Open AmeriCorps Positions

2023 – 2024 Public Health AmeriCorps Positions

  • For more information about how to use AmeriCorps as an internship or the potential for flexibility in start/end date, please contact Haley Desilet at hdesilet@rhnscny.org. For general information about the program, please visit our Public Health AmeriCorps page.

All AmeriCorps positions require:

US Citizenship or Permanent Residency
A full COVID vaccination (original shots and at least one booster)
A high school diploma or GED

  • All members will:

Participate in Cornell’s Public Health Essentials Training (60-80 hours) and receive a certificate from Cornell University
Serve for 10-12 months (or have increased hours in a shorter time period)
Receive College Loan Forbearance (if desired)
Gain a Living Allowance and Education Award according to the following chart:

Term of Service

Average hours/week 

FTE (Full Time Equivalent) Living Allowance Stipend Education Award Total Compensation
1200 hours 40 0.7 $15,000 $4,826.50 $19,826.50
900 hours 30 0.5 $11,000 $3,447.50 $14,447.50
675 hours 25 0.38 $8,250 $2,626.27 $10,876.27

 

Available Positions

(listed by county)

Allegany County

Early Childhood Development Assistant (Wellsville, NY)

Two positions available

March – November 2024, 900 hours (25-35 hours/week)

May – August 2024, 675 hours (40 hours/week)

Primarily M-F 8:00-5:00 with 1 hour lunch or 8:30-5:00 with 30-minute lunch

Under the direct supervision of the Early Childhood Development Coordinator, the PHA Early Childhood Development Assistant will play a key role in advancing early learning and family development ensuring Allegany County children birth-age 5 and their families thrive. This position will support day-to-day operations of the First Step Family Resource Center helping to create a trauma-informed, safe, and enriching environment for children and families. The position will assist with marketing, scheduling, clerical functions, and interact with families acting as a role model and mentor. The position will also assess families for social determinants of health that can impact early learning resulting in closed-loop referrals to existing partners.

Requirements:Bachelor’s degree in human services, sociology, social work, early learning, education, psychology, communications, human development, or related field; OR an Associate’s degree with a minimum of one years experience (including experience in the field of child services and/or family development).

Applicants must have a valid Driver’s License, a clean driving record, proof of valid car insurance, and a full COVID vaccination.

Broome County

Youth Education Specialist (Johnson City, NY)

Two positions available

March – November 2024, 1200 hours (0.7 FTE/40 hours/week)

Mothers & Babies Perinatal Network’s Youth Services department is seeking two talented and inspiring individuals to join our team as Youth Education Specialists. Under the direction of the Youth Services Director, the YE Specialists will be involved with all aspects of the Youth Services department and will work alongside the educators to facilitate programs, create and/or edit program content, promote program information, and analyze data. Youth Services primarily works with middle and high school students in classroom settings, parents and caregivers, and local school districts to promote comprehensive sexuality education and life skills with the goal of providing young people with the information they need to protect their health and future.

Applicants must have a valid Driver’s License, a personal vehicle, and a full COVID vaccination.

Mobile Grocery Bus Assistant (Binghamton, NY)

One position available

March – November 2024, 900 hours (0.5 FTE/30 hours/week)

The Greater Good Grocery Bus is a mobile market that sells fresh, healthy, and affordable food in different communities across Broome County. The Public Health AmeriCorps Greater Good Grocery Bus Assistant is responsible for ensuring safe, timely, and efficient operations at each site as assigned by their daily route and schedule. Daily responsibilities include loading/unloading, restocking the bus, driving the van used for excess stock, providing exemplary customer service, handling money and other transactions with the point-of-sale system, and data collection. 

Program goals:

  • Educate SNAP customers about the programs available to increase their access to affordable healthy foods.
  • Provide local program information on how to access food or other services to customers who are struggling with food insecurity. 
  • Stock the Greater Good Grocery Bus at the beginning and end of each shift.

Applicants must have a valid Driver’s License, a full COVID vaccination, and the ability to lift 50 pounds and stand for extended periods of time.

Food Systems Member (Binghamton, NY)

Two positions available

March – November 2024, 900 hours (0.5 FTE/25-30 hours/week) 

The position of the Public Health AmeriCorps Food Systems Member will work closely with staff of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County, Community Nutrition, and Ag Development team to address public health and food related issues such as food insecurity, nutrition education, and other community needs. Please note: this position will involve service on the weekends, specifically on Saturdays. 

Program goals:

  • Educate the community on existing programs to ensure access to healthy foods through the SNAP program and other nutrition incentives at the farmers markets located in Broome County.
  • Engage the community to support and use existing programming.
  • Assist in the creation and implementation of innovative programming.
  • Provide support in marketing and outreach materials for food systems related projects.
  • Work alongside community partners and organizations on various food systems related projects.

Applicants must have a valid Driver’s License, a reliable personal vehicle, and a full COVID vaccination.

Environmental Health Public Health AmeriCorps Member (Binghamton, NY)

One position available

March 2024 – September 2024, 900 hours (0.5 FTE)
40 hours/week 

The Environmental Health Public Health AmeriCorps member will serve as a member of the Community Health team. They will assist to lead an environmental health education initiative focused on educating and engaging the community on extreme weather preparedness, resiliency, and response. 

1. Community Health Education:
  • Develop curricula for community members and community-based organizations on health impacts of extreme weather events.
  • Recruit and co-facilitate focus groups for a total of at least 20 people with lived experience, including community members and professionals, to review and provide input on the curricula
  • Finalize and co-deliver the curricula to at least 50 people within the target population.
2. Community Engagement:
  • Design, collect, and maintain data from pre- and post- surveys to determine the effectiveness of participation
  • Work with area vendors and retailers to secure relevant incentives for participants and members of focus groups
3. Capacity Building:
  • Assist Health Educators with designing relevant marketing and curricula materials
  • Utilize social media communications to highlight the connection between the natural world and health.

Applicants must have a valid Driver’s License, a reliable personal vehicle, and a full COVID vaccination.

Transportation and Food Access Member (Binghamton, NY)

Two positions available

March – November 2024, 900 hours (0.5 FTE/25-30 hours/week)

With your home base at Rural Health Network in Binghamton, your service will support access to food for our community members experiencing food insecurity. Rural Health Network will partner with staff and volunteers at local food pantries to schedule food deliveries with our Getthere van. You will pick up up and deliver within Broome County. The position may at times address additional social determinants of health for this population.

Program goals:

  • Provide outstanding customer service and support to people by using Getthere’s Ford Transit passenger van to drive service recipients to locations possibly including: work, medical appointments, pharmacies, grocery stores, and other community destinations.
  • Load and deliver groceries/food boxes, medical supplies, and other items as needed.
  • Getthere/RHN is located in Binghamton, but service will require driving to rural communities throughout the area.

Applicants must have a valid Driver’s License, a reliable personal vehicle, and a full COVID vaccination.

Urban Farm Assistant (Binghamton, NY)

March 2023 – November 2024, 675 hours total
12-15 hours/week during school term, 30-35 hours/week during summer (6/9/24 – 8/31/24)

The Rural Health Service Corps (RHSC) Urban Farm Assistant will help the Urban Farm Manager to implement a successful growing season. This includes all aspects of agricultural production and the supervision of volunteers and youth employees in this endeavor. The member’s service will be key to advancing the goals of both VINES and the Rural Health Service Corps program of combating food insecurity by increasing convenient access to healthy foods, and educating program participants on the production of fresh foods. The Urban Farm and Youth Program Assistant will help with day-to-day farm tasks, and also help to increase the growing area under production at the Binghamton Urban Farm, developing new systems for efficiency of production, data management, volunteer tracking and retention, and attend farmer’s markets. 

Position Details: 

  1. Helping with all aspects of plant care, including seed starting, transplanting, watering, weeding, and harvest.
  2. Helping with other farm maintenance tasks including but not limited to, mowing, weed trimming, managing compost, setting up irrigation, mulching, and pruning.
  3. Helping the Farm Manager coordinate volunteer events and workdays including leading small groups of volunteers in farm tasks and leading tours of the Urban Farm.
  4. Helping the Farm Manager in managing, collecting, and inputting harvest, growing, and volunteer data.
  5. The Assistant will aid the Farm Manager in writing the weekly CSA newsletter, including taking photos and conducting youth and volunteer interviews.
  6. Helping with distribution of produce at farm stands and farmer’s markets.
  7. Assist the CGYPM and UFM with supervising youth employees participating in VINES’ Grow Binghamton summer youth employment program and developing educational lessons to teach youth about food production, nutrition, cooking, food insecurity, local food initiatives and the need for fresh, affordable food;
  8. Document, report on and evaluate programs/progress;
  9. Assist in resource development to support VINES activities to the extent permitted (10% of total time in service, no work on federal funding applications, etc. by the AmeriCorps National Service Program and with the specific guidance of the Rural Health Network).

Applicants must have a valid driver’s license and full COVID vaccination.

Community Garden Assistant (Binghamton, NY)

March 2023 – November 2024, 675 hours total
12-15 hours/week during school term, 30-35 hours/week during summer (6/9/24 – 8/31/24)

The Rural Health Service Corps (RHSC) Community Garden Assistant will assist with the development, maintenance, and expansion of community garden operations, which will include the initiation of the community composting program and systematic soil testing. Furthermore, they will help implement Green Thumb Educational Workshops. The member’s service will be key to advancing the goals of both VINES and the Rural Health Service Corps program of combating food insecurity by educating program participants on how to plant, care for, and harvest fresh fruits and vegetables in VINES’ network of approximately 20+ community gardens. The Community Garden Assistant will help build relationships with community gardeners and site coordinators to ensure that community members are receiving the information and materials they need to grow their own food and make changes in their health. 

Position Details: 

  1. Assist with logistics and distribution of supplies, tools and materials to and from VINES’ 20+ community garden sites.
  2. Assist with managing volunteers through garden improvement projects and maintenance on volunteer days.
  3. Assist with data collection and entry regarding community garden needs and impacts.
  4. Conduct outreach including but not limited to tabling, distributing flyers, and door to door outreach to engage community members in all of VINES’ programs;
  5. Engage and educate volunteers and supervise volunteer work with Farm Share, Green Thumb Workshops, Soil Testing, the Community Meal and other areas as needed;
  6. Assist in the coordination of Green Thumb workshop series which provides educational events for the public on the topics such as raised bed gardening, home composting, food preservation, and healthy cooking. This may include but isn’t limited to, identifying and communicating with instructors, being VINES’ representative at workshops, attending and assisting with instruction of workshops.
  7. Assist the Community Garden Manager with creating educational materials for community garden members;
  8. Assist in the collection of soil samples for both Community Gardens and Build-A-Garden (residential) program.
  9. Occasionally drive van for distribution of Farm Share vegetable boxes.
  10. Assist with running community meal on the 5th Tuesdays of the month (~3 times per year) at the United Presbyterian Church;
  11. Document, report on and evaluate programs/progress;
  12. Assist in resource development to support VINES activities to the extent permitted (10% of total time in service, no work on federal funding applications, etc. by the AmeriCorps National Service Program and with the specific guidance of the Rural Health Network).

Applicants must have a valid driver’s license and full COVID vaccination.

Farm Share Program Assistant (Binghamton, NY)

March 2023 – November 2024, 675 hours total
12-15 hours/week during school term, 30-35 hours/week during summer (6/9/24 – 8/31/24)

The Rural Health Service Corps (RHSC) Farm Share Program Assistant will assist the Farm Share Program Manager with the implementation of the Farm Share Program. This includes coordinating drop-off and pick-up times for shares from local farmers, distribution of shares to residents, and coordination of nutrition and cooking demonstrations at distribution sites. The Farm Share Program Assistant will also focus on the development and expansion of new and existing educational materials and work directly with members to understand how to identify, store, and prepare produce. The Farm Share Program Assistant will increase the number of individuals receiving support, services, education, and/or referrals to alleviate long-term hunger. The Farm Share Program Assistant will also focus on volunteer recruitment and retention. 

Position Details: 

  1. Assist with planning and implementation for VINES Farm Share Program;
  2. Input data into Farm Share Database on customer payments and other information from weekly pickups;
  3. Utilize Farm Share Database to create reports and extract other data;
  4. Create educational materials including recipes and cooking and storage guides for VINES Farm Share members to further understand how to utilize their shares;
  5. Create weekly recipe samples, demonstrations and/or tastings for the VINES Farm Share members;
  6. Organize educational events for the public on topics such food storage, preservation, and healthful cooking;
  7. Ensure adequate membership in the program by conducting outreach efforts in target communities;
  8. Engage and educate volunteers and supervise volunteer work with the VINES Farm Share Program;
  9. Increase volunteer recruitment and retention;
  10. Actively promote the VINES Farm Share Program through the development of written and electronic products, brochures, press releases, reports, etc.
  11. Document, report on and evaluate programs/progress;
  12. Assist in resource development to support VINES activities to the extent permitted (10% of total time in service, no work on federal funding applications, etc. by the AmeriCorps National Service Program and with the specific guidance of the Rural Health Network).

Applicants must have a valid driver’s license and full COVID vaccination.

Chemung County

Health & Nutrition Programs Assistant (Elmira, NY)

Two positions available 

March – November 2024, 900 hours (0.5 FTE/30 hours/week)

The Health & Nutrition Programs Assistant will work on initiatives aimed at supporting the wellbeing of our local community. This position will be largely focused on supporting Kitchen Stork and Health Meets Home (food delivery programs for pregnant mothers and prediabetic patients, respectively), in addition to working on nutrition education initiatives, and supporting the Food Bank of the Southern Tier‘s partners in the healthcare field. This position is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys working directly with community members, who is knowledgeable and passionate about nutrition and health, and who is interested in innovative new partnerships and strategies for addressing food and nutrition insecurity.

Applicants must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Personal vehicle OR other means of transportation to the Food Bank required.

Position Details:

Kitchen Stork and Health Meets Home Participant Support

    • Assist Kitchen Stork and Health Meets Home participants with their weekly orders (I.e., provide tech support, update customer profiles, assist with order placements, answer questions about products, assist participants needing language services)
    • Communicate important program information and updates with Kitchen Stork and Health Meets Home participants through texts, calls, website updates, and paper fliers
    • Follow up on new participant self-referrals for Kitchen Stork and Health Meets Home
    • Assist with preparation, packing, delivery, and pick up of Kitchen Stork and Health Meets Home food orders  
    • Assist with offboarding and provide post-program resources for Kitchen Stork and Health Meets Home participants

Nutrition & Cooking Education

    • Develop cooking and nutrition resources including recipes, nutrition handouts, videos, and other health-related resources for Kitchen Stork, Health Meets Home, healthcare partners, and other Food Bank programs
    • Conduct and/or assist with nutrition trainings, workshops, and recipe demonstrations in the community
    • Accompany medical students and community health workers on participant home visits to provide nutrition education and cooking support if requested by participant

Healthcare Partnership Connections:

    • Support hospitals and clinics in establishing strong screening and referral systems for patients experiencing food insecurity
    • Educate patients on Food Bank network services and supports by tabling at clinics and hospitals

Cortland County

PROJECT ASSISTANT WITH SEVEN VALLEYS HEALTH COALITION (CORTLAND, NY)

One position available 

March – November 2024, 900 hours (0.5 FTE/25-30 hours/week) or 1200 hours (0.7 FTE/ 35-40 hours/week)

The Seven Valleys Health Coalition (SVHC) PHA Project Assistant will provide support to SVHC on both their food systems and community health education efforts focused on addressing Cortland County’s priority areas of preventing chronic disease; promoting well-being and preventing mental and substance use disorders; and preventing communicable diseases. The strongest focus will be on food systems work including but not limited to: participation in the Cortland Food Project (CFP) food policy council and subcommittees; supporting efforts towards addressing hunger and healthy, local foods access such as the Seven Valleys Food Rescue and Produce Prescription programs; collecting narratives for a food insecurity storytelling program overseen by the CFP Hunger Coalition; and other health education initiatives. The PHA Project Assistant will provide additional support to SVHC’s efforts to address social determinants of health in Cortland County including grant writing, project research and volunteer recruitment as required. The member will serve for approximately 30-35 hours/week in a hybrid work environment including remote and in-person at the Seven Valleys Health Coalition office in Cortland.

Applicants must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Outreach Specialist WITH CACTC (CORTLAND, NY)

One position available 

March – November 2024, 900 hours (0.5 FTE/ 30 hours/week) 

This Public Health AmeriCorps member (PHA) will be working to support the work of CACTC, a regional public health agency based in Cortland County. The PHA will support outreach and engagement efforts tied to all projects across the agency including early childhood literacy, youth prevention, overdose prevention and work around other emerging issues. The PHA will support the roll out of the Life Needs Assessment, help manage and oversee communications work, carry out a wide range of outreach and educational activities and more!
  • Facilitate communications with partner organizations and to the community.
  • Develop, write, and format letters, articles, reports, presentations, newsletters, grants.
  • Assist with the development and implementation of public health strategies, including education and awareness campaigns. This will include the Healing Cortland and HEALing Communities Study communication campaigns and related communications/ marketing work.
  • Support the maintenance of the CACTC, Upstream Parent, Hello Cortland and Healing Cortland websites and help to manage social media accounts and other communication channels.
  • Support Life Needs Assessment (LNA) development and implementation.
  • Help organize community events and trainings, including naloxone trainings.
  • Assist with community education activities and programs, including the bi-annual Drug Take Back Events (September & April).
  • Support research and/or data related activities tied to health education.
  • Maintain and organize records of project activities.

Applicants must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Tioga County

Community Health Educator with Tioga County Public Health Department (Owego, NY)

March – November 2024, 900 hours (0.5 FTE/30 hours/week)

Work closely with health department staff to conduct outreach and education in the community about healthy eating, physical fitness, and sun safety. Outreach will be either in-person or via the creation and distribution of materials through social, print, and paid media. Collaborate with community organizations and businesses on the creation and implementation of policies that support healthy behaviors. Assist community organizations and businesses in the assessment and identification of strengths and weaknesses, with the intent to create action plans that will improve the community’s health.

Applicants must be fully vaccination for COVID-19

Environmental Health Educator with Tioga County Public Health Department (Owego, NY)

March – November 2024, 900 hours (0.5 FTE/30 hours/week)

Work closely with health department staff to conduct outreach and education about safe drinking water, healthy homes, and other environments. Outreach will be either in-person or via the creation and distribution of materials through social, print, and paid media. Coordinate with home and business owners on water testing and preventing the contamination of drinking water supplies. Conduct outreach and direct services with residents about home health assessments and the identification of hazards and threats. Provide community education and outreach related to preventing accidental poisonings in young children due to access to chemicals/toxic substances and medications.

Applicants must be fully vaccination for COVID-19

Application

Successful applicants (minimum age 18) will demonstrate the following proficiencies and values:

  • An interest in, and commitment to, health and/or rural communities and people
  • Evidence of current and/or past volunteer service activities
  • Communication skills, including writing and verbal communication with clarity and accuracy
  • Self direction: Members must be self-directed and show evidence of their ability to work independently and efficiently
  • Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents, clear a National Service Criminal History Check, and have their high school diploma or GED