Food Access Specialist, SNAP-Ed

Department: Social Responsibility

Employment Type: Part Time

Location: Association Office

Compensation: $30.00 / hour

Description

Position: Food Access Specialist
Location: 30 Northampton St., Boston, MA 02118
Reports to: Executive Director of Nutrition & Food Access
Position Type: Part-time (10-20 hours/week), Temporary

POSTION BACKGROUND INFROMATION
The YMCA of Greater Boston (YGB) is a lead partner for the Greater Boston Food Bank and operates a warehouse Grocery Bag Distribution Program that packages and delivers 4,500+ grocery bags weekly to more than 45 partners through the city of Boston. To center client-choice, YGB launched a Mobile Market Food Truck in Fall 2023 that allows individuals to select and pick the foods they want at no cost. YGB is also an Implementing Agency for the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and delivers SNAP-Education/ Nutritional Education (SNAP-Ed) at our Grocery Bag Distribution sites, Mobile Market, and afterschool programs.
YGB aims to transition its Grocery Bag Distribution Program to center a choice-based model. The Food Access Specialist position will build a strategy to transition from a pre-packaged operation to a choice-based model, piloting in any of the following: Mattapan, East Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, Hyde Park, and Roslindale. A choice-based model includes a “retail store” allowing people to shop at no/lower cost that incorporates additional resources, such as SNAP Outreach, nutrition education (SNAP-Ed activities and SWAP activities), recipe cards, and other educational handouts.
This position is funded through the Department of Transitional Assistance for SNAP-Education and is temporary to help shift YGB to a new model, ends September 30, 2025.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and implement a system to transition from current structure to a choice-based model
• Create strategy to transition current partners into new model
• Launch a new choice-based model (i.e. retail store) in any of the following: Mattapan, East Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, Hyde Park, and Roslindale
• Collaborate with community organizations to set up retail store in pre-existing locations
• Coordinate with internal and external partners to incorporate resources for communities (SNAP Outreach, health benefits, etc.)
• Coordinate with SNAP-Ed team to include regular nutrition education activities
• Coordinate with PSE Program Coordinator to implement SWAP at locations