Website 18 Reasons
Empower our community to buy, cook, and eat good food everyday.
About us:
18 Reasons is a nonprofit on a mission to empower our community with the confidence and creativity needed to buy, cook, and eat good food every day. We offer two food education opportunities. At our 18th Street Kitchen in San Francisco, we host paid cooking classes with chefs from around the world, and ticket sales help support our free community programming. Through our free Community Programs, we offer grocery donations paired with free cooking and nutrition classes to families on a limited budget throughout the Bay Area. Our vision is to create equity and belonging through the transformative and healing power of home cooking.
About you:
The Program Coordinator is a hands-on and solution-oriented person who coordinates cooking and nutrition classes, manages volunteers, and works closely with diverse communities of kids, teens, adults, and community partners. You are passionate about food, learning, community, and equity, and you love working independently to solve problems and lead team projects. We take special care to create a working team of positive, flexible, and driven people who are committed to caring for the community. A year of service at 18 Reasons is an opportunity to learn new skills and play a valuable role in serving the community.
The Program Coordinator will coordinate our free community programs. Through our community programs we help over 2,500 families each year learn the skills they need to make healthy food choices on a budget. We also work to expand access to CalFresh (food stamps), offer a peer educator training program that expands our pool of instructors, and engage hundreds of volunteers each year.
You do not need to have a culinary or nutrition background to succeed in this position, but you must be organized, motivated, and eager to learn. You are meant for this role if you are a lifelong learner with a passion for food and community service.
This is an Americorps position; you will serve for one year with 18 Reasons, ideally beginning on July 31st (flexible start date). For more information about the Americorps program, please see the Benefits section below.
Responsibilities**:
Coordinate hands-on cooking and nutrition series in partnership with community organizations
Shop for and manage grocery distribution in cooking classes
Manage communications with partner host site agency staff
Work with host site agency staff to schedule classes and carry out shared expectations and responsibilities for hosting cooking classes
Train and supervise volunteers & peer health educators in their roles as chef educators, nutrition educators, and class assistants
Collect and prepare materials for classes and tours, including food, cooking equipment, and course evaluations
Administer participant and volunteer course evaluations
Teach cooking and nutrition lessons as needed
Community outreach to recruit new host site agencies and increase community support
Manage capacity building projects
Contributes to the overall culture and business growth using our Culture Guide as a tool for self-reflection and an ongoing commitment to self-growth, the growth in others, and the growth of the company
Contributes to the overall culture and business growth by participating in or leading improvement committees and projects when needed
**COVID status:
Due to COVID, our community programming is also offered virtually. Depending on the status of COVID and shelter in place orders during the next Americorps program year (2023-2024) the Program Coordinator responsibilities may vary to include virtual programming and assisting in food distribution efforts in the community.
Qualifications:
Passionate about food, food justice, and racial equity
Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, including the ability to speak in front of a class
Valid driver’s license and a car you can use for work
Ability to work individually in a self-directed manner and as part of a team in group projects
Excellent organizational skills, proven ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks, and to meet deadlines
Experience, willingness, and ability to work with people from a variety of racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds, with various lifestyles, sexual orientations, and of all ages, including professional chefs, social service providers, volunteers, and low-income participants
Ability and willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends for the purposes of conducting classes and attending community meetings
Not required, but extremely helpful: Fluent or conversant in Spanish
Physical requirements:
This position requires being in the field 65% of the time, driving 15% of the time, and working in an office setting 20% of the time. While in the field, frequent lifting, moving, or carrying supplies up to 50 pounds, including use of stairs, is required. General office duties include: computer work, filing, phone communication, copying. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable any qualified person to perform the essential job duties.
Program benefits:
● $2,925 monthly living allowance, paid biweekly ($19.29/hour)
● Segal Education Award ($6,345) at the end of the service year
● Health benefits*
● 17 paid holidays, 10 personal days, 10 sick days
● Travel Reimbursement and Internet Stipend ($30/month)
● Opportunity to forbear qualifying student loans while in service
● Relocation assistance (if applicable)
● Childcare assistance (if applicable)
● One year non-competitive status for federal government positions
● A network of over 180,000 Americorps members and alums
Note: To accept an Americorps position you must be: 18 years old; be U.S. citizens, nationals, or legal residents; and be able to successfully complete a background investigation.
*For details about Americorps VISTA healthcare benefits, please visit http://www.vistacampus.gov/healthcare
How to apply:
Please send a one-page resume and a cover letter to [email protected].
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every qualification. We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with each qualification in the job description, please go ahead and apply anyway! You might be just the right candidate for this role.