Company description

Healthy Local Food Access for Hawaii Island

CURRENT FOOD SYSTEM WORK

One Island Sustainable Living has been working in Hawaii since 2002 and is currently hosting the Same Canoe Local Food Challenge (with support from USDA Food Security, Hawaii Department of Agriculture, and AmeriCorps) to serve rural communities on Hawaii Island.

The project’s goal is to 1) increase fresh, local food access for low income families, 2) support farmers who grow our local food, and 3) provide engaging opportunities to learn how to eat healthier and live longer. 24 community partner sites are involved in the project, forming an empowering bridge between the food, farming and health sectors.

Same Canoe has a dynamic food and health engagement team out working with the community at farmers’ markets, grocery stores, community centers, school, churches, health clinics, and special events. A highlight of the project is providing SNAP/EBT low income households with educational activities and free local food coupons to encourage healthy eating and healthy living.

Farm tours, culinary workshops, multi-cultural events, special café nights, grocery store discounts, and school garden family days make direct connections from farm to food to family. From Hawaii’s original canoe crop plants for food and medicine, to new culinary uses for fruits and vegetables, Same Canoe is exploring the horizon of healthy eating for healthy living.

For 2018-2019, a new Food and Health Education PASSPORT program is broadening the reach of the program across many aspects of the food system - health, food, farms, retailers, health clinics, schools and restaurants. We are also building on online curriculum to support life skill building that emphasizes the importance of the food/health connection.

OTHER PROJECTS

In addition to our pioneering food system work we are implementing a concurrent Renewable Energy project bringing solar electricity, solar refrigeration, and potable air-to-water technologies to a remote Hawaiian fishing village on the southwestern coast of the island. At the far north tip, we are managing a dynamic cultural arts project conducting an asset mapping and needs assessment, while also hosting fun pop-up cultural events each month. These projects are funded by the USDA and the National Endowment for the Arts, respectively.

ALL TOGETHER

One Island is managing a number of rural community-strengthening programs. These individual sustainability projects are making a positive impact on the quality of life, food security, and rural services for Hawaii Island. We welcome team members who are inspired by turning good ideas into valuable, on-the-ground outcomes, ensuring positive impacts for people from all walks of life.

Job description

Seeking people passionate about improving access to local food, better nutrition and community well being who want to live and work for a year (or two) on Hawaii Island.

The Same Canoe Local Food Project has several crew positions open and is accepting applications. Crew Members will take part in a fun and rewarding AmeriCorps community service program and engage with the public in local community areas to help increase access to fresh, nutritious, local foods and build multi-cultural health and life skills.

Eat well. Be well . Live well

Crew Members serve for either 900 or 1700 hours, over 12 months (19-35 hrs a week). Compensation is $16 hr plus there is an end-of-term education award for college tuition. Serving Hamakua, North/South Kohala and North/South Kona.

Crew Members will be active at local farmers’ markets, grocers, wellness centers, schools, community centers, stakeholder meetings and events.

Must be available most weekends and some weekdays for a variable schedule, have a reliable, suitable, vehicle (for transportation and transporting farmers' market supplies), basic computer skills, make a 12 month commitment. Will need to secure housing in North or West Hawaii.

Ideal for college students, recent graduates, those developing an employable skill history, or retirees eager to be of service and who enjoy making a valuable contribution to their community.

Positions open immediately for 2018-2019 and accepting letters of interest and resumes for 2019-2020.

YOU

Ideal candidates will have direct food and farm, health and wellness experience in community-based settings. If you have previously served in AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps, this might be an excellent next-step. College graduates in food, community health and sustainability will find this real world use of their academic skills highly rewarding.

We welcome life long learners who can show up reliably, enjoy being flexible and are good problem solvers, and who can think and work independently while also contributing to building a strong team spirit.

If you are considering this as a service position requiring a move to Hawaii, please note a car IS required. Other team members have shipped their own cars in the past.

Compensation

this position is: contract

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline