Community Outreach Associate | Berkeley Food Network

The Community Outreach Associate supports Berkeley Food Network’s Home Delivery Program to deliver food directly to the community, as well as supporting outreach efforts for the CalFresh Partnerships Program. This role will additionally support the 9th Street Pantry on occasion and will regularly collaborate with staff in different departments. This role includes building relationships with community partners, volunteers, and community members accessing our services and is an integral role in expanding and building the community interactions element of BFN’s direct distribution programs. This position reports to the Senior Program Manager.

Hours: Full-time 37.5 hours/week. Non-exempt, hourly.
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm.
Location: Onsite at our West Berkeley warehouse.
Compensation: starting at $25.00/hour

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Outreach Support 40% - Support CalFresh Partnerships Program - Engage in training related to CalFresh enrollment & outreach - Attend necessary trainings, conduct pre-screening interviews, support community members with CalFresh applications - Provide direct outreach to community members to support with CalFresh pre-screening processes - Track outreach efforts and support preparing data reports on CalFresh program performance with Programs Team - Support outreach tabling efforts at BFN’s 9th Street Pantry & Mobile Pantries - Create & distribute quarterly community newsletters with updates regarding changes in program service, closures, and other information - Gather feedback and suggestions from community members receiving food from Berkeley Food Network - Conduct interviews and surveys with pantry members and Home Delivery recipients to understand how we can improve our services Direct Distribution Program Support 40% Home Delivery - Support with home delivery member onboarding - Support Home Delivery volunteers with box packing, organization, route assignments and delivery instructions - Ensure all grocery boxes are picked up by Home Delivery driving volunteers from BFN and other partner organizations. - Deliver Home Delivery boxes to community members throughout Berkeley using BFN’s delivery van, as needed - Greet and provide positive customer service to volunteers and home delivery members. 9th Street Pantry & Mobile Pantries - Support closing the 9th Street Pantry on Tuesdays and/Thursdays, as needed and scheduled - Attend Mobile Pantries to provide outreach support facilitate the smooth operation of the pantry - Become familiar with the Client Voice software system to check folks in at BFN pantries and enter data as new folks register for services at Berkeley Food Network *Organizational Support 20%* - Lead by example: demonstrate to existing volunteers and train new volunteers on best practices for home delivery packing, delivery, and customer service. - Solicit and report volunteer feedback and answer volunteer questions. - Maintain best practices for food handling by storing items in appropriate locations and at appropriate temperatures to prevent spoilage, infestation, and cross-contamination. - Maintain safe and clean facilities and work environment by keeping warehouse and workstations neat; participate in daily cleaning processes. - Support Program Coordinators with additional program support as needed. - Attend and support Program Team meetings, Staff Meetings, and other gatherings. - Support other tasks as needed by organization

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Outreach Support 40%
- Support CalFresh Partnerships Program
- Engage in training related to CalFresh enrollment & outreach
- Attend necessary trainings, conduct pre-screening interviews, support community members with CalFresh applications
- Provide direct outreach to community members to support with CalFresh pre-screening processes
- Track outreach efforts and support preparing data reports on CalFresh program performance with Programs Team
- Support outreach tabling efforts at BFN’s 9th Street Pantry & Mobile Pantries
- Create & distribute quarterly community newsletters with updates regarding changes in program service, closures, and other information
- Gather feedback and suggestions from community members receiving food from Berkeley Food Network
- Conduct interviews and surveys with pantry members and Home Delivery recipients to understand how we can improve our services

Direct Distribution Program Support 40%
Home Delivery
- Support with home delivery member onboarding
- Support Home Delivery volunteers with box packing, organization, route assignments and delivery instructions
- Ensure all grocery boxes are picked up by Home Delivery driving volunteers from BFN and other partner organizations.
- Deliver Home Delivery boxes to community members throughout Berkeley using BFN’s delivery van, as needed
- Greet and provide positive customer service to volunteers and home delivery members.

9th Street Pantry & Mobile Pantries
- Support closing the 9th Street Pantry on Tuesdays and/Thursdays, as needed and scheduled
- Attend Mobile Pantries to provide outreach support facilitate the smooth operation of the pantry
- Become familiar with the Client Voice software system to check folks in at BFN pantries and enter data as new folks register for services at Berkeley Food Network

Organizational Support 20%
- Lead by example: demonstrate to existing volunteers and train new volunteers on best practices for home delivery packing, delivery, and customer service.
- Solicit and report volunteer feedback and answer volunteer questions.
- Maintain best practices for food handling by storing items in appropriate locations and at appropriate temperatures to prevent spoilage, infestation, and cross-contamination.
- Maintain safe and clean facilities and work environment by keeping warehouse and workstations neat; participate in daily cleaning processes.
- Support Program Coordinators with additional program support as needed.
- Attend and support Program Team meetings, Staff Meetings, and other gatherings.
- Support other tasks as needed by organization

Skills, Knowledge, & Abilities.
*Required Qualifications* -Minimum of 1 years of work experience in providing excellent customer service to marginalized, low-income communities and/or successful community engagement with community-based organizations serving low-income communities - Strong organizational and project management skills with exceptional attention to detail - Ability to prioritize and handle multiple assignments in a fast-paced environment - Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Comfortable with presentations and public speaking - Intermediate to advanced proficiency with MS Office or Google Workspace Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) - Valid California driver’s license with insurable driving record. Vehicle ownership not required. - Ability to solve problems in an ever-changing environment; high degree of flexibility and adaptability. - Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with team members. - High level of personal responsibility and accountability to assigned tasks - Cordial and helpful communication style with staff, volunteers, clients, and partners - Enthusiastically and confidently able to interact effectively, politely, and productively with all types of people from all types of backgrounds and experience and in all types of situations. - Comfortable working with non-English speaking and culturally diverse community members. - Collaborative problem-solver who is able to resolve issues and situations within the scope of their duties while understanding when to appropriately escalate situations to management team members - Strong work ethic with an orientation toward constant innovation and process improvement. - Strong team player with the ability to balance operational and organizational needs *Preferred Qualifications* -Multilingual in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, or Nepali language(s) - Experience in client-facing social services nonprofit organization. Food Banking experience is a strong plus. - Experience with smartsheets and project planning tools, such as Airtable or Asana - Strong, in-depth knowledge of northern Alameda County, including Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville, and Oakland - Experience as a delivery driver or supporting route planning logistics - Experience or understanding of CalFresh program

Skills, Knowledge, & Abilities.

Required Qualifications
-Minimum of 1 years of work experience in providing excellent customer service to marginalized, low-income communities and/or successful community engagement with community-based organizations serving low-income communities
- Strong organizational and project management skills with exceptional attention to detail
- Ability to prioritize and handle multiple assignments in a fast-paced environment
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Comfortable with presentations and public speaking
- Intermediate to advanced proficiency with MS Office or Google Workspace Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Valid California driver’s license with insurable driving record. Vehicle ownership not required.
- Ability to solve problems in an ever-changing environment; high degree of flexibility and adaptability.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with team members.
- High level of personal responsibility and accountability to assigned tasks
- Cordial and helpful communication style with staff, volunteers, clients, and partners
- Enthusiastically and confidently able to interact effectively, politely, and productively with all types of people from all types of backgrounds and experience and in all types of situations.
- Comfortable working with non-English speaking and culturally diverse community members.
- Collaborative problem-solver who is able to resolve issues and situations within the scope of their duties while understanding when to appropriately escalate situations to management team members
- Strong work ethic with an orientation toward constant innovation and process improvement.
- Strong team player with the ability to balance operational and organizational needs

Preferred Qualifications
-Multilingual in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, or Nepali language(s)
- Experience in client-facing social services nonprofit organization. Food Banking experience is a strong plus.
- Experience with smartsheets and project planning tools, such as Airtable or Asana
- Strong, in-depth knowledge of northern Alameda County, including Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville, and Oakland
- Experience as a delivery driver or supporting route planning logistics
- Experience or understanding of CalFresh program

Physical Requirements
This position is primarily located at our West Berkeley offices. Candidate must be able to perform the following duties with or without accommodation: - Participate or assist in physical tasks and activities which include but are not limited to bending, reaching, lifting, pushing, pulling, kneeling, squatting, stooping, and reaching above shoulder height to move product and equipment up to 65 lbs. - Mobility to respond to moving vehicles, equipment, and loud noises/sounds typical in a warehouse setting - Work in a warehouse environment with temperatures ranging from minus 2 degrees to above 90 degrees. - Traverse the warehouse floor frequently throughout the day to execute duties - Stand/sit for duration of scheduled shift - Operate computer equipment - Respond quickly to sounds and situations - Communicate in clear, loud voice - Operate two-way radio for communications - Work in outdoor, seasonal weather conditions for part of shift - Proven track record of punctuality and attendance

Physical Requirements

This position is primarily located at our West Berkeley offices. Candidate must be able to perform the following duties with or without accommodation:

- Participate or assist in physical tasks and activities which include but are not limited to bending, reaching, lifting, pushing, pulling, kneeling, squatting, stooping, and reaching above shoulder height to move product and equipment up to 65 lbs.
- Mobility to respond to moving vehicles, equipment, and loud noises/sounds typical in a warehouse setting
- Work in a warehouse environment with temperatures ranging from minus 2 degrees to above 90 degrees.
- Traverse the warehouse floor frequently throughout the day to execute duties
- Stand/sit for duration of scheduled shift
- Operate computer equipment
- Respond quickly to sounds and situations
- Communicate in clear, loud voice
- Operate two-way radio for communications
- Work in outdoor, seasonal weather conditions for part of shift
- Proven track record of punctuality and attendance

Compensation & Benefits
The compensation for this position starts at $25 per hour. -Twenty-one (21) paid holidays, including annual closures the week of Fourth of July and between December 24 – January 1 -Accrued paid leaves including up to ten (10) vacation days and up to 80 paid sick leave hours in your first year, depending on the number of hours worked, and a paid day off for your birthday -403(b) Retirement Plan with up to 3% matching -Medical/Dental/Vision Coverage: BFN pays 100% of employee premiums for medical, dental and vision coverage on our Kaiser Gold base plan and optional buy-up to additional coverage. -Life, long-term disability, and employer assistance program (EAP) coverage at no cost. -Professional development opportunities

Compensation & Benefits

The compensation for this position starts at $25 per hour.

-Twenty-one (21) paid holidays, including annual closures the week of Fourth of July and between December 24 – January 1
-Accrued paid leaves including up to ten (10) vacation days and up to 80 paid sick leave hours in your first year, depending on the number of hours worked, and a paid day off for your birthday
-403(b) Retirement Plan with up to 3% matching
-Medical/Dental/Vision Coverage: BFN pays 100% of employee premiums for medical, dental and vision coverage on our Kaiser Gold base plan and optional buy-up to additional coverage.
-Life, long-term disability, and employer assistance program (EAP) coverage at no cost.
-Professional development opportunities

Application Process
Applications will be first reviewed on a rolling basis. Please submit your resume and cover letter using this link In your cover letter, please: - Introduce yourself and your relevant work experience. - Describe your experience or interest in food, food assistance, food justice, or nonprofits. - Share what makes you a good candidate for this role.