Seasonal Farmstand Youth Staff (Full and Part-Time)
Organization Information
GrowNYC is a 50-year-old environmental nonprofit organization – helping more than 3 million New Yorkers by providing essential services and taking action to make NYC a livable city, one where every person can enjoy a healthier, more sustainable life. In particular, our network of Greenmarkets, Farmstands, Fresh Food Box sites, and GrowNYC Wholesale ensures that all New Yorkers have access to the freshest, healthiest local food.
About Farmstand
GrowNYC Farmstands are part of a network of food access retail sites operated by GrowNYC, along with Greenmarkets and Fresh Food Box sites. Through Farmstands, GrowNYC trains and employs young people to sell fresh, affordable food in neighborhoods throughout the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. The food sold at Farmstands is grown by farmers in the Northeast and transparently sourced through GrowNYC Wholesale.
In addition to the field work, youth attend paid, virtual or in person, weekly workshops on a variety of topics led by experts at GrowNYC and some outside community partners, covering personal finance, our food system, agriculture in our region, food justice, countermarketing, food rescue, addressing food insecurity, compost, building a professional resume and cover letter. Check out more details on the workshops here.
Note to applicants on COVID safety: GrowNYC is committed to stopping the spread of Covid-19. All hires must be able to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination during the onboarding process. Employees are also required to follow COVID safety protocols as the situation evolves, which may include daily health screenings, mask wearing, and other mitigation measures as deemed necessary by local conditionals, mandates and applicable guidelines.
Seasonal Farmstand Youth Staff
The Farmstand Youth Staff will help sell fruits, vegetables, and other products outdoors throughout New York City under the supervision of the Farmstand Manager. The Farmstand Youth Staff position is seasonal. The combination of field work and virtual weekly workshops provide a robust and interactive learning experience. Youth participants will end the season with a deeper understanding of our complex food system and will receive a certificate of completion.Requirements
Responsibilities (include, but are not limited to)
- Set up and break down of the farm stand, carrying equipment and cases/bags of produce weighing up to 50lbs, folding tables and tents, and performing other physical labor
- Daily market operations— product display, merchandising, sales, customer service, inventorying and site clean up according to schedule
- Perform debit/credit, cash, EBT and other nutrition benefit transactions
- Educate customers on a variety of food access and incentive programs.
- Participate at mandatory weekly workshops (every Tuesday, 5pm-6pm, July thru November)
Required Qualifications
- Early riser who enjoys working outdoors in all weather conditions
- Willing to work weekdays and/or Saturdays
- Enjoys talking and working with people of all backgrounds
- Works well both independently and as a member of a team
- Excellent time management and organizational skills
Ideal Qualifications
- Passionate about farming, farmers markets, local agriculture, cooking, and/or food access
- Fluency in multiple languages is a big plus (especially, but not limited to, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Creole, Russian, etc.)
Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50lbs, though employee may request accommodations as needed.
Position Details
Schedule: The schedule has variable hours – a minimum of 6 hours a week to no more than 35 hours per week. Shifts are available Wednesdays through Saturdays and usually start early in the morning (7am).
Compensation: The position is a non-exempt seasonal and variable hourly position. It pays $17 per hour and includes only statutory benefits.
GrowNYC is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer and hires without regard to race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation or physical disability.