POSITION : Neighbor Services Outreach Intern

LOCATION: Brooklyn Park

SUPERVISED BY: Sr. Neighbor Services Intern Advisor
PAY: $18/hour

SCHEDULE: Part-time, 12-20 hours per week

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Second Harvest Heartland is a food bank that operates within 59 counties in central Minnesota, with offices located in Brooklyn Park. The Neighbor Services Department at the food bank employs 30 full-time staff members, and Outreach Interns that support the department in a variety of meaningful ways. Interns support families and individuals in our community experiencing food insecurity by providing information and assistance around available community food resources and the SNAP and CSFP federal nutrition programs. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) allows income-qualifying families to receive assistance in buying groceries each month in the form of an EBT card. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) provides income-qualifying seniors (ages 60+) a monthly box of shelf stable food items and a block of cheese.

Interns will interact directly with our neighbors at partner organizations (food shelves, produce distributions,) and community events. Additionally, interns conduct SNAP and CSFP outreach over the phone at our Brooklyn Park office. Interns also provide administrative support to the Neighbor Services department. In addition to attending community outreach events, referring participants to relevant food resources and programs, and assisting with office projects, the Neighbor Services Outreach Interns will receive direct supervision under the Sr. Neighbor Services Intern Advisor, and participate in meetings, professional development opportunities, and engage regularly with other interns and staff. By the end of the internship, the Neighbor Services Outreach Interns gain valuable experience in community outreach, public speaking, and interpersonal/intercultural communication, and increased knowledge of federal nutrition programs.

DUTIES:

• Become an advocate for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) and understand relevant qualifications.
• Conduct outreach at partner organizations and over the phone, which will include:
  1. Speaking with neighbors about SNAP, CSFP other relevant assistance programs at the county Human Services level.
  2. Providing information to individuals to increase their knowledge and future utilization of SNAP/CSFP and other resources in their community.
  3. Gathering relevant qualification information from interested clients for food assistance programs and referring them to Second Harvest Heartland’s SNAP Outreach Team for application assistance.
• Support administrative work, which will include:
  1. Researching, updating, and creating new community resource lists.
  2. Assisting with the departments’ large volume of incoming and outgoing mail to participants of the SNAP, CSFP, and FOODRx programs.
  3. Preparing materials for interns and staff to attend community outreach events.
• Make phone calls to community members interested in applying or learning more about SNAP/CSFP and helping screen their eligibility.
• Provide feedback to Second Harvest Heartland in regard to the needs of the community.
• Be a representative of Second Harvest Heartland in the community.
• Engage in opportunities for professional development.
• Complete other responsibilities as assigned by your supervisor.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Some education, or in pursuit of experience/education in a related field (social services, education, marketing, nutrition, public health, sociology, public policy etc.).
• Willingness to engage with culturally and financially diverse communities.
• Some customer service experience preferred.
• Interpersonal communication skills.
• Time-management and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and self-motivate.
• Access to a reliable form of transportation.
• Comfort using modern technology, including computers and Microsoft Office Suite programs.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Applicants who are bilingual are strongly encouraged to apply.
  1. Some languages in demand: Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Karen and Russian.

TIME REQUIREMENTS AND SCHEUDLE:

• Total time requirement: 6 months; 12-20 hours per week.
• Duration: Mid-September 2024 through mid-March 2025
• Orientation Day: Estimated start date is Monday, September 9th (subject to change)
• Days of the week: Flexible, generally Monday through Friday with the option for occasional weekend hours.
• Time of the day: Flexible, generally regular business hours 8:00am – 4:30pm
• Work sites: Second Harvest Heartland office site in Brooklyn Park, as well as various partner sites throughout the Twin Cities metro.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES:

• Making concrete, positive changes in the food security of households in Minnesota.
• Become a knowledgeable advocate for SNAP and CSFP and other social assistance programs such as WIC, Medical Assistance, etc.
• Increase personal comfort and confidence with direct service to diverse and low-income populations.
• Learn to work independently while serving an integral role within a broader collaborative team.
• Be introduced to the inner workings of a successful non-profit and develop a range of outreach skills.
• Gain exposure to a variety of program models by working closely with other non-profits and community organizations.
• Increase understanding of state and federal policies regarding federally funded programs.

Second Harvest Heartland is an EEO/AA Employer.