Outreach Associate

• Do you love working with people?
• Are you inspired by work where you can make a difference in the lives of others?
• Do you strongly believe that no person in Alameda County should go to bed hungry?

If you said, “Yes!” to any of these questions, then please consider joining the Alameda County Community Food Bank in passionately pursuing a hunger-free community!

The Outreach Associate will participate in the efforts aimed to raise awareness and increase enrollment in federal nutrition programs among low-income communities in Alameda County. Successful candidates will be responsible for conducting phone and face-to-face pre-screenings with clients to identify eligibility for the CalFresh Program. To reach eligible populations in Alameda County, the Outreach Associate will also attend fairs and meetings, as well as recruit additional community-based organizations to participate in the program. The ideal candidate for this position will have the ability to work both collaboratively and independently and to initiate projects.

The 2016 Feeding America Food Bank of the Year, Alameda County Community Food Bank is a well-established and multi-faceted organization serving one in five Alameda County residents. Our organization’s success is built on bold decision-making, a culture of equity and inclusivity, and an environment that embraces innovative thinking. Our bold new vision aims to provide 120 million meals annually through food distribution, government assistance enrollment and forceful legislative advocacy – while also looking beyond meals to examine and improve the impact of our efforts in our community. We have received Charity Navigator’s top rating for 12 consecutive years, ranking us among the top one percent of charities nationwide. Please learn more about our efforts at www.accfb.org.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Prescreen clients for program eligibility and assist with completion of CalFresh applications and understanding of the interview process – in person and over the phone.
• Provide food referrals and information to other community programs and services.
• Provide appropriate client case management and follow-up, as needed.
• Participate in outreach and enrollment events to increase participation in CalFresh and FoodBank Programs.
• Conduct outreach to encourage constituents to participate in the CalFresh Program through a variety of methods including online trainings, tabling at events, visits to community-based organizations that serve low-income groups, etc.
• Distribute outreach material to eligible populations.
• Maintain accurate files on services provided and contribute to preparation of monthly reports.
• Represent Food Bank to other Feeding America food banks, other nonprofits and donors.
• This position may work a maximum of 2 days remotely but is required to be in the community at least 30% of the time, and community work may be required on remote days.
• All other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to read, write and speak English with native fluency.
• Strong customer-service orientation, including excellent communication and relationship building skills.
• Impeccable attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• Comfort working with people of diverse economic and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to work collaboratively, independently and to initiate projects.
• Intermediate (or above) computer skills including proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and Outlook. Previous database management experience a plus.
• Ability to work some weekends and evenings and occasional light travel.
• Valid California Driver’s License, insurable driving record and access to a vehicle for spontaneous local travel.

Personal Attributes and Values

• Passion, enthusiasm, focus, and creativity around Alameda County Community Food Bank’s vision, mission and values of community, leadership, transparency, and diversity.
• Impeccable integrity and honesty.
• A roll up your sleeves, can-do attitude!
• Strong work ethic with an orientation towards constant innovation and process improvement
• Innovative self-starter and problem solver with a bias towards action
• Ability to work both independently and in a collaborative setting with people of diverse backgrounds/circumstances

Physical Requirements

Physical activities necessary in the performance of this job include the abilities to: Sit at a computer workstation for up to five hours at a time, move throughout the 118,000 sq ft. Food Bank facility in performance of duties; bend, lift and carry up to 30 lbs. on occasion; visit community settings; conduct site visits including walking, bending, stopping, and squatting; communicate in clear speaking voice in person, before large groups and over the phone; interpret instructions and questions when asked; operate computer equipment; access transportation to travel to local events and meetings with external parties.