The Local Community Food Centre is seeking an individual for an incredibly unique opportunity within our organization – who is committed to our values of dignity, inclusiveness, collaboration, caring and compassion.  

If you are eager to play a part in the growth of the good food movement here in Stratford, and enjoy cooking and working with volunteers, this position may be for you.  This is a full time community chef position, responsible for producing 3 healthy community meals per week for 100+ individuals, along with managing our volunteer program.

The Local Community Food Centre in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, empowers those with barriers to accessing and benefiting from good healthy food by offering opportunities to cook, grow, share, and advocate for good food for everyone in our community. Our programs include three weekly community meals; daily cooking classes to teach people food skills to cook healthy, delicious meals even on a restricted budget; community garden and greenhouse programs; a low-cost community access market where people can purchase local, fresh, healthy food at affordable wholesale prices; and a social justice club and peer advocacy program where community members experiencing poverty can work together to target the root causes of food insecurity.  For more information about our work, visit https://thelocalcfc.org/mission/

The community chef will work with community volunteers to plan, create and serve a supper hour meal on Mondays, a seniors lunch on Wednesdays, and a community breakfast on Thursdays.  Volunteer management will be designated to Tuesdays and Fridays.

The Local Community Food Centre hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within our organization. We especially welcome applications from members of racialized groups, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientations and persons of all gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. 

What you’ll do: 

• Plan meals and ensure all necessary supplies are on hand in partnership with the Food Logistics Manager
• Work with 3 volunteer teams, one for each meal, to prepare, plate, and serve meals to patrons at tables
• Ensure proper clean up and health regulations are adhered to
• Ensure all related data is entered in our evaluation tracking software on a weekly basis
• Adjust volunteer program as required to ensure efficiency and relationship building
• Recruit, provide orientation, and match new volunteers to appropriate areas of work within our organization
• Manage volunteer database for all programs
• Work with other staff to help maintain positive relationships with volunteers

What you’ll bring:

• A belief and commitment to the mission and goals of The Local Community Food Centre
• Proven experience leading volunteers and managing volunteer programs
• Strong knowledge in the areas of nutrition, healthy eating, cooking from scratch and balanced meal creation
• Experience working from a trauma informed lens
• Database/data entry experience
• Ability to work in a team environment, but also independently with little direction
• Great organizational skills and attention to detail
• A proven commitment to social justice issues and the good food movement

What you will get:

• Fair remuneration – The Local is a certified living wage employer
• Health benefit package
• Positive work environment – The Local has a small staff team that supports one another; and a volunteer base of 100 strong that are committed to the organization and its work

Please send resume with cover letter to debra@thelocalcfc.org  by Friday, January 31, 2020 at 5pm.  Interviews will be scheduled for the 1st week of February with a start date on or before March 1, 2020. In your cover letter, please share what you think makes you an ideal candidate for this role. Only those applicants being considered will be contacted. Thank you for your interest in The Local.

The Opportunity:

The Local Community Food Centre is seeking an individual for an incredibly unique opportunity within our organization – who is committed to our values of dignity, inclusiveness, collaboration, caring and compassion.  

If you are eager to play a part in the growth of the good food movement here in Stratford, and enjoy gardening and working with volunteers, this Garden Educator position may be for you.  

We are offering 37.5 hours per week from March 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020, and 22.5 hours per week from November 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021 – with an option to renew on a yearly basis.

The Local Community Food Centre in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, empowers those with barriers to accessing and benefiting from good healthy food by offering opportunities to cook, grow, share, and advocate for good food for everyone in our community. Our programs include three weekly community meals; daily cooking classes to teach people food skills to cook healthy, delicious meals even on a restricted budget; community garden and greenhouse programs; a low-cost community access market where people can purchase local, fresh, healthy food at affordable wholesale prices; and a social justice club and peer advocacy program where community members experiencing poverty can work together to target the root causes of food insecurity.  For more information about our work, visit https://thelocalcfc.org/mission/

The garden educator will work with community volunteers and provide oversight to all gardening programs and activities.

The Local Community Food Centre hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within our organization. We especially welcome applications from members of racialized groups, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientations and persons of all gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. 

What you’ll do: 

• Plan and facilitate programs that enhance gardening skills
• Work with outreach manager,  and with partners and social service providers when appropriate, to promote gardening programs at The Local
• Support and provide mentorship to volunteers who seek to develop their gardening skills, and support emerging volunteer leaders
• Coordinate the planting, tending, and harvesting of vegetables and herbs in the gardens and greenhouse based on a strong plan and calendar 
• Maintain the cleanliness and upkeep of the greenhouse and exterior gardens in cooperation with volunteers and garden participants
• Research gardening supplies, plants, seeds and tools in collaboration with volunteer leaders
• Be a resource to community garden allotment gardeners during the growing season
• Oversee the planting, tending, and harvesting of vegetables and herbs in the collective garden
• Oversee the expansion of the community garden project and renovations to the greenhouse
• Facilitate one off workshops on topics related to gardening (companion planting, composting, succession planting, identifying pollinators, etc.)

What you’ll bring:

• A belief and commitment to the mission and goals of The Local Community Food Centre
• Proven experience leading volunteers 
• Proven experience in community garden and greenhouse management
• Experience working from a trauma informed lens
• Strong knowledge base in companion planting, seasonal transitioning of plants and beds, and composting
• Ability to work in a team environment, but also independently with little direction
• Great organizational skills and attention to detail
• A proven commitment to social justice issues and the good food movement

What you will get:

• Fair remuneration – The Local is a certified living wage employer
• Positive work environment – The Local has a small staff team that supports one another; and a volunteer base of 100 strong that are committed to the organization and its work

Please send resume with cover letter to debra@thelocalcfc.org  by Friday, January 31, 2020 at 5pm.  Interviews will be scheduled for the 1st week of February with a start date on or before March 1, 2020. In your cover letter, please share what you think makes you an ideal candidate for this role. Only those applicants being considered will be contacted. Thank you for your interest in The Local.