Community Garden Coordinator

AWOFINC - A Work of Faith Ministries, Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

AWOFINC - A Work of Faith Ministries, Inc. seeks a Community Garden Coordinator to facilitate garden groups, coordinate volunteer days and outreach, and provide on-site education for garden communities across Illinois.

The role reports to the Community Garden Program Manager and supports program initiatives. The coordinator must have significant community organizing experience, strong interpersonal skills, and a passion for gardening education and food justice, with the ability to guide projects

Qualifications

• Significant experience with community organizing and outreach.
• Engage with diverse demographics including youth, elders, immigrants, people of color.
• Excellent planning and organizational skills for events and volunteers.
• Minimum of 3 years' experience in food growing.
• Ability to teach gardening concepts to learners of various ages.
• Some experience in carpentry and/or landscaping.
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather and perform manual labor.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate garden groups and volunteer days for community gardens.
• Provide on-site educational programming and technical assistance to garden communities.
• Facilitate meetings and coordinate community outreach for garden programs in Illinois.
• Support gardens participating in the Community Food Project and related programs.

Skills

Community organizing

Outreach experience

Interpersonal skills

Event planning

Volunteer management

Teaching gardening

Carpentry

Job description

The Community Garden Coordinator is responsible for facilitating garden groups in starting and maintaining community gardens. The Community Garden Coordinator will be able to draw from the wealth of experience and curricula. The Community Garden Coordinator will be under the supervision of the Community Garden Program Manager, who will provide guidance and support. The primary role of the Community Garden Coordinator will be to support the gardens that are participating in the Community Food Project and community garden programs in Illinois by coordinating community outreach and garden volunteer days, facilitating meetings, and providing on-site educational programming and technical assistance to the garden community. The position requires strong interpersonal skills, community organizing experience and a passion for gardening education and food justice. The Community Garden Coordinator will also be responsible for implementing some of the projects accepted to the Funding Resource Consultant, and funding sources that provide support to established community gardens throughout the State.

Significant experience with community organizing and community outreach required

• Demonstrated ability to engage with individuals of many demographics and histories i.e. youth, elders, immigrants, economically diverse, people of color
• Excellent planning and organizational skills, including the ability to plan events and organize volunteers
• Ability to manage several task lists at once and adapt to changing conditions (weather, volunteer cancellations)
• A minimum of 3 years' experience in food growing
• Ability to teach gardening concepts to a variety of learners
• Some experience in carpentry and/or landscaping
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather (heat, humidity, rain and cold) and do manual labor