Hunger Intervention Program (HIP) and United Way of King County are partnering together and seeking a team of full-time Summer HungerCorps Associates to end hunger in King County. This team will help families and youth access nutritious food during the summer months.

This is an AmeriCorps term from June 17, 2024, to August 25, 2024, with the possibility of an extension until August 30.

See details below or our posting on indeed.

Program Overview:

Access to good food and supportive relationships shouldn’t end when school is out. In King County, 100,000 low-income students have access to free meals during the school year, but less than 1 in 5 access free meals served during the summer.

The Free Summer Meals Program is a critical resource to ensure that children continue to have access to summer nutrition support by serving meals in the places where kids live, learn, and play. National studies show that summer meals programs increase food security and mitigate summer learning loss – but less than 15% of low-income youth in our region access Summer Meals programs each year. This is due to preventable barriers – including too few sites, a lack of awareness about the program, and a lack of activities and incentives to engage kids and teens.

Your Role:

This Summer HungerCorps Associate will be part of a passionate cohort of 80 total direct service AmeriCorps members working across King County in partnership with community-based organizations to connect families with the food they need. At HIP, you will join more than ten other members in this work to support food security during the summer months in northeast Seattle and Shoreline.

Our Summer HungerCorps Associates will increase access to Summer Meals through their service. This is a great opportunity to gain a variety of experiences in a collaborative, fast-paced, and supportive work environment. You’ll help prepare meals in the kitchen, serve meals to kids and families in different outdoor and indoor settings, and facilitate hands-on educational activities to engage youth. Additional duties include conducting grassroots community outreach to get the word out about available food resources, which is imperative in breaking down barriers.

Position Responsibilities:

• Prepare meals in a kitchen setting
• Provide excellent customer service to the public at summer meals sites.
• Daily set-up and breakdown of the site, including ensuring proper signage around the site.
• Maintain cleanliness of meals site.
• Serve free, healthy meals to youth participants, ensuring safety guidelines and federal program regulations are followed.
• Tracking program participation and completing required federal program documents and paperwork.
• Facilitate hands-on activities for youth

As part of this team, you will be supported with a robust orientation, ongoing training, and the tools and resources you need to be successful. Full training and certification provided.

Benefits & Compensation:

• Bi-weekly living allowance of $1,303.70 (pre-tax)
• Eligible to receive AmeriCorps Segal Education Award of $1,459.26 after successful completion of your Service Term.
• Unlimited ORCA Lift public transit pass
• Mileage reimbursement for travel between service sites (when applicable)
• Receive your Food Handler’s permit and other professional development training
• Become part of the AmeriCorps Network and part of a high-impact team
• Receive special consideration for United Way’s year-long AmeriCorps teams – positions beginning in Fall 2024.

Eligibility:

• 18 years of age or older on the first day of service
• US citizen, US national, or lawful permanent resident. Unfortunately, other residency statuses and VISAS are not eligible.
• Available full-time (40 hours/week) from June 17, 2024, to August 25, 2024. Hours are typically around Mon-Fri 8am-5pm but may vary by service site.
• Must complete and pass state and federal background checks.
• High school diploma/GED

Desired Qualifications:

• Self-starters who are passionate about supporting their community and public service.
• Comfortable working in a professional kitchen, following food safety guidelines, and preparing meals
• Ability to engage children and youth in activities and make them feel safe
• Experience working independently in high-energy environments.
• Capable and comfortable being flexible, resourceful, and adaptable in new and challenging situations.
• Ability to build relationships and effectively communicate information to a broad audience, including conducting outreach to parents, youth, and other community members.
• Experience working with diverse populations and an ability to apply a racial equity lens towards anti-hunger work.
• Second language skills (especially in Spanish, Somali, Amharic, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Russian, or Ukrainian) is highly desirable to assist in providing services to families in their preferred or native language.
• Ability to drive and a clean driving record is highly desirable.

Members will frequently move or lift boxes weighing up to 30 pounds. This position may frequently involve service in outdoor weather conditions, and may involve standing, walking, or moving around the service location for the duration of a shift. This position frequently communicates with staff and community members and must be able to exchange accurate information.

Commitment to Equity in Hiring:

Hunger and poverty disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working-class backgrounds, women, and people who identify as LGBTQ+. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.

How to Apply

To apply, please visit our posting on indeed.