Jobs: 3 AmeriCorps Openings at Allen Neighborhood Center, Michigan

Jobs: 3 Americorps Opportnities at Allen Neighborhood Center, Michigan, 2013

Allen Neighborhood Center, a lively non-profit community development agency serving Lansing’s Eastside, will have two full-time and one half-time AmeriCorps openings this fall. These include a kitchen-market activities coordinator, a garden educator, and a food programs volunteer coordinator. Applications are due on August 23 to be considered.

1) ANC Kitchen-Market Activities Coordinator

This half-time AmeriCorps Member will play a key role in transitioning the seasonal Allen Street Farmers Market to a year round offering when the Market moves inside the newly opened Allen Market Place (the AMP) in November.  Working with volunteers, the Activities Coordinator will oversee nutrition and fitness education sites during both the outdoor seasonal and indoor Winter Market (e.g., Food Chatter). S/he will also help design and implement activities to run in the new AMP Kitchen during the Winter Market.  These weekly mini-events and “demos” will be educational, convivial, and highlight the foodways and cuisines of our diverse neighborhood. Email or mail cover letter and resume for the Market/Kitchen Activities Coordinator position to Lizy Ferguson, Farmers Market/Kitchen Manager of AMP, Allen Neighborhood Center, 1619 E. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48912. 517-999-3911; lizyf@allenneighborhoodcenter.org

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2) ANC Gardening Educator

This full-time member will collaborate with the GardenHouse Director to offer a robust set of gardening programs on the Eastside.  This includes linking neighbors to resources; providing garden education offerings that include home garden visits, monthly workshops and Urban Gardener Certification Program; assisting with youth gardening & nutrition programs;  and instructing  GardenHouse volunteers and visitors during open hours.

Email or mail cover letter and resume for the Gardening Educator position to Rita O’Brien, Hunter Park GardenHouse Director, Allen Neighborhood Center, 1619 E. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48912, 517-999-3910; ritao@allenneighborhoodcenter.org

3) ANC Food Programs Volunteer Coordinator

This full-time member will coordinate a robust volunteer recruitment and orientation initiative to support ANC Food Programs and promote civic engagement.  Specifically, s/he will recruit, orient,  and place volunteers at the Hunter Park GardenHouse/ Urban Gardening Program, Allen Street Farmers Market, Allen Market Place Kitchen,  Breadbasket (ANC’s weekly pantry), and Eastside-based community gardens.  The member will also cultivate relationships and maintain regular communication with volunteer placement organizations and with organized neighborhood groups to continuously build a balanced pool (1/2 from the Eastside) from which volunteers are drawn.

Email or mail cover letter and resume for the Food Projects Volunteer Coordinator position to Maria Brummel, Outreach Director, Allen Neighborhood Center, 1619 E. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48912, 517-999-3924; mariab@allenneighborhoodcenter.org

Member Benefits
Full-time – A full time AmeriCorps member is expected to serve 1700 hours from October 15, 2013 – September 19, 2014. Members receive a $12,000 living allowance, $5,550 education award at the successful completion of the service term, and loan forbearance for qualified student loans. Full time members are eligible for health insurance.

Half-time – A half-time AmeriCorps member is expected to serve 900 hours from October 15, 2013 – September 19, 2014. Members receive a $6,400 living allowance, $2,775 education award at the successful completion of the service term, and loan forbearance for qualified student loans.

All Members are invited to attend monthly meetings and trainings hosted by the PWC, and Allen Neighborhood Center will also make additional training opportunities available.

Minimum Qualifications for All 3 Positions

• High school degree, GED certificate or agree to achieve GED within the year
• Minimum of 18 year of age, US citizen or permanent resident status
• Desire and ability to engage with a diverse group of people, particularly those living in low-income distressed neighborhoods
• Ability to function independently and in a team environment
• Knowledge and experience in urban gardening
• Computer skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Flexible availability required (some night and weekends)

About Allen Neighborhood Center
Established in 1999, Allen Neighborhood Center (ANC) is a hub for neighborhood revitalization and for activities that promote the health, safety, stability, and economic well-being of residents and other stakeholders in the northeast quadrant of Lansing, MI.  ANC’s work in “comprehensive and integrative community development” has resulted in signature projects, such as the Allen Street Farmers Market, Hunter Park GardenHouse, and the Allen Market Place (opening in August ’13).   These and other programs have emerged from ANC’s frequent and inclusive neighborhood forums, designed to address emerging issues, including food security and food access, and ensure the development of pioneering, resident-driven strategies for community improvement.