UMBC Retriever Essentials Team is looking for a new CCMA AmeriCorps VISTA for 2019-2020!
Retriever Essentials is a faculty, staff, and student partnership
tackling food insecurity in the UMBC community. The program offers three
ways for students to receive access to healthy foods and other
essential supplies, free of charge: Food Zones, Save a Swipe, and
Community Partnerships. Food Zones are six designated locations on
campus where students can anonymously pick up a pre-packed bag of
non-perishable groceries and toiletries. The intake process is
anonymous, but a short demographic based intake survey is required--no
financial evidence of need is required. Additionally, there are 3
locations on campus with donation bins--Retriever Essentials is a fully
donation-supported food pantry-- where the campus community routinely
provides non-perishable groceries for programming. The Save a Swipe
program provides free meals to the campus dining hall. Students with
meal plans can sign up to donate either 5 or 10 meals to the Save a
Swipe “pool.” These meals then become available for use by students who
are identified as food insecure by trained Retriever Essentials team
members and campus staff, so they can eat on campus for free. Community
partnerships act as the final pillar to Retriever Essentials. Retriever
Essentials is aware that food insecurity is often the tip of the iceberg
in a student’s financial struggle and can be the first of many barriers
to academic success. To provide support for “higher needs services,”
the UMBC Clinical Social Worker will refer students who are utilizing
Retriever Essentials to other campus and/or community resources. All
three aspects of Retriever Essentials programming provide a pathway to
academic success for the most at-risk UMBC students.
Member Duties : The second year CCMA AmeriCorps VISTA will implement the current working operation manual to continue streamlining all Retriever Essentials programming, while updating it to ensure needs are met in the most efficient way possible. They will oversee volunteer recruitment and coordination for daily operations of the food pantry, which include: donation collection, inventory, bag packing, and bag delivery. The CCMA AmeriCorps VISTA will also be tasked with developing a fundraising plan in order to raise money to support Retriever Essentials’ proposal for a permanent pantry space on campus. They will also work to develop collaborative partnerships with departments and student groups, as well as the Retrievers Action Committee, on and off campus to provide programming and events around food justice, healthy eating on a budget, and much more. Additionally, the CCMA AmeriCorps VISTA will create and implement a student-board to help institutionalize Retriever Essentials. |
Program Benefits : Training , Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend , Living Allowance , Childcare assistance if eligible , Health Coverage* , Gym Membership , Relocation Allowance |