United Way of King County is seeking Summer Associate VISTA members to be a part of a team to end hunger in King County. We are seeking full- time members to be a part of United Way’s HungerCorps team, a team that is helping families and youth access nutritious foods where they live, learn, and play.
Service Activities
You will prepare and serve meals, pack boxes of food, engage with community members, & conduct grassroots community outreach to get the word out about available resources. You can expect to prepare meals or food boxes; distribute meals or groceries at apartment complexes, parks, community centers or food banks; manage meal distribution logistics, including maintaining federal program requirements; and build relationships with families and collect client feedback.
Community Need Addressed
Summer can be an uncertain time for low-income families. When the school year ends, kids lose access to free and reduced-priced school meals, and many families are forced to make paychecks stretch further to cover additional food costs during the summer months.
The federal Free Summer Meals program alleviates summertime food insecurity by providing free meals in the places where kids live, learn, and play – from parks and community centers to apartment complexes and schools.
Prior to the pandemic, less than 20% of low-income youth in King County accessed free meals during the summer – and participation gaps were greatest in communities with large numbers of low-income, BIPOC families.
Position Outcomes
The HungerCorps team is a passionate cohort of 100 direct service Summer Associate VISTA members working in partnership with food banks and community-based organizations to connect families with the food they need.
As a HungerCorps VISTA with United Way of King County, you will be assigned to a food bank or meals site, where you’ll use your skills and experience to support critical anti-hunger work.
Our program helps families access solutions to the barriers that limit participation in this federal Summer Meals program including increasing access to nearby meal sites, promoting and sharing information about the program to increase awareness, and providing culturally-relevant meal options to the communities that need them.
Benefits
Education award upon successful completion of service, Living allowance, Stipend, Training
Benefits & Compensation
Bi-weekly stipend of $952.12, pre-tax
NEW BENEFIT: $500 bonus in addition to stipend when you successfully complete the position***
Eligible to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award ($1,374.60), or a cash stipend ($345.80) after successful completion of your service term
Unlimited public transportation (ORCA) pass
Mileage reimbursement for travel between service sites, if required by your site placement
Receive a Food Handler’s Permit and other professional development trainings
Become part of the AmeriCorps Network and part of a high-impact team
Receive special consideration for United Way’s Full-Time AmeriCorps teams beginning Fall 2022
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Maintain open lines of communication with others
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Operate tools and equipment in accordance with established operating procedures, safety standards, and ethical guidelines
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Evaluate customer or client satisfaction, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment