Company description

UpRoot Colorado (UpRoot) measurably reduces surplus protective foods in Colorado, supports the resilience of farmers and increases the nutritional security of our state’s residents.

We envision a mindful, humane and equitable Colorado foodshed where farmers are valued for who they are: a cornerstone of our society.

Job description

Gleaning & Volunteer-Outreach Coordinator: Delta County

UpRoot Colorado is a nonprofit organization measurably reducing surplus protective foods in Colorado, supporting the resilience of farmers and increasing the nutritional security of our state’s residents. 

 

We are seeking to fill the role of a part-time gleaning and volunteer-outreach coordinator (coordinator) who will be responsible for establishing and operating a gleaning program in Delta County, potentially working out of the office of the Colorado Farm & Food Alliance in Paonia. Specific responsibilities include:

• Reinstalling food wisdom in Delta County through community outreach, community building and experiential education
• Implementing strategic outreach to farms in Delta County through email, phone calls and farm visits in order to build UpRoot’s gleaning program and producer network for gleans
• Once established, nurturing relationships with local producers (i.e., farmers) and determining on a weekly basis what is available for gleaning and/or pick-up
• Implementing outreach to both businesses and homeowners to coordinate gleans of “backyard” fruit trees; establish Fruit-Tree Registry for residents of Delta County
• Organizing gleaning events where volunteers will assemble under the supervision of the coordinator, or volunteer harvest leaders, to glean food for distribution to local hunger-relief and/or social-service agencies
• Recruiting and training volunteers, as needed, and supervising volunteer gleaning events 
• Implementing food safety and Covid-19 best practices when organizing and supervising gleaning events
• Taking photographs of gleaning events, and coordinating with UpRoot team members to create event flyers and social-media posts about past/upcoming events
• Developing relationships with local hunger-relief and social-service agencies and coordinating pick-ups and/or distribution of gleaned food 
• Collaborating with the Colorado Farm & Food Alliance to connect to growers, local businesses, houses of worship, foundations, civic-minded groups, schools and universities, and nonprofit organizations 
• Meeting grant deliverables and expectations, including data collection, proper evaluation methods and reporting (including data for reports to funders)

Must haves:

• A passion to establish food equity, food justice and food-systems change
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Experience and a comfort with coordinating volunteers and speaking publicly
• The ability to think critically and creatively and, also, to work independently
• Comfortable working outdoors and in a variety of weather conditions
• An outgoing personality and can-do attitude
• The ability to lift 40 lbs.
• A valid driver’s license and reliable, personal transportation as you will be required at times to deliver gleaned food in your own vehicle

Preferred:

• Experience in stakeholder outreach (e.g., to volunteers, farmers, individuals in the community, community groups, elected officials)
• Organizing or campaigning experience
• Agricultural or food-systems experience 
• Conversant in Spanish
• An entrepreneurial spirit and a flexible schedule

This role is currently a part-time W-2 (non-exempt) role and will begin by mid-summer and extend through the growing season. The rate of pay is $18 per hour for up to 22.5 hours per week. Mileage reimbursement for role-specific duties is set at $0.35 per mile. 

To apply, please email your resume and a brief note outlining your interest in this role to howdy@uprootcolorado.org.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $15-20/hr

Application instructions

Deadline

August 16, 2021