Company description

UpRoot Colorado’s mission is to increase the nutritional security of Coloradans by harvesting and redistributing surplus, nutrient-dense foods while supporting the resilience of farmers.

We envision a mindful, humane and equitable Colorado food system where everyone has access to locally-produced, nutrient-dense foods; where people are more connected to the sources of our food; and where farmers are valued for who they are: a cornerstone of our society.

Job description

We are seeking a part-time Gleaning & Food-Systems Coordinator who will be responsible for our Gleaning Initiative in Garfield County: conducting outreach, organizing communications, coordinating and leading gleaning events to harvest surplus food from local farms and fruit trees, recruiting and managing volunteers, and coordinating the distribution of gleaned food.
 

This person will also oversee a pilot program conducting community outreach and developing programming that is inclusive of, and deepens UpRoot’s relationships with, Garfield County’s Latino/a/x communities. The Coordinator will use his/her/their bilingual language skills and/or cultural background and understanding to connect with and serve underserved and diverse community members. 
 

Primary responsibilities include: 

Outreach & Communications 

• Nurture existing relationships with local growers, hunger-relief and social-service agencies
• Implement outreach to farmers and fruit-tree stewards throughout Garfield County in order to expand UpRoot’s producer network for gleans
• Expand current gleaning efforts by introducing UpRoot’s work to hunger-relief agencies and other entities with whom we have not yet partnered; including local businesses, houses of worship, foundations, civic-minded groups, schools and universities, and nonprofit organizations 
• Conduct volunteer outreach and recruitment, and assist with weekly volunteer newsletters
• Take photographs of gleaning events, and coordinate with UpRoot team members to create event flyers and social media posts about events
• Develop and implement strategy to develop culturally-connected and culturally-responsive programming in Garfield County:

• • Gather information from Latino/a/x community members and groups to determine the best structure for a Latino/a/x gleaning program
  • Represent UpRoot at local events and network with people who come from different backgrounds and communities; develop relationships with Latino/a/x leaders and groups; and promote gleaning opportunities
  • Research similar work to learn from best practices
• Translate flyers and other materials from English to Spanish and review translated materials for accuracy

Event Coordination & Volunteer Management 

• Communicate with growers to determine what is available for gleaning and/or pick-up weekly
• Manage communications with UpRoot’s volunteers; ensure volunteers sign waiver prior to gleaning
• Organize gleaning events where volunteers will assemble under Coordinator supervision to glean food 
• Train and supervise volunteers at gleaning events 
• Implement staff and volunteer safety, food safety, and Covid-19 best practices
• Share educational information with volunteers on the topics of food justice, local food systems, causes of food surplus, food insecurity, etc., contributing to increased community food wisdom
• Communicate with hunger-relief/social-service agencies to coordinate distribution of gleaned food
• Ensure all physical program supplies and equipment are organized and maintained 
• Support development of Volunteer Harvest Leader program

Data Tracking & Program Administration

• Track outreach and program data accurately and in a timely manner 
• Provide program data for use in funding applications and reports
• Support program evaluation, including gathering feedback from partners/stakeholders
• Basic administrative tasks including documenting activities, scheduling events, responding to emails, etc. 

Other duties as assigned

• UpRoot is a small, yet growing, organization. The Coordinator may be required to assist with tasks in addition to the above responsibilities. 

Must haves:

• Bilingual (English/Spanish; written/oral)
• Passion to establish food justice and food-systems change
• Organizing, campaigning or outreach experience (outreach to volunteers, farmers, customers, community groups, elected officials, etc.)
• Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication, and organizational skills
• Experience and comfort coordinating volunteers and speaking publicly
• Ability to think critically and creatively and to work independently
• Ability to enthusiastically engage with people from diverse backgrounds, promoting trust and collaboration
• Comfort working outdoors in a variety of weather conditions
• Ability to lift 40 lbs. 
• Valid driver’s license and reliable, personal transportation (you will be required at times to deliver gleaned food in your own vehicle)
• Comfort and proficiency with technology (such as Google Workspace, Salesforce, MailChimp), or willingness to learn about these technologies

Preferred:

• Member of Garfield County’s Latino/a/x communities
• Knowledge regarding best practices for organizations striving to become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive
• Entrepreneurial spirit and flexible schedule
• Agricultural or food-systems experience (however, we’re willing to train the right candidate, particularly someone with experience/comfort with community organizing)
• Food safety experience
• An outgoing personality and can-do attitude
• Social media experience

This role is currently part-time (W-2) and non-exempt and will begin in early June and extend through the growing season and potentially beyond. 
 

The rate of pay is $18- $20 per hour, depending on skills and experience, for up to 25 hours per week. Mileage reimbursement for role-specific duties is set at $0.35 per mile. 
 

UpRoot Colorado is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discriminatory practices against anyone on the basis of age, race, religion, national origin, disability, gender, sexual orientation, and any other protected category. We value—and are working to create a culture of—equity, honesty, transparency, gratitude, clear communication, respect, and continuous learning. We acknowledge that food justice cannot be achieved without racial justice. We seek to identify a candidate who is also committed to these values and who is excited to contribute to the creation of a food system in which all have an opportunity to actively participate and access to nutrient-dense and locally-produced food, where farmers are valued, and agriculture contributes to the health of both people and our environment. It is important that the communities we serve are centered in our work. Therefore, people of color and people who have experienced food insecurity are encouraged to apply.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, varies DOE, $18.00 - $20.00

Application instructions

Deadline

May 31, 2022