This is an 11 month, full-time (40 hours/week) AmeriCorps member position with Volunteer Maryland (VM) at Little Portion Farm. Volunteer Maryland AmeriCorps members, ACMs, are responsible for building capacity and developing and implementing a volunteer program. The member will focus on increasing the Service Site’s effectiveness, efficiencies and/or expand the Service Site’s reach or scale. The outcome will be an increase in capacity for the Service Site to serve their identified community. The VM service year will begin on September 14, 2022 and conclude on August 1, 2023; members must complete 1,700 service hours during the term.

The Volunteer Maryland AmeriCorps Member will support the Farm Manager in recruiting and overseeing volunteers for a wide range of work on our diversified vegetable and fruit farm. This role entails a majority of the time spent outdoors assisting and guiding volunteers in tasks such as planting, harvesting, weeding, and much more, all of which support of our overarching ecological and food justice goals. This position also includes some office tasks including assisting with volunteer communication and recruitment.

VM AmeriCorps members receive a living stipend of $16,502 (pending funding from the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism), and health insurance if they are not already covered. They may also qualify for a childcare allowance. Other benefits include mileage reimbursement for site-related travel, student loan deferment, professional training, valuable networking opportunities, working with a dedicated team of AmeriCorps members and staff, and making a real difference in a local community. After completion of a successful service year, members receive an education award of $6,495 through the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. Some members may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, see additional information from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

General duties:

• Guide volunteers in farm tasks on a daily basis with the assistance of the Farm Manager
• Participate in farm tasks including planting, weeding, and harvesting
• Guide volunteer groups from schools and other organizations and inform about sustainable farming practices used on the farm
• Assist with community-building events amongst recurring volunteers and other community members
• Develop program materials such as a policies and procedure manual, volunteer position descriptions, promotional fliers or brochures, and screening, training, and evaluation tools.
• Recruit volunteers: Outreach methods may include: presentations to faith, business, and/or community groups; staffing information booths at community events; and utilizing the media.

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to Matt Jones at matt@littleportionfarm.org.