Job description

NEBHDCo is seeking a self-motivated and deeply committed individual to fill the position for a Food Justice Organizer (Organizer). The Organizer builds on the NEBHDCo’s Communities for Healthy Food (CfHF) Bed-Stuy programs to increase program participation and awareness, cultivate resident leaders, build relationships with partners, and raise consciousness and action on food justice issues directly affecting Bed-Stuy residents. Communities for Healthy Food at NEBHDCo is a holistic approach to bettering the food system in Bed-Stuy through five main program areas:

• Urban Gardens and Farms: Three gardens/urban farms growing food for the pantry, a fourth food  garden at our senior residence building, and an aquaponics facility in planning stages. Programming includes a paid youth internship and training program.
• Advocacy and Community Building: Food Empowerment Education and Sustainability Team (FEEST)brings together youth to prepare and share delicious, fresh food and engage in social issues that affect them. Community events include film screenings, book signings and cooking events to identify leaders and encourage eating foods from scratch.
• Culinary and Nutrition Knowledge Sharing: Programs that support community members to learn and teach culinary skills and nutrition basics. Graduates from Community Chef training lead cooking demonstrations and Adult and Family cooking classes.
• Retail Work: Working with bodegas to increase healthy food options. Develop new retail options like farmer’s markets and food coops.
• Good Food Jobs: In partnership with The Working World, workshops and entrepreneurial support for worker owned cooperative food businesses. Developing a Bed-Stuy cooperative council with partners, worker-owners, and resident leaders.

The Organizer works closely with CfHF and Community Programs staff to expand outreach and integrate political education into all programs. The organizer identifies opportunities for deeper issue analysis and for developing the leadership of program participants. With the CHFA, the organizer develops and works with an advisory committee made up of active participant-leaders that inform and guide CfHF strategic planning.  The organizer develops and implements a range of strategies to reach more NEBHDCo tenants and area residents most impacted by food injustice. Established in 1985, Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation (NEBHDCo) is committed to the preservation, development and management of affordable housing and homeownership opportunities; community and economic development initiatives and human services that effect social change in Central and East Brooklyn. NEBHDCo owns and operates 92 buildings comprising over 1,000 units of affordable housing. Our portfolio also includes 17 commercial storefronts and 8 gardens. NEBHDCo, through its Golden Harvest food pantry, has been a New York City Emergency Feeding partner agency since August of 1993. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Outreach

• Manage promotion of NEBHDCo’s Communities for Healthy Food (CfHF) programming to NEBHDCo tenants and community members, through social media, newsletters, online resources, door-knocking, events, flyers and meetings.
• Create flyers and communications for all programs.
• Regularly and actively participate in relevant community meetings related to food justice work in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, and sometimes borough-wide.
• Lead development and maintenance of Salesforce module for participant tracking.

Organizing

• Engage community members in the development of CfHF priorities and programs annually
• Create, plan, and deliver workshops with local residents to deepen analysis of food justice issues.
• Develop and continually cultivate an advisory committee for CfHF programs.
• Recruit and develop community leaders, seek to discover the skills, talents and interests of current and potential leaders, and encourage shared leadership. Take potential leaders from observation to sharing in decision-making.
• Build with community members shared issues analysis, skills, practice, and ongoing relationships.
• Research and define the food justice organizing program at NEBHDCo through resident and partner one-on-ones and meetings.

New Opportunities and Initiatives

• Seeking out new opportunities, partnerships, and initiatives through networking and research and by attending conferences and meetings with stakeholders, strategic local and city-wide partners, government agencies and other support organizations.

Fundraising and Administration

• Participate in fundraising efforts.
• Track and report on all outreach and organizing activities – strategy, execution, and result.
• Together with the CHFA, co-write both internal and funder reports.
• Recruit and manage volunteers and interns.
• Manage spending and tracking of annual outreach budget.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Qualities
The elements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Fluency in the English language.
• Excellent computer skills including the Microsoft Office suite.
• Excellent interpersonal, community building, public speaking, and conflict mediation skills.
• Excellent verbal and writing skills.
• Ability to plan and facilitate experiential workshops and effective meetings.
• An ability to communicate a racial and economic justice analysis, especially as it relates to the food system.
• Ability to listen to and understand the needs of the low-income, diverse residents of Bed-Stuy.
• Ability to work independently and within a team structure.
• Ability to attend evening meetings and work on some weekends.
• Highly dependable person.
• Strong organizational ability, including ability to juggle multiple projects, meet deadlines, work hard, keep things moving, and maintain attention to detail.
• Outgoing, confident, and engaging personality.
• Ability to see opportunities for collaboration and cross-sectoral work.
• A desire to have fun in the workplace, be reflective about the work with colleagues, and a determination to meet and surpass goals.

Compensation

this position is: salaried

Application instructions

Deadline

March 02, 2016