Harvest Against Hunger’s Harvest VISTA program acts as a gleaning and produce recovery program incubator, working with partner host sites to place AmeriCorps VISTAs across the country. These VISTAs serve as gleaning coordinators, building localized, sustainable produce recovery programs that connect farmers to food banks to increase the amount of fresh nutritious produce available to people experiencing food insecurity.

This position is located in Mesa County, Colorado serving with UpRoot Colorado (UpRoot). UpRoot partners with farmers, hunger-relief organizations, and volunteers to glean surplus produce for distribution to community members facing food insecurity. UpRoot’s efforts simultaneously work to reduce on-farm surplus, increase the nutrition security of Colorado’s residents, and to strengthen the connections between farmers and eaters in the communities we serve. UpRoot is young but growing quickly. Since our founding in 2016, UpRoot has rescued more than 250,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables across Colorado, equivalent to more than 2.3 million servings of nutrient-dense food. With the support of a Harvest VISTA, we believe that we can significantly increase our positive impact within the Colorado food system.

Member Duties : UpRoot is excited to welcome a Gleaning Specialist VISTA to expand and build capacity within the gleaning program along the Western Slope. The AmeriCorps member in this role will recruit new partners and volunteers locally to support the gleaning efforts. The member will be tasked with expanding the program into Mesa County by recruiting new partners such as farmers and hunger relief agencies, and volunteers; coordinating local gleaning events and food distribution; develop materials to increase capacity and effectiveness, such as a gleaning toolkit, volunteer management materials, and a data collection system. The member will also represent UpRoot at convenings with state and nationwide partnerships, and will build organization capacity through fundraising efforts such as grant research.

Program Benefits: Choice of Education Award ($6,495) or End of Service Stipend ($1,800) upon completion of service, Living Allowance, Monthly Housing Stipend, Relocation Allowance,  Childcare assistance if eligible, Professional Development Fund and Focus.

*For details about AmeriCorps VISTA healthcare benefits, please visit http://www.vistacampus.gov/healthcare

Terms: Car recommended,  Permits working at another job during off hours. 

Service Areas: Health,  Environment,  Hunger,  Community Outreach . 

Skills: Writing/Editing,  Non-Profit Management,  Recruitment,  Environment,  Public Speaking,  Community Organization,  General Skills,  Communications,  Team Work.

For more information and to apply, please visit https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=113678. If you have questions, please email Maria Mendez-Francisco at maria@harvestagainsthunger.org .