SNAP Outreach VISTA Associate

Positions Available

The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), in partnership with Hunger Free America, has openings for an anti-hunger VISTA Associate in its state-based initiative headquartered in the District of Columbia to help build capacity for the federal nutrition programs in that state.  This position is a yearlong AmeriCorps/VISTA placement with FRAC’s D.C. programs.  This position will require some in-person meetings and work.   Applicants should reside in DC, Maryland, or northern Virginia.

Organizational Background – The Food Research & Action Center

FRAC is the nation’s leading policy and advocacy organization dedicated to fighting hunger and injustice. FRAC works to improve and implement effective public policies and public-private partnerships to eradicate hunger and undernutrition in the United States. FRAC engages in research, policy analysis and advocacy, coalition-building, outreach, technical assistance and training, and an array of communications strategies. In partnership with hundreds of national, state, and local nonprofit organizations, public agencies, corporations, and labor organizations, FRAC addresses hunger and food insecurity, and poverty as their root cause.

Founded in 2002, D.C. Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC, seeks to end hunger in the nation’s capital. By leveraging substantial available federal dollars and improving D.C.’s operations of federal and local nutrition programs, D.C. Hunger Solutions’ work has helped to feed tens of thousands of District residents struggling with hunger and has increased access to healthy, affordable food. D.C. Hunger Solutions also leads or plays a key supporting role in the efforts of the various anti-hunger and anti-poverty coalitions throughout the city (e.g., the D.C. Fair Budget Coalition, D.C. Chapter Good Food Purchasing Program, Fair Food for All, D.C. Farmers’ Market Collaborative, the Language Access Coalition, and the Mayor’s Commission on Healthy Youth and Schools). For more information on D.C. Hunger

About the Anti-Hunger Corps

The Anti-Hunger Corps VISTA program aims to reduce hunger and poverty and build the capacity of the agencies that address these issues. Members will assist unemployed and under-employed people obtain job training, job placement, and financial literacy services; improve access to food from government and nonprofit sources for targeted populations in particular and food insecure people in general; enable residents of food deserts to access healthier foods through farmers markets and community gardens; help more low-income children to obtain free school breakfasts and summer meals; enable  nonprofit groups fighting hunger and poverty to raise more money and recruit and manage more volunteers, particularly high-impact and skilled volunteers.

Goals and responsibilities of the VISTA Associate include:

• Assist in the management of outreach for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Create or revise recruitment systems to organization/s needs to increase the number of community volunteers that will be recruited and managed.
• Assist in strengthening the capacity of SNAP by enhancing awareness and educating families through training and technical assistance.
• Develop and enhance collaborations between state agencies administering SNAP, community-based and other organizations and, if available, SNAP clients to identify barriers to food resource access in the community
• Assist with conducting training and developing target materials.
• Work with DHS to promote the SNAP Employment and Training program (E&T) to connect low-income households with services increasing their ability to obtain and retain employment.
• Assist in research projects documenting the use of federal nutrition programs. 
• Improve access to nutritious food by building capacity and promoting awareness of SNAP at farmers markets.
• Develop or enhance the capacity of SNAP-authorized farmer’s markets.

Skills and Qualifications

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in a field related to social justice/anti-hunger.
• Good oral and written communications skills. Ability to present and speak in public on behalf of the organization.
• Detail-oriented planning and implementation skills.
• Willingness to work varied hours.
• Good organizational skills.
• Self-starter; ability to work independently.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; team orientation.
• Evidence of commitment to social justice; experience with child nutrition programs a plus.
• Knowledge in federal nutrition program and hunger-related issues.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite products with ability to use Excel for data collection preferred.
• Conversant in Spanish, a plus.
• Ability to travel for local meetings and events when it is safe to do so.

Time Commitment

This is a one-year, full-time position beginning in August 12, 2024. You are expected to be available for the needs of your community and project at all times, including days, nights and weekends. Because AmeriCorps VISTA service requires a full immersion in the project and community, there are restrictions on outside full-time employment, along with some restrictions on political and religious activities.  For more information, please review the AmeriCorps VISTA Terms, Conditions and Benefits information available here

 Housing:

You are responsible for finding your own housing. 

Program Benefits

• Bi-weekly living stipend (DC - $791.70).

• Segal Education Award or End-of-Service stipend.
• Health benefits.
• Housing assistance for one-month rent.
• Potential to forbear or defer 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 VISTA members and alums.

To Apply

Submit a resume and cover letter along with 2 references.     

The position is available immediately. It will close when filled. However, FRAC seeks to hire a qualified individual as soon as possible.  

FRAC is especially interested in candidates with lived expertise with hunger or poverty who can contribute to the diversity of the organization.  

FRAC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. FRAC is firmly committed to a policy against discrimination based on age, gender, race, religious creed, sexual orientation, disability, or ethnic or national origin.