We're Hiring!
Program Coordinator
Food Works, a non-profit organization centered in Carbondale, IL, seeks a Program Coordinator. Our mission is to advance sustainable food systems in the 23 southernmost counties in Illinois. Our programs feature farmer-to-farmer peer education and consumer education and engagement.
Join our food community of farmers, artisans, brewers, bakers, vintners, educators, musicians, chefs, consumers, and activists to help restore our sustainable local food system, centered in southernmost Illinois home of the Shawnee Hills and the Shawnee National Forest.
The Program Coordinator will have three areas of responsibility: Food Access program activities which include outreach to farmers markets throughout the region; management of the indoor Winter Community Farmers Market in Carbondale, IL; and administration of the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance peer education and networking programs. The Coordinator works to expand SNAP/Link access to Southern Illinois Farmers markets; promotes use of SNAP/Link at farmers markets; collects and monitors data related to farmers’ market access; manages the Winter Community Farmers Market (Opens Nov/Dec-March) in Carbondale and administers the Farming Alliance. The Coordinator will also work with farmers to identify needs and opportunities, produce newsletters, web content, and social media messaging, schedule educational on-farm Field Days, and develop workshops and trainings as needed. The Coordinator works 20-30 hours/week with the possibility of expansion.
The ideal candidate is responsible, professional, friendly, and organized. She or he has farmers market, project and volunteer management, communications and event planning experience. The candidate must be able to use the Microsoft Office suite of products (or their equivalent), work some weekends and evenings; must be able to travel in the 23-county southernmost Illinois region, and must be licensed and able to drive.
To apply send a letter of introduction, resume, references and writing samples to: kathleen@eatsouthernillinois.org. List “Program Coordinator” in the subject line and send all attachments as pdf files. Other formats will not be opened. Or mail application materials to: P.O. Box 3855, Carbondale, IL 62902. Please include your ideal schedule/hours and salary.
Food Works is an equal opportunity employer
Farm Beginnings® Assistant Facilitator
Food Works, a non-profit organization centered in Carbondale, IL, seeks a part-time Assistant Facilitator for the Farm Beginnings program. Our mission is to advance sustainable food systems in the 23 southernmost counties in Illinois. Our programs feature farmer-to-farmer peer education and consumer education and engagement.
Farm Beginnings® helps farmers build and grow sustainable farm businesses through farmer- led seminars and mentoring in southern Illinois. Farm Beginnings® is equally committed to leadership development toward positive social change. This Farm Beginnings Assistant Facilitator position will work directly with beginning and established farmers as well as helping to build larger community support and understanding around beginning farmer issues and growing the sustainable local food system.
The ideal candidate has some farming experience, Farm Beginnings® or farm education/mentorship experience, is an effective communicator, and experienced in organizing and administering learning opportunities. Farm Beginnings is a winter seminar series for beginning farmers followed by a growing season internship. The Assistant Facilitator’s primary responsibility will be co-facilitating learning seminars, planning and logistics; coordinating guest presenters; conducting evaluations; ensuring preparations; and conducting follow-up and evaluations. The Assistant Facilitator will work 8-15 hours/week Sept.-February including 1-2 weekends per month (either Sat or Sun TBA); then 5-8 hours per week during other months. The Assistant Facilitator must attend if possible one out-of-town, two-day training in February (or March) and one out- of-town, two-day training in July/August (Travel costs are covered).
This part-time position will focus on Farm Beginnings work based in Carbondale, Illinois and serving a 23-county area of southernmost Illinois.
Details :
Salary at $16-$20/hour based on qualifications and a phone stipend.
Food Works is an equal opportunity employer
To Apply:
Please submit a cover letter, resume highlighting skills and experience, and writing samples to: Kathleen Logan Smith, Executive Director via email: Kathleen@eatsouthernillinois.org or via mail: P.O. Box 3855, Carbondale, IL 62902, 618-370-3287. Please send any email attachments as pdf files. Other file formats will not be opened.
Kathleen Logan Smith - Executive Director |
Contact Us: |
Kathleen develops programs and collaborations that connect new and existing growers with the support and education they want. She manages the Southern Illinois Farm Beginnings® farmer training course, and serves as project coordinator for many other Food Works initiatives.
Kathleen is a long time food and environmental activist. Most recently, she's consulted on research on Missouri permitted livestock operations and conducted outreach to communities on local food systems. While serving as Environmental Policy Director for the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, she edited the 59-county, bi-state St. Louis Regional Food System Study which examined health, food, and farming with an aim to promote local, sustainable food in Missouri and Illinois. Prior to serving as Policy Director, she was Executive Director of MCE from 2006-2013 helping grow the organization and diversify its support. Her work in environmental advocacy revealed the links among soil health, water quality, human health and farm policy and prompted her to turn her attention to food systems. |
Phone: (618) 370-3287 ext 101
Email: kathleen (at) eatsouthernillinois.org |
Reanna Putnam - Program Manager
Reanna serves as the Farmers Market Program Manager and Farming Alliance Program Specialist at Food Works. She is responsible for the operations of the Community Farmers Market (CCFM) and provides leadership, oversight and organization for the market. Reanna successfully built partnerships and secured funding for a double value incentive program at the Community Farmers bringing in new low-income customers and increasing SNAP sales at the market. In addition to the Farmers Market, she is the program specialist for the Farming Alliance, facilitating network communications, event coordination, and database management. She also assists as needed with other program areas including grant reporting and writing, and event promotion.
Reanna is passionate about growing food and building community through farming and gardening. She has a history of involvement with community gardens, CSAs and social justice organizing in Kansas and Colorado. She has experience in social research, evaluation, program development, and volunteer management. In addition, she has worked on over a dozen farms in four states building a deep appreciation and understanding of various approaches to sustainable farming. |
Phone: (618) 370-3287 ext 102
Email: reanna (at) eatsouthernillinois.org |
Dayna Conner - Founder
Dayna has been an active good food advocate since 1998 and has experience as a Biointensive food production teacher, a small business director and child educator. She is the founder of the learning gardens at River Oaks Elementary in Austin, Texas, where she taught sustainable gardening to Pre-K through 5th grades. She is also co-founder and former executive director of the Green Corn Project urban food garden initiative in Austin.
Dayna lived most of her life in the central San Joaquin Valley in California and is the granddaughter of migrant farm workers. She believes that access to healthy food is a right of all people, and that the landbase - the water, topsoil, and all living communities that interact with them - should be protected at all costs. In establishing Food Works, Dayna created practical programs to ensure that food grown in Southern Illinois is produced and marketed in ways that respect and honor growers and the living communities of which they are a part. After working in the Carbondale community for 11 years and serving as Executive Director of Food Works since 2008, Dayna moved on in December 2014 to focus her efforts on environmental activism.
Dayna lived most of her life in the central San Joaquin Valley in California and is the granddaughter of migrant farm workers. She believes that access to healthy food is a right of all people, and that the landbase - the water, topsoil, and all living communities that interact with them - should be protected at all costs. In establishing Food Works, Dayna created practical programs to ensure that food grown in Southern Illinois is produced and marketed in ways that respect and honor growers and the living communities of which they are a part. After working in the Carbondale community for 11 years and serving as Executive Director of Food Works since 2008, Dayna moved on in December 2014 to focus her efforts on environmental activism.
