopt an early morning start-time during peak summer months to

avoid the midday heat. They may also work occasional evening or weekend hours for farm

chores, Health Care Share deliveries, or VYCC events. The role is based at VYCC’s Farm in

Richmond, Vermont. The Community Health Leader is an AmeriCorps position that reports to

the Community Health Manager.

The Community Health Leader supports all aspects of the HCS program, including patient

enrollment, partner communications, and the coordination of weekly packing and delivery

logistics. In the spring and fall, the Community Health Leader also contributes directly to food

production on the farm, gaining hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture and the full

cycle of farm-to-community food access.

The VYCC farming season begins in March. Staff train the Farm Leader cohort on VYCC’s

food and farm systems. Prior to the summer season, Leaders strengthen their management

skills by leading volunteer groups. During the spring and early summer, the Community

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Health Leader collaborates with HCS partners to enroll patients in the program and ensure

that outreach and communication materials are distributed effectively. By mid-summer, with

support from Farm Staff, they lead the weekly packing of Health Care Shares and coordinate

produce deliveries to medical centers across Vermont. In the fall, the Community Health

Leader works alongside the Farm Leader cohort to guide volunteer groups, oversee HCS

distribution, and help prepare the farm for winter. They also collect surveys from HCS

participants and assist with data entry and program evaluation efforts to help measure the

program’s reach and impact.

Through this immersive experience, Farm Leaders engage in every step of the food-to-table

process and gain valuable skills for future careers in community health, food access, and

sustainable agriculture. They develop expertise in soil health, crop production, harvest

management, and post-harvest processing, while strengthening their abilities in teamwork,

communication, and problem-solving. By delivering Health Care Shares and working directly

with community partners, they gain firsthand insight into Vermont’s food systems and the

social impact of their work. Together, these experiences equip Community Health Leaders

with the knowledge, confidence, and professional foundation to pursue meaningful careers in

agriculture, environmental stewardship, and community development.

What We’ll Expect from You
Community Health Leader Responsibilities

• Register medical patients for the Health Care Share (HCS) and provide continued

support and communication around share pick-ups throughout the season

• Work with Community Health Manager to coordinate HCS logistics between farm

production, medical partners, and HCS recipients

• Build educational content and opportunities through weekly newsletters and taste tests

at HCS pick-up sites

• Lead Crew Members and Leaders in packing weekly shares and assist with deliveries to

• Collect and assist with aggregating data from Health Care Share registrations and

• Manage the Farm’s Social Media Accounts
  

Farm Responsibilities
• Participate in all aspects of farm work including:

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• Seeding, transplanting, weeding, harvesting
• Washing and packing produce for distribution
• Caring for livestock

• Work hard in all types of weather and environments, motivating Crew Members to do

• Follow and uphold VYCC principles and practices to maintain a safe service

Communication, Reporting, & Training

• Communicate effectively with members of the Farm Team, including using Microsoft

Teams and Outlook

• Complete forms related to service including biweekly timesheets

• Complete forms related to crew members including filling out incident reports
• Engage with VYCC staff on setting goals and documenting personal and professional

additional enrichment activities. These training hours will not exceed 20% of the total
number of member hours

Required Qualifications

• Be at least 20 years of age

• Be a U.S. citizen, a national, or legal permanent resident non-citizen of the U.S.

• Have not been convicted of murder or sexual assault and be willing to undergo a National

Service Criminal History Check and a VT Agency of Human Services check. The member

will have access to vulnerable populations

• Be a high school graduate or have a GED certificate, or be willing to work towards GED as

part of their service-year successful completion requirement

• Commitment to VYCC’s mission, including the Health Care Share project

• Commitment to the mission of AmeriCorps

• Valid driver’s license with good driving record for at least three years
  

Compensation & Benefits

• AmeriCorps Living Allowance paid biweekly:
• Residential members living in on-site housing: $565/week
• Non-residential members living off-site: $685/week

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• Segal Education Award upon completion of service: $5,176.50

• Access to fresh produce from the farm

• Potential for shared housing for the duration of service

• Organizational dedication to on-going professional development

• Potential eligibility for student loan forbearance and interest payment

• Potential to earn up to 12 free college credits

• Receive Basic First Aid and CPR Certification through American Safety and Health

Institute

Have questions about the position? Feel free to reach out to...
Katie Colatch, Food & Farm Program Manager
Email: Katie.Colatch@vycc.org
Phone: 802.434.3969 ext: 128

Equal Opportunity at VYCC

Are you concerned that you don’t meet all the requirements of this position? Please apply
anyway. VYCC is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible work
environment that fosters a sense of belonging – so if you’re excited about this role but your
experience doesn’t align perfectly with everything in this job description, we encourage you to
apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our
openings!

Terms of Service and Dates of Service:

1200 Hour (three-quarter-time) term from March 16th– October 23, 2026

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