Americorps*VISTA, Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger

Posted by on February 28, 2004

Unique Philadelphia non-profit offers opportunity to work at the grassroots level to address system-wide hunger issues.

Agency Description: The Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger?s mission is to fight hunger through education, outreach, and advocacy. We support and empower largely urban emergency food programs while advocating for policies that would help to eliminate hunger altogether.

The Coalition is involved in a Food Stamp Enrollment Campaign, a USDA funded campaign that trains volunteers to help low-income clients determine their food stamp eligibility and assist them in the application process. We also sponsor annual events, such as the World Food Day celebration in October and the Walk Against Hunger in April, a public awareness and grassroots empowerment event that draws over 3,000 participants. Every month, we hold a First Tuesday roundtable open to all emergency feeding programs to facilitate skill-development and resource-sharing.

These programs and much more are cranked out of a small close-knit office convenient to public transportation. VISTA volunteers will be involved in all programs with many opportunities for new projects, creativity, and skill-development. Experience with anti-hunger work is not as necessary as a self-starting attitude and the willingness to dive in.

Job Description: Two positions are available with funding through the Americorps VISTA program: PR Associate and Food Stamp Advocate. The PR Associate will work closely with low-income community groups and charitable feeding programs and will be involved in event-planning and public relations. He/she will engage feeding programs by helping to run First Tuesday as well as organize/expand World Food Day and the Walk Against Hunger. He/she will spearhead an initiative to network feeding programs in order to streamline their food assistance. In so doing, the VISTA will help empower each feeding program and enable it to increase its capacity.

The Food Stamp Advocate will assist with ongoing work in the Food Stamp Enrollment Campaign. He/she will have the opportunity to learn food stamp rules and procedures, with the goal of supervising and assisting student volunteers in client advocacy. This VISTA will work with Coalition volunteers and staff to improve the quality of experience that food stamp clients have at local County Assistance Offices. In both positions, the VISTA will have the valuable opportunity to meet local community members, understand the reality of hunger on the ground, and implement their own ideas to affect change.

Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger
2901 W. Hunting Park Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19129
<a href="http://www.hungercoalition.org">http://www.hungercoalition.org</a>; <a href="http://www.hungerwalk.org">http://www.hungerwalk.org</a>
Contact: Karen Wilson, Director
Phone: 215-430-0555
Email: kwilson@hungercoalition.org