Job: Gardening Assistant / Service Leader, Michigan

Application Deadline: 5:00 pm Friday, February 4^th, 2011 The Garden Project in Lansing, MI is currently recruiting for the part-time seasonal position of Gardening Assistant / Service Leader to start in mid-February 2011 and work through mid-October 2011. The Garden Project of the Greater Lansing Food Bank is dedicated to growing healthy food and cultivating connections through community gardens, home gardens and a gleaning program.

Tweet

Gardening Assistant / Service Leader Position Description:

The Gardening Assistant/ Service Leader will perform a variety of duties to support community, school and home gardens by coordinating service projects, offering garden support and community outreach. The Garden Project has a small dedicated team of staff working together to develop a healthier food system in the Lansing area. We expect the Gardening Assistant/ Service Leader to work cooperatively and creatively on a variety of tasks including the duties outlined below.

• Work as part of a team of gardeners and staff that identify and meet needs of the community garden sites.
• Coordinate workdays of youth and adult volunteers working in community gardens and other Garden Project activities including events, tours, etc.
• Aid in staffing The Garden Project Resource Center distributing gardening supplies and answering questions as well as working in our vegetable demonstration garden.
• Contribute to other activities of the Project as needed, or as interest and skills dictate.

Qualifications:

• Experience coordinating and leading projects with people of all ages.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs and do outdoor, physical work required.
• Excellent communication skills and well organized with attention to detail.
• Willingness to learn new things and problem-solve creatively.
• Experience or motivated interest in gardening/nutrition/ building a healthier food system.
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed.

Terms: This is a part-time seasonal position working from mid-February through mid-October.  Compensation starts at $9.50/hr. commensurate with qualifications and performance.  Hours vary seasonally approximately as follows:  Feb-Apr ~35hrs./wk.; May-Jul ~30hrs./wk.; Aug-Oct ~10hrs./wk.

To Apply: Please submit a resume and cover letter describing your interests and qualifications specific to this position. Applications may be sent to gardenproject@greaterlansingfoodbank.org with “Gardening Assistant / Service Leader” in the subject line and materials sent as attachments. Or, mail to The Garden Project * PO Box 16224 * Lansing MI 48901. The application deadline is February 4th, 2011; early inquiries and applications are encouraged. For more information about us visit www.greaterlansingfoodbank.org and follow the link to The Garden Project.

About The Garden Project:

The Garden Project is dedicated to local efforts to develop a healthier food system in the Greater Lansing area. We define a healthy food system as one that provides all community members, including children and the elderly, with easily accessible and affordable nutritious food, produced locally using environmentally sound practices. The Project’s role in promoting a healthy food system is through three major program components, gardening, gleaning and community development.

The Garden Project provides gardening opportunities through land, services and educational support so that community members can grow, harvest, prepare and preserve their own vegetables and fruits. In addition, The Garden Project coordinates with local sources and agencies to harvest and distribute fresh produce to targeted limited-resource individuals. Through the cultivation of fresh food, The Garden Project also aspires to cultivate community connections as families and neighbors garden together fostering a sense of pride in attractive, well tended gardens that serve as community gathering spaces.