Food Co-Op Assistant

For over a century, Home Sweet Home Ministries has stood as a pillar of the community and a beacon of Christ’s love for the hungry, homeless, and hopeless here in Central Illinois. It is the mission of every member of our staff and our volunteers to demonstrate Christ’s love through innovative approaches that instill hope, restore lives, and build community. We offer supportive services to those in need – providing shelter, food, case management, as well as programs including Bridge of Hope, Rapid Rehousing, and our Bread for Life Co-Op.  

Now you, too, can help build upon our traditions and contribute your passion for caring for others and your desire to be a guiding light for Christ’s love to those caught in the storm by joining our dedicated team. Home Sweet Home Ministries offers employment opportunities for those with a desire to be part of a community committed to helping others.

 Full-time employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• medical, dental, vision, LTD, and life insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match
• Sect. 125 Flexible Spending Account
• paid time off
• free on-site meals and beverages
• eligible for federal public service student loan debt forgiveness program (standard restrictions of the program apply)

The Bread for Life Food Co-op is a membership-based program where individuals can use their own capability to provide food for themselves and their families. The co-op serves low-income individuals and families struggling with chronic food security issues.        

As a Bread for Life Food Co-op Assistant, your role is crucial in advancing our cooperative approach, operating as a member-run mini grocery store, as opposed to a traditional food pantry. Our core commitment is to foster self-sufficiency and uphold dignity by empowering individuals and families to proactively address their food needs.

How You’ll Help Fulfill the HSHM Mission 

• Ensures the Bread for Life Co-op is fully prepared before shoppers arrive on shopping days. Provides assistance to co-op members during shopping hours (conducting the flow of shoppers, helping members locate items, stocking shelves, helping bag groceries, etc.) 

• Processes food donations, including unloading, recording weights, sorting, and storing donations properly, working with co-op members, volunteers, students (work-study), and other alternative workers when applicable. This includes examining all food products to determine that they are safe for redistribution and ensuring that they have not been recalled by the Food and Drug Administration. 

• Practices proactive organization and cleanliness throughout the co-op, freezers, coolers, equipment (crates, tubs, etc.), work areas, and additional storerooms (i.e. using time wisely to keep things sharp & tidy.) This includes the basic cleaning necessary to the co-op’s operation, including cleaning bathrooms, taking out trash, recycling cardboard, doing laundry, doing dishes, etc. 

• Drives a company vehicle to pick-up donations from local stores, restaurants, the food bank, and other locations, along with loading the donations on location 

• Stores new donations and current stock in their proper location, in an organized fashion, on the shelves in dry storage, our reach-in coolers, the walk-in freezers, etc. 

• Delivers products to the kitchen or the front desk as needed, while working with appropriate staff members to store them in their proper place. 

• Assists with keeping track of inventory to determine both immediate and future needs. 

• Maintains a safe and healthy work environment. Ensures that all normal waste and potentially hazardous materials are disposed of properly. 

• Represents Home Sweet Home Ministries in a positive light with all donors, recipients, clients, volunteers, and the general public. 

Qualifications: 

• Mission-oriented with values in harmony with those of Home Sweet Home Ministries. 

• Valid Illinois driver’s license.  Able to drive independently, load, and unload supplies of up to 75 pounds from service vehicles.  

• Ability to send/receive emails and basic data entry.

• Excellent organizational skills. 

• Excellent public relations skills. 

• High school education or equivalent. 

• Ability to work cooperatively with others. 

Physical Demands: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.  The employee is frequently required to sit, stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, or crouch.  The employee must lift and/or move up to 75 pounds frequently in the course of a workday.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. 

Salary : $17