The Mission of the St. Louis Area Foodbank is building a stronger bi-state region by nourishing people, empowering communities, and transforming systems. The Volunteer Coordination VISTA works under the direction of the Director of Volunteer Services to grow the foundation of our volunteer program and recruit new regular volunteers in order to best meet the needs of the 26 counties we serve. The service year is meant to be a rewarding experience where the individual gains transferable skillsets essential to every nonprofit.

This position requires someone who:

Main responsibilities include:

1. Review and understand the current volunteer process.
2. Create and implement templates and standard operating procedures for the volunteer program based on review of the current process and make recommendations for improvement.
3. Become fluent with the Volunteer Hub management system & train others on features
4. Expand our methods of collecting volunteer satisfaction surveys and tracking of volunteer efforts including years of service, unique volunteers and hours/shifts completed
5. Maintain newly developed models and tracking methods, research the need for volunteers in partner agencies, develop plan to implement findings and process to continually improve tracking.
6. Work throughout departments to review volunteer needs and create job descriptions.
7. Actively recruit volunteers for all open job descriptions outside of traditional repacking positions by researching & developing new recruiting sources and partnerships throughout the SLAFB 26 county region.
8. Assist with onboarding interns & volunteers, utilizing developed SOPS, PowerPoints, & tools
9. If needed, assist Foodbank staff in training volunteers and document the training process
10. Research, recommend, implement Volunteer Recognition projects.
11. Attend program deployments as needed to support volunteers

The above list is not exhaustive; there will be times where you will be asked to help participate and potentially lead other projects on an as needed basis. This can include areas outside of your immediate area of responsibility. These projects can come from the Director of Volunteer Services or other staff.

Other Details: See servethelou.org for more detailed information.

• 35 hours per week with the flexibility to work more as needed; One-year commitment
• Allowed to have secondary employment with prior approval from supervisor; VISTA responsibilities must always be the first priority
• Pay: Approximately $17,600/year stipend; end-of-service educational award of approximately $6,000 or a cash stipend of approximately $1,800 is available *All dependent upon service year completion
• Professional development opportunities related to position available
• Other benefits may include: a relocation allowance for moving for service, childcare assistance, mileage reimbursement for service-related travel and health care options
• Join a community! In St. Louis, there is a VISTA umbrella with other like-minded individuals living and working in the community. Events take place monthly.

Title: AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer Coordination Member

Sponsoring Organization: St. Louis Area Foodbank

Project Name: St. Louis Area Foodbank

Project Period: One year from date of enrollment

Goal of the Project:

The goal of the St. Louis Area Foodbank VISTA Program is to increase food security across the 26-county territory we serve. During this term, we expect to distribute at least 53 million meals, with 80% being foods to encourage. To do this, the Volunteer Coordination VISTA will alleviate poverty by increasing the number of regular volunteers that support the work of the Foodbank. Currently, the Foodbank is projected to provide over 20,000 opportunities for episodic volunteers to support our mission this fiscal year through our traditional repackaging positions. In addition to continuing to build the foundation of the volunteer program, the VISTA will help develop programming to support recruitment of regular skills-based volunteers during their term with the goal of placing at least 10 new skills-based volunteers in other departments. This will allow the Foodbank to build a volunteer workforce beyond our traditional repacking positions, track the work of those volunteers, and recognize them for their efforts. These volunteers will increase access to food throughout out our 26-county jurisdiction which will enable the one in six families who face hunger to save precious dollars that they can then use on health care costs, utilities, unexpected costs such as repairs, etc.

Objective #1 of the Assignment: Understand the current state of the volunteer program at the St. Louis Area Foodbank and make recommendations.

Member Activities:

1. Become fluent with current volunteer program including usage of volunteer database (VolunteerHub), recruitment of volunteers outside of traditional repacking positions, recognition program, data collection methods to determine the success of the volunteer program, etc.
2. Research best practices and provide recommendations
3. Attend program deployments as needed to learn and support volunteers
4. Working with program & product acquisition staff, ensure food distributions and Farmer's Market positions are adequately staffed with volunteers.

Objective #2 of the Assignment: Revise, update, create and implement templates and standard operating procedures for the volunteer program based on research findings; including development of standardized processes for orienting, onboarding and placing skills-based volunteers.

Member Activities:

1. Update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that outline procedures for recruiting, onboarding, recognizing, and growing volunteers. Create and implement new SOPs as needed.
2. Expand data collection methods to determine the success of the volunteer program to include, but not limited to, volunteer satisfaction and tracking of volunteer efforts including years of service, unique number of volunteers and hours/shifts completed
3. Update and create necessary templates and forms (job descriptions, application process, feedback, etc.) that support SOPs and continue implementation throughout the Foodbank
4. Master the use of VolunteerHub to fit new model & recommend opportunities to optimize system (ongoing)
5. Working with appropriate staff, review current process for recruitment of Food on the Move drivers, expanding to create and recruit an Authorized Driver pool of skills-based volunteers qualified to tow vehicles supporting Food on the Move and Farmer's Market programming.
6. Continue recruiting volunteers for newly developed positions
7. Create process to identify, train and grow volunteer leaders
8. Attend program deployments as needed to learn and support volunteers

Objective #3 of the Assignment: Maintain and grow models for skills-based volunteer creation, recruitment, and tracking methods; initiate research on the need for volunteer management support in partner agencies.

Member Activities:

1. Regularly evaluate and update existing models, tools, and resources
2. Provide ongoing training as need on the tools created
3. Actively recruit volunteers for all open job descriptions outside of traditional repacking positions
4. Research the need for volunteers in partner agencies and implement findings and continue tracking and documenting
5. Work throughout departments to review volunteer needs and create job descriptions to recruit and aid in the sustainment of programs
6. Actively recruit volunteers for all open job descriptions outside of traditional repacking positions by researching & developing new recruiting sources and partnerships throughout the SLAFB 26 county region.
7. Continually assess data collection methods to determine volunteer satisfaction and adjust program as needed based on results
8. If needed, assist Foodbank staff in training volunteers and document the training process
9. Implement process to identify, train and grow volunteer leaders
10. Research, recommend, implement Volunteer Recognition projects.
11. Attend program deployments as needed to learn and support volunteers
12. Working with Community Education AmeriCorps Member, begin understanding the volunteer need of partner agencies through tactics such as survey creation, facilitated workshops, focus groups, etc.