Make a difference in food insecurity and food waste in Athens! With funding from AmeriCorps State, the University of Georgia Office of Service-Learning is launching a new program for 2023-24, the AmeriCorps Community Food Fellows program. This initiative will support a cohort of up to 20 half-time AmeriCorps members who commit to provide 900 hours of service (August 2023 through July 2024) with on-campus and off-campus partner organizations focused on food insecurity, food production, and food waste. The Community Food Fellows will meet regularly as a cohort to learn deeply about these issues and receive training, and they will also take part in group and individual service activities to support organizations such as Campus Kitchen, UGArden, Concrete Jungle, Abundance Athens, Athens Community Council on Aging, and more.
Interested participants with a desire to learn and serve in this area – undergraduate students, graduate students, and community members – are invited to apply for this new program with an anticipated start by the end of August. As AmeriCorps members, Community Food Fellows will receive a modest living allowance (up to $10,800 for the year of service, paid out monthly via UGA) and an end-of-service Segal education award (~$3,447) as well as other benefits. Exact scheduling of service and of meetings will have some flexibility and will be organized once the cohort is selected, but applicants need to have availability for approximately half-time service through July 2024.
Service activities focus on all aspects of the food security and waste continuum and include garden planting and harvesting, gleaning from farms and urban fruit trees, community outreach and nutrition education, food recovery and pick-up, meal and produce preparation and delivery, and the opportunity to develop and implement small-group or individual projects meeting identified community needs. As part of this program, members will be able to provide leadership and will gain experience in teamwork, volunteer management, and supporting non-profits, and they will learn about potential career areas among other outcomes.
See more information and details on our website at https://servicelearning.uga.edu/community-engagement/americorps-community-food-fellows.
Please direct questions to Dr. Paul Matthews, pmatthews@uga.edu, 706-542-0892.
How to Apply: Applicants need to apply through two different systems: the My AmeriCorps system (since they are AmeriCorps State members), as well as UGA’s HR system (since the living allowance will be processed through UGA payroll systems). Here are the direct links to both, which also require setting up accounts in each system:
• https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=119753
