Food Recovery Fellow - Paid Summer Fellowship

California Climate Action Corps – 2023 Summer Fellowship

Food Recovery Fellow at Fresno Metro Ministry

Title: Food Recovery Fellow

Location: Fresno, California

Term of Service: 2023 Summer (300+ hours): June 5 - August 4, 2023
Time requirements: 37-40 hours/week; minimum 300 hours in a two-month term; Monday-Friday 8-5pm and occasionally on weekends

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Please APPLY HERE through our website portal!

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Project Overview and Description of Duties:

The Central Valley is an interesting case study, the heartland of industrial agriculture, surrounded by the effects of an unsustainable food system with huge food disparity issues and large amounts of food waste. There are plenty of opportunities present and a rising interest in initiatives that will create more localized food systems, reduce food waste, and feed more families. Fresno Metro Ministry is committed to improving the health and environment of our most disadvantaged and disinvested communities. We currently engage community members in transforming their environments and food system through community gardens, urban farming initiatives, educational programming, and food recovery and redistribution. This project will engage fellows in our newest initiatives to improve farming practices, further access to green spaces, and reduce food insecurity in our region. This project will help state climate goals by reducing food waste—which will ultimately help with meeting local climate goals—increasing urban greening in some of the most pollution and poverty-heavy areas of our city. Fellows will be joining a goal-oriented, community-centered, and driven workplace that focuses on creating tangible solutions to improve the lives of Fresno community members. Our program staff and leadership are welcoming, diverse, and supportive. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Engage community members in direct climate action at our community garden and urban farm, helping with our urban greening initiatives—like tree maintenance of our 180 trees and native plants; edible food recovery and redistribution; organic waste recovery for community gardens; and assisting farmers with implementing climate resilient and regenerative farming practices
• Build capacity for the implementation of climate conscious farming practices
• Assist in the coordination of volunteers, farmers, and community members in recovering food, organizing community composting initiatives, implementing regenerative farming practices, and maintaining trees and native plants
• Engage community members in educational events on gardening, composting, tree planting, and food waste reduction
• Tracking and analyzing project impact results
• Participation in 30-60 hours of training and professional development (not to exceed 20% of total service hours)
• Fellow duties will not include any prohibited or unallowable activities per 45 CFR §2520.65

Desired qualifications/characteristics:

• Experience in volunteer engagement, event coordination, environmental education, project management, and public speaking/facilitation

• Interest or experience in climate change mitigation, volunteerism, or public service
• Experience with outreach, education, training, or community behavior change
• Community outreach and communications experience
• Volunteer or community service experience
• Excellent organizational, writing, interpersonal, and speaking skills
• Academic experience in environmental issues (math and science coursework)
• Comprehension of climate change science; California environmental policies; and/or environmental issues focused on urban greening, organic waste, and edible food recovery

Benefits of service:

Fellows that join our program will be consistently mentored by program staff, have opportunities to take leadership roles throughout their term, and have direct contact with a large network of organizations working on food security, food waste, and environmental justice issues. Fellows will also gain experience working on-the-ground with community members directly implementing climate initiatives. Other benefits include:

• Fellows will be able to attend regular workshops and trainings held in our community garden and receive direct hands-on training on facilitating groups, volunteer management, gardening, tree maintenance, and composting
• Receive up to a $5,294 stipend (pre-tax) spread evenly over your program term and distributed every two weeks
• $1,374.60 (pre-tax) Segal Education Award upon co