Open AmeriCorps Positions

Host Site: Mothers & Babies Perinatal Network

One position available

Flexible schedule: 1200 hours must be completed within one full year of service starting in Oct’24 or later.
(Ex/ October 2024 – August 2025, 1200 hours, 30 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.

This position requires a personal vehicle, driver’s license, and a four year college degree. 

PHA Position Details:

• Facilitate small group discussions in after-school or evening settings, or as part of in-school clubs and programs.
• Facilitate middle school classroom programs as needed with a focus on healthy relationships, nutrition, puberty and hygiene.
• Help to create and launch virtual parent education sessions.
• Work with the Youth Services team to update or create content and materials for presentations and social media.
• Assist with data collection and entry and some analysis.
• Attend community events, meetings, or webinars as needed.

Host Site: Food and Health Network of South Central New York

One position available

October 2024 – July 2025, 900 hours (24 hours/week)

Public Health AmeriCorps (PHA) Farm to School members are a part of the Food and Health Network’s regional Farm to School program that works collaboratively with 29 school districts in South Central New York. PHA Farm to School members will work as part of a team with the Farm to School Coordinator to develop, implement, grow, and evaluate programs to bring healthy, local food to students. Members will work with staff, students, parents, farms, and community partners to increase capacity for hands-on learning, local procurement, and creating a school-wide culture of health.

This position requires a personal vehicle. 

Program goals:

• Increase access to healthy, locally grown food through school meals including breakfast, lunch and snacks;
• Engage students in hands-on learning through growing, cooking, and tasting new foods in order to build their skills, food literacy, and healthy food preferences;
• Cultivate farm to school leadership among students, staff, and volunteers;
• Build capacity and sustainability through improved coordination, community outreach, parent involvement, and volunteer recruitment and management

The responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Develop and maintain relationships with Farm to School partners; including School Food Service, school staff, farmers, and community organizations; 
2. Create and deliver educational programs and special events including taste tests, after-school or summer clubs, community programs, and harvest celebrations;
3. Maintain a regular presence in school cafeterias to promote healthy options, local food, and NY Thursday menus;
4. Design outreach and publicity materials; 
5. Assist with promotion of local food, NY Thursday menus, and related farm to school content through social media, blog posts, newsletters, and video; 
6. Assist school staff, students, and volunteers with school garden maintenance and hands-on learning opportunities;
7. Support food access for students and families in the community through sharing resources, participating in community meetings, and assisting with food distribution as needed;
8. Attend regular trainings; 
9. Regularly record programming data for evaluation and reporting 
10. Serve as an independent member of the Farm to School team
11. Assist in resource development to support Farm to School 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).

Qualifications: 

• Experience gardening and/or farming, community organizing, studying food systems or sustainable agriculture, or working in public health
• Experience teaching or working with groups of kids (formal or non-formal) 
• Comfort working in a kitchen (home or commercial) desirable but not required 
• Commitment to public service
• Strong public speaking, writing, interpersonal, and organizational skills
• Connection to and/or knowledge of the community you want to serve
• Understanding of our mission and scope

Host Site: Truth Pharm

One position available

Flexible schedule: 900 hours must be completed within one full year of service starting in Oct’24 or later.
(Ex/ October 2024 – September 2025, 900 hours, 20 hours/week)

The Public Health AmeriCorps Community Health Specialist works on special projects that involve overdose reversal training, Narcan distribution, and navigation to services in the community and at the Truth Pharm office.

This position recommends a personal vehicle and a driver’s license. 

PHA Position Details:

• Perform outreach for Narcan distribution projects
• Provide outreach in communities via tabling events and other means to provide overdose
  reversal training and Narcan distribution
• Provide resource securing and navigation services to community members to assist them with
  needs such as basic needs, harm reduction strategies, treatment resources and overdose
  reversal education and supplies
• Assist with data collection and reporting
• Assist with assembling Narcan kits and works with community member volunteers to utilize
  their assistance for various overdose prevention strategies
• Provide community Narcan and other trainings pertaining to overdose prevention
• Orchestrate and manage materials related to tabling, outreach, training, overdose prevention
  and Narcan distribution
• Assist with social media campaigns related to overdose prevention
• Assist with projects and tasks related to overdose prevention
• Assist community members with connections to other area resources both for substance use
  and harm reduction services both in our office and in the community

Host Site: Greater Good Grocery (a program of Broome County Council of Churches)

Two positions available

Flexible schedule: 900 hours must be completed within one full year of service starting in Oct’24 or later.

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 Community Coordinator 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.

The Greater Good Grocery Bus travels to different market sites across Broome County to provide healthy food access to both urban as well as rural communities. The Greater Good Grocery Bus operates all-year-round in rain or shine conditions with safety precautions. A successful candidate will have a servant leadership mentality, be able to thrive in a fast-paced environment and help meet the customers’ needs.

This position requires a driver’s license and the ability to lift 25 lbs. 

PHA Position Details:

• Stock and price products on bus.
• Provide customer service: proces transactions, bag groceries, assistcustomer with bags.
• 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.
• Follow assigned schedule and drive the van to sites as needed.
• Responsible for recording all sales in the point-of-sale system.
• Assist in maintaining accurate records of each site i.e. people served, items sold, profits, etc.
• Keep Greater Good Grocery Bus clean and organized.
• Stock the Greater Good Grocery Bus at the beginning and end of each shift.
• Conduct regular inventories of products throughout the shift schedule and restocks items as needed.
• Represent The Council and AmeriCorps in a professional manner at all times when interfacing with customers, donors, volunteers and/or constituent providers.

Host Site: VINES

One position available

March 2025 – November 2025, 675 hours total, 20 hours/week

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.

 This position requires a driver’s license.

PHA Position Details:

• Assist with logistics and distribution of supplies, tools and materials to and from VINES’ 20+ community garden sites.
• Assist with managing volunteers through garden improvement projects and maintenance on volunteer days.
• Assist with data collection and entry regarding community garden needs and impacts.
• Conduct outreach including but not limited to tabling, distributing flyers, and door to door outreach to engage community members in all of VINES’ programs;
• Engage and educate volunteers and supervise volunteer work with Farm Share, Green Thumb Workshops, Soil Testing, the Community Meal and other areas as needed;
• 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.
• Assist the Community Garden Manager with creating educational materials for community garden members;
• Assist in the collection of soil samples for both Community Gardens and Build-A-Garden (residential) program.
• Occasionally drive van for distribution of Farm Share vegetable boxes.
• Assist with running community meal on the 5th Tuesdays of the month (~3 times per year) at the United Presbyterian Church;
• Document, report on and evaluate programs/progress;
• 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).

Host Site: VINES

One position available

March 2025 – November 2025, 675 hours total, 20 hours/week

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

 This position requires a driver’s license.

PHA Position Details:

• Assist with planning and implementation for VINES Farm Share Program;
• Input data into Farm Share Database on customer payments and other information from weekly pickups;
• Utilize Farm Share Database to create reports and extract other data;
• Create educational materials including recipes and cooking and storage guides for VINES Farm Share members to further understand how to utilize their shares;
• Create weekly recipe samples, demonstrations and/or tastings for the VINES Farm Share members;
• Organize educational events for the public on topics such food storage, preservation, and healthful cooking;
• Ensure adequate membership in the program by conducting outreach efforts in target communities;
• Engage and educate volunteers and supervise volunteer work with the VINES Farm Share Program;
• Increase volunteer recruitment and retention;
• Actively promote the VINES Farm Share Program through the development of written and electronic products, brochures, press releases, reports, etc.
• Document, report on and evaluate programs/progress;
• 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).

Host Site: VINES

One position available

March 2025 – November 2025, 675 hours total, 20 hours/week

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.

 This position requires a driver’s license.

PHA Position Details:

• Helping with all aspects of plant care, including seed starting, transplanting, watering, weeding, and harvest.
• Helping with other farm maintenance tasks including but not limited to, mowing, weed trimming, managing compost, setting up irrigation, mulching, and pruning.
• 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.
• Helping the Farm Manager in managing, collecting, and inputting harvest, growing, and volunteer data.
• The Assistant will aid the Farm Manager in writing the weekly CSA newsletter, including taking photos and conducting youth and volunteer interviews.
• Helping with distribution of produce at farm stands and farmer’s markets.
• 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;
• Document, report on and evaluate programs/progress;
• 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).

Host Site: Rural Health Institute of New York

One position available 

Flexible schedule: 20-35 hours weekly, 900 or 1200 hours term of service, Starting October 2024 (flexible), Hybrid limited pre-approved teleservice (up to one day a week, or 6-7 total hours weekly). Term of service will run 9-12 months, depending on the amount of hours served per week.

The Rural Health Institute of New York (RHI) works to measurably improve public health through facilitation of targeted community driven initiatives. Based in Cortland, New York, we are a public health institute committed to helping rural communities across the state improve population-level health through use of data, collaboration, and communication.

RHI has expertise in three primary areas of expertise that contributes to our success: data and epidemiology, administrative and collaborative leadership, and design and health communications. These “core competencies” aren’t unrelated areas of expertise, but all feed into each other. We use data to drive our collaborative action planning and to inform our health communications campaigns with locally relevant information; we use our partnerships to identify key issues and disseminate evidence-based information to multiple audiences; we use our design and marketing skills to effectively share local data with relevant partners and help build data literacy. 

For almost a decade, RHI has been facilitating the Literacy Coalition of Cortland County. This group is composed of relevant community representatives from agencies who provide early childhood and educational services, as well as community members. The Project Assistant is responsible for the daily support of the RHI Literacy Project, which includes providing office support to the RHI literacy projects, including Books to Grow On, Hello Cortland and the Early Learning Moments Campaign. The Project Assistant will also support other RHI health education activities as needed. 

This position requires a personal vehicle, driver’s license, and a two year college degree.

PHA Position Details:

• Assist with the development and implementation of community literacy projects, including the Books to Grow On Program
• Assist with the development and implementation of education and awareness campaigns, including the Early Learning Moments Campaign
• Main and work to enhance the Hello Cortland website, a hub of resources for local parents of young children
• Facilitate communications within the Coalition and to the community
• Manage social media accounts related to literacy and other health education activities 
• Assist with community education activities
• Support research and/or data collection and other related activities tied to literacy
• Maintain and organize records of project and Coalition activities
• Support other related health education activities
• Facilitate communications with Coalition members (scheduling, etc.)
• Help draft and disseminate public facing communications materials, including blog posts, social media content, newsletters, reports, presentations, and other documents

Host Site: Rural Health Institute of New York

One position available 

Flexible schedule: 20-35 hours weekly, 900 or 1200 hours term of service, Starting October 2024 (flexible), Hybrid limited pre-approved teleservice (up to one day a week, or 6-7 total hours weekly). Term of service will run 9-12 months, depending on the amount of hours served per week.

This position has some flexibility in terms of hours and start date. The Grace Space will open the first week of November and will be open Monday through Friday 11am to 6:30pm until at least April 2025. The majority of the hours should fall within this time with the possibility of the same outside of those hours for planning/ coordination work. There is the possibility that the Grace Space will remain open for the remainder of the year if additional funding is secured. Some of this may be done via limited teleservice.

The Rural Health Institute of New York (RHI) works to measurably improve public health through facilitation of targeted community driven initiatives. Based in Cortland, New York, we are a public health institute committed to helping rural communities across the state improve population-level health through use of data, collaboration, and communication.

RHI has expertise in three primary areas of expertise that contributes to our success: data and epidemiology, administrative and collaborative leadership, and design and health communications. These “core competencies” aren’t unrelated areas of expertise, but all feed into each other. We use data to drive our collaborative action planning and to inform our health communications campaigns with locally relevant information; we use our partnerships to identify key issues and disseminate evidence-based information to multiple audiences; we use our design and marketing skills to effectively share local data with relevant partners and help build data literacy. 

For over 6 months, RHI has been facilitating the Cortland County Housing & Homelessness Coalition. This group is composed of relevant community representatives from agencies who provide housing and homeless services, as well as community members. One of its primary goals has been the creation of a daytime space for individuals experiencing homelessness to be doing the cold weather months. The Public Health AmeriCorps Program Assistant is responsible for the daily support of the Grace Space, a daytime center for individuals experiencing homelessness or housing vulnerability.

Specific Duties or Typical Service Activities:

• Support with planning and setting up of the Grace Space (if onboarded before November)
• Assist with greeting individuals who arrive at the Grace Space. For new clients, provide a tour and share basic information about what is available.
• Plan and/or help implement pro-social and support programming in the space for individuals, including art & craft activities, recreational opportunities, substance use/ mental health support meetings/ programs, and more. Solicit input for clients about what programs/ activities they would like to see.
• Engage with individuals using the space and support their needs, which could include engaging in conversations, making referrals to service providers, helping them use the resources in the space (laundry, showers, computer access, etc.).
• Acting as a liaison with Loaves & Fishes to accompany individuals to meals (in the upstairs of the same building), supporting Loaves & Fishes as needed
• Overseeing the water/ coffee station to ensure individuals using the space have access to warm beverages and snacks in between meals. Provide supervision in the kitchen, if and when someone would like access to warm their own food.
• Support promotions/ marketing of the Grace Space to increase usage and community support
• Support the maintenance of the Housing & Homelessness Coalition website
• Assist with community education/ training activities related to homelessness response
• Support research and/or data collection and other related activities tied to the use of the Grace Space
• Maintain and organize records

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of a High School degree. An Associate’s Degree (or equivalent of two years of college education) in human service related field is preferred. Some experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness or other marginalized groups preferred, or lived experience.
• Comfortable interacting with different types of people, including individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks at once and attending to multiple needs/ demands at once;
• Must be able to work independently, communicate effectively, and coordinate efficiently with other staff and outside partners;
• Previous experience working in human services preferred;