Good Food For All
Everyone should have access to healthy food, soil, and community.
We enact this vision by cultivating engaging gardens and programs that catalyze healthy eating, ecological stewardship, and community celebration. Fresh Roots stewards two ½ acre schoolyard market gardens on school grounds in the heart of East and South Vancouver. The food we grow is eaten in local school cafeterias, various Neighbourhood House food security initiatives, and by neighbours. Our fields are hands-on learning classrooms; engaging school communities and residents of Vancouver in addressing food security, community health, and vocational skills development.
The Position
The Good Food Distribution Coordinator (GFDC) ensures that the South and East Vancouver community has access to healthy, local, schoolyard grown produce. They will work closely with the Fresh Roots Farm Manager to ensure that produce is ready and available at our Good Food Markets, weekly Salad Boxes, cafeterias, food security programs, Food Bank programs, and charitable donations. Community clientele are primarily newcomers to Canada, youth, families, and elders.
Increase Community Food Literacy
Design and host twice-monthly food literacy demonstrations (preservation, cooking demonstration, sprouting, etc.) for youth at Good Food Markets.
Design and host twice-monthly ecological sustainability demonstrations (soil health, impact of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, etc.)
Collect regular feedback from youth participants and make workshop changes accordingly.
Coordinate Salad Box mailings, information, and delivery.
Ensure access to healthy, local, schoolyard grown produce
Prepare produce for distribution
Set-up/tear-down Good Food Distribution sites with information, program materials, etc.
Deliver food to clients.
Engage youth, parents, and elders at food distribution sites through food sharing, recipe sharing, and food literacy workshops.
Mentor youth volunteers at the distribution sites
Increase community awareness of Good Food Markets
Supervise the design of flyers and share with community.
Supervise translation volunteers to translate flyers into (Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, Punjabi, and/or Hindi)
Utilize social media to promote markets
Liaise with schools, neighbourhood houses, and program staff to increase awareness of Good Food Markets
Required Qualifications
This is a Canada Summer Jobs position, candidates must be between 15 – 30 years of age, be registered as a full time student in the previous academic year and intend to return to school on a full time basis in the next academic year. In addition, candidates must have/be:
Experience in retail and sales and/or experience working in food service (line cook, chef, purchasing)
Experience in program development and coordination
Physically fit to work outdoors in all conditions
Willing to learn and have a desire to gain hands-on experience
Able to communicate with diplomacy and respect with people of all cultures, ages, and backgrounds
Familiar with small-scale agricultural production
Able to pass a criminal background check and has a driver’s licence
Position Details
This position is contingent upon funding through Canada Summer Jobs.
Begins May 4th;
Ends August 28th
$12/hr – 32hrs / week
How to Apply
E-mail a short cover letter (500 words) and resume (in one document) to:
scott@freshroots.ca
with your name and the name of the job position in the subject.
Your cover letter should address the following:
Why you are interested in the position.
What experiences do you have that support your application (i.e. previous retail experience, experience working with chefs etc.)?
Why do you want this position at Fresh Roots?
What do you hope to gain from such an experience; how do you feel this experience would contribute to your overall learning and education?
What specific interests or areas you would like to learn more about?
Do you have a valid driver’s licence.
Applications must be received no later than April 22nd. Review of applications and interviews will begin immediately upon reception. We regret that due to the high volume of applicants only those selected for interviews will be contacted.