START/END DATE: 6/5/2023 - 6/4/2024

PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

**UWKC AmeriCorps members must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to the first day of service.**United Way of King County is committed to building a racially just community where people have homes, students graduate, and families are financially stable. Since 2010, United Way has had a pivotal and strategic role in alleviating food insecurity in Washington State. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for home delivery of food increased significantly across Washington State, particularly among households with young children or seniors. While our community was fortunate to have a strong network of food banks and other partners who stepped up to provide emergency food, there was not enough capacity within our local emergency food system to meet the full needs of clients. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted deeper systems gaps with the emergency food system, including communities that have been historically and continuously underserved by mainstream food providers. The Food Justice Collaborative is a BIPOC-centered food alliance who are directly impacted by systemic inequities in the King County food ecosystem and serve BIPOC clients experiencing disproportionate levels of poverty and food insecurity. The purpose of the Food Justice Collaborative is to provide a collaborative space where food banks, farms, distributors, and community-based organizations can share programmatic resources across divides to reduce food insecurity in King County, deepen relationships, and develop a shared and unified voice to impact systemic change.

MEMBER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide support to the Food Justice Collaborative to help end hunger and create a more equitable food ecosystem in King County. Duties include
• Review tools and processes in place for collaborative engagement. 
• Analyze current processes in use and research new tools to establish effective systems for collaborative engagement. 
• Write content for Food Justice Collaborative newsletter 
• Write content for blog posts about Food Justice Collaborative members
• Attend and take notes at all Food Justice Collaborative general/leader meetings and education sessions.
• Other duties as assigned and according to VAD

Position Length: 12 months

Benefits & Compensation:

• Bi-weekly stipend of $1027.88 (pre-tax)
• $6,895 Education Award or $1,800 End of Service Stipend upon successful completion of
• Loan deferment and payment of interest accrued during service year on qualified student loans (loans must be federally-backed; personal/private loans not eligible)
• Noncompetitive eligibility for federal jobs for up to one year after completing service
• Health benefits that meet the minimum standards of ACA compliance
• Childcare assistance
• 10 days sick leave, 10 days personal leave plus 11 federal holidays
• Enrollment in an assistance program with 24-hour access to phone counseling
• Access to emergency assistance program to mitigate unforeseen financial emergencies that put your continued participation in AmeriCorps service at risk
• Monthly team meetings, high-quality training, professional development, and networking opportunities
• Lifelong friends and colleagues who are passionate about service!

Professional Development Benefits:

• Robust professional development to support your personal, professional, and service goals and growth
• Skills to be gained include but not limited to: Interpersonal and Intercultural communication, community outreach, adaptability, relationship building, conflict management, customer service, resource navigation, data entry, knowledge of WA public benefits, knowledge of inner workings of non-profits and community college systems
• Career development trainings provided by UWKC AmeriCorps team
• Previous trainings include: How to Network, Resume Workshops, Mock Interviews, How to make your LinkedIn Profile Shine
• Networking opportunities within United Way and Community Partners

As a member of this cohort, you will be supported with a robust orientation, ongoing professional development opportunities, training, check-ins, and the tools and resources you need to succeed.

What We’re Looking For:

• Hunger and poverty disproportionately affect people who identify with multiple intersections of marginality—including people that identify as Black, Native, POC, queer, trans, disabled, first generation, etc. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. Hence, we strongly encourage those that identify with these communities to apply
• Understanding of systemic racism and commitment to anti-racist work to ensure outputs are relevant and accessible to community members
• Flexibility and quick problem-solving skills to balance the variety of service activities and any potential shift in program priorities
• Experience working on multiple projects at once and ability to self-manage
• Ability to communicate clearly with staff members, partners, and AmeriCorps members
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with team, partners, and community members.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills including public speaking skills

AmeriCorps Program Eligibility:

• Must be over 18 years old on the first day of service
• Must be a U.S. citizen, national, or legal permanent resident of the United States. Unfortunately, F1 visas are not sufficient.
• Must be available 40 hours per week. Exact hours may vary by site placement, but will primarily be Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Must undergo a Washington State Patrol background check, FBI background check and National Sex Offender Registry Check, plus state of residence background check if not currently living in Washington
• High school diploma/GED
• Per United Way of King County Policy, AmeriCorps members must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the first day of service. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. If you are a selected candidate, you will be required to provide proof of vaccination. Please reach out to unitedwayamericorps@uwkc.org if you need information on medical or religious accommodation.

Please note that United Way of King County has moved to remote and limited in-person operations. As such, be prepared to participate in interviews remotely and to complete service responsibilities in a hybrid environment (in-person and remote) should we move forward with your candidacy. If technology presents a barrier to applying, interviewing, or accepting the position, please reach out to unitedwayamericorps@uwkc.org for accommodations.

Additionally, per United Way and public health guidance, all AmeriCorps members must be able to transition from working hybrid to commuting to their site to serve 40 hrs. per week at any time during their service year. Service schedules will be based on your service site’s needs.

To Apply: Create an application on My AmeriCorps Portal or click here: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=117108

• No resume or cover letter is required.
• The application process moves quickly, please expect a response within 1-2 days.
• Please contact unitedwayamericorps@uwkc.org with any questions.