In spring 2019, Abby’s House opened the newly renovated Annette Rafferty Women’s Empowerment Center, and commercial kitchen. The Women’s Center provides programming space and serves as a place where staff, residents, shelter guests and visiting members of the Abby’s House community can engage with one another and allows access to supportive services, healthy and nutritious meals and food items, and a sense of community.

A team of 2 part-time staff manage the daily operations of the commercial kitchen and food pantry. Many dedicated individual volunteers and volunteer groups play a central role in the Abby’s House food service program. Our volunteers donate food and prepare and serve meals weekly for up to 60 people, on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, and occasional Wednesday afternoons one time per month. In addition to weekly meals, residents and Women’s Center members receive access to our food pantry to choose food items of their liking, one time per month and annual holiday meals.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

The Nutrition and Wellness Coordinator supports women and children experiencing homelessness and poverty in a caring way through healthy meals and access to nutritious food, fostering health and wellness, and empowering women to embrace nutritious eating, and holistic and compassionate lifestyles.  S/he is responsible for oversight and supervision of all commercial kitchen operations including food sourcing and meal planning, meal preparation, and food service and safety measures, including the National Restaurant Association ServSafe guidelines, Abby’s House kitchen policies, and cleaning and sanitation duties.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Commercial Kitchen Operations, Scheduling and Supervision

• Ensure training, scheduling, and supervision of kitchen staff and volunteers for two weekly lunches for 60 people and holiday meals for 100 people.
• Foster a welcome and inviting space at meals that encourage women to eat together.
• Plan nutritious menus, and survey women for their input and feedback, always treating them with dignity and respect.
• Conduct departmental service and storage inspections on a regular basis to ensure compliance with local, state and federal regulations, insurance requirements, and Abby’s House standards.
• Responsible for oversight of maintenance of kitchen equipment, service ware, dining, and food storage and preparation areas.

Shelter Nutrition and Meals

• Prepare one meal each week in the shelter between 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and engage shelter guests in the preparation of the meal, while fostering healthy decisions about food and nutrition.
• Source food for the shelter, based on input from staff and shelter guests.
• Collaborate with shelter staff to identify and implement ways to meet the nutritional needs of shelter guests that supports their overall wellness and recovery from trauma, substance use, mental illness, and physical disease.

Women’s Center Educational Programs and Food Pantry

• Assist with providing information and help residents and shelter guests engage in healthy eating behaviors, meal planning and preparation to develop healthy, positive relationships with food.
• Develop and facilitate workshops and fun and/or interactive activities to promote healthy eating.
• Operate food pantry available to residents and Women’s Center members twice per month.
• Monitor food supply in the pantry, and work with residents and staff to identify and source necessary food items.

Events

• Source food and work with kitchen staff and food vendors as necessary to provide food for meetings and events.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 3 years of supervision experience in a commercial kitchen operation and line cooking and/or training.
• A minimum High school graduate or equivalent education.
• Certificates in ServSafe food safety management and allergen awareness preferred or obtained within 30 days of employment.
• Verbal and writing abilities necessary to communicate and work effectively with various levels of staff, volunteers, members and the public, and for required written documentation or reports.
• Numerical ability necessary to make various computations in planning departmental objectives, keeping work records and schedules, preparing budgets, requisitioning supplies, and monitoring inventory control.
• Exceptional level of professionalism and respect for others.
• Time management and organization skills and ability to manage with minimal supervision.
• Bilingual speaking abilities preferred, but not required.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds as needed.
• Ability to work evenings or weekends, and participate in staff meeting, trainings, and annual evaluations.
• Ability to maintain the confidentiality standards of Abby’s House and exemplify compassion, hospitality.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Stands and walks intermittently throughout the working day. Reaches, stoops, bends, lifts, carries, and manipulates various food items, dietary supplies and equipment.
• Visual acuity and color discrimination for examining cooked and stored foods.
• Taste and smell discrimination in determining nutritional quality and palatability of foods.
• Ability to work with chemicals and cleaning agents.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

This is a regular part-time position funded for one year as part of a pilot project. The position requires 25 hours per week: Mondays, 8:30am-4:00pm, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30am-3:30pm, and Wednesdays, 3:000pm-8:00pm with variations to be scheduled with the candidate. Rate of pay is $20 - $23 per hour, commensurate with experience. Abby’s House pro-rates 4 weeks of paid vacation time and holiday time to regular, part-time staff and offers paid sick time. Abby’s House is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes diversity at all levels of the organization.