Food Box Program Assistant - Staten Island (Part-Time)

Fort Washington Armory (216 Fort Washington Ave)

$20-23/Hour

Position Summary:

The Food Box program is a food access initiative that provides fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to the families and communities served by Children’s Aid. It is one of several health promotions within Children’s Aid’s Go!Healthy programming, and currently operates at four sites located in Harlem, Washington Heights, South Bronx, and Northern Staten Island. Any member of the communities served by Children’s Aid can purchase a food box, in which they receive high-quality produce at an affordable price to help prepare and enjoy healthy meals at home. The Food Box Program Assistant is an essential member of the team that supports food box distributions by packing bags and distributing them to participants. Under the supervision of the Manager, the Program Assistant will travel to food box sites and work with a dedicated team to host weekly distributions from March through November, with the option to assist in other Go!Healthy programming for the remainder of the year. They will do this by prepping bags of fruits and vegetables, setting up tents and tables for distribution, and breaking down at the day’s end.

The ideal candidate will be a motivated team player who engages positively with community members. The position will require physical labor, including lifting heavy boxes and bags of fruit and vegetables, and also the ability to work outside throughout the year. This position if for our Staten Island site, which hosts distributions one day a week, Tuesdays, from 9AM to 5PM.

Essential Duties:

• Understand and promote the organizations Mission, Vision, and core values to ensure alignment with organizational policies and procedures.
• Pack bags with fresh fruits and vegetables under the guidance of the Food Box Site Coordinator, including weighing items using scales, bagging loose produce, and folding paper materials.
• Work as part of a team to set up and break down during food box distributions, including carrying tents, tables, and other supplies between storage areas and the distribution site (often located on the sidewalk directly outside the Children’s Aid site).
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with Children’s Aid staff, community members, and program participants to increase program engagement.
• Support program outreach and social media efforts by taking photos and creating signage.
• Collaborate with Go!Healthy’s team of nutritionists, as needed and able, to help promote the program by assisting with recipe sampling and on-site nutrition workshops.
• Assist with program inventory by helping to organize supplies and equipment, and maintaining a clean storage area.
• Participate in food box trainings, team meetings, and events.
• Must abide by privacy laws, including HIPAA, etc.
• In-person collaboration is an essential function of the job.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

 Minimum Qualifications:

• Able and willing to do physical work outside, including lifting heavy bags of produce.
• Spanish language skills preferred, including experience or willingness to learn effective translation.
• Prior experience working with diverse populations preferred, especially in food service or retail settings.
• Availability to work the on Tuesdays in the neighborhoods noted below on a weekly basis from March to November (approx. 6 hours/day): o Tuesdays in northern Staten Island

Key Competencies:

• Passion for promoting and increasing access to local, seasonal, and high-quality food in urban communities.
• Professional approach to work, including the ability to offer, receive, and respond to feedback.
• Ability to communicate with team members and program leadership, including timely response to emails and engaged participation in meetings. o In a fast-paced environment, be able to solve problems and adapt to new situations, while maintaining a positive attitude.
• Loves working in a team and contributing to a greater mission-driven purpose.

• Demonstrated ability to work with and connect to diverse communities, including people from different backgrounds and ages.

It is the policy of Children's Aid to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and is dedicated to maintaining a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. Children's Aid will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation on any basis, including race, creed, color, national origin, ethnicity, alienage or citizenship status, gender/sex (including pregnancy), disability, religion, source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, familial status, caregiver status, military status, marital or partnership status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking, predisposing genetic characteristics, arrest or conviction record, credit history, unemployment status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Children’s Aid is committed to complying with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Children’s Aid will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of all allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or any violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy in a confidential manner and will take appropriate corrective action, if and where warranted. Children’s Aid prohibits retaliation against employees who provide information about, complain about, or assist in the investigation of any complaint of discrimination or violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.

The incumbent is expected to work a schedule, whether in-person or hybrid, as determined by the department's needs to facilitate effective collaboration with the team.  This flexibility is essential for maintaining seamless communication, fostering teamwork, and ensuring the smooth operation of the department's processes.  The position's requirements are subject to periodic review and adjustment based on organizational needs and changes in work dynamics.