Volunteer Brooklyn

This info came to my from my college friend Miriam today:

Hi Y'all,
Thought you might be interested in this.
Love,
Miriam

WHO: YOU! We are sounding the call for volunteers!

WHAT: Brooklyn Food Summer ’09: Empower Brooklyn residents by supporting them in overcoming challenges to food access and affordability!

WHEN: Ongoing, beginning June 1

WHERE: Brooklyn neighborhoods where residents lack access to healthy food.

WHY: Brooklyn faces a health crisis of rising obesity and diabetes among children and adults. These diet-related diseases disproportionately affect certain neighborhoods where residents lack access to healthy food. Though there is sufficient healthy, culturally appropriate food available to serve all Brooklyn residents, this food in not getting onto the tables and into the bellies of many Brooklynites.

HOW: Sign up to volunteer at
http://www.brooklynhealthyfoodcampaign.org/fs_volunteerrls.html
or read on for more details…


A BIT ABOUT WHO WE ARE

Brooklyn Food Summer ‘09 is an all-volunteer initiative of the Brooklyn Healthy Food Campaign (BHFC). The BHFC is a partnership of City and State governments, citywide service providers, grassroots organizations, and concerned citizens. We are committed to improving community health and food security, and to supporting neighborhood economies through locally spent food dollars, in the Borough of Brooklyn. This summer, these groups are joining forces to apply technical expertise, agency resources, and grassroots community organizing to make strides towards this vision.

Goals and Activities

The 8-week Brooklyn Food Summer ‘09 campaign will help Brooklyn residents overcome challenges to food access and affordability, and empower them to speak with both their voices and dollars to demand healthy food options in their neighborhoods. "

HOW YOU CAN HELP - VOLUNTEER POSITIONS

Community Food Ambassadors

The Brooklyn Healthy Food Campaign seeks volunteers to participate in its Community Food Ambassadors Training Program. The Community Food Ambassador Program trains community volunteers to talk with their neighbors about the overall connections between our local food system and the health of our communities; how to help our neighbors get public benefits through programs that support employment, boost the City’s economy, and improve food and economic security; and how we can work together to increase access borough-wide to fresh, affordable nutrient-dense food.



Commitment:
Complete 1.5 hours of outreach and education training.
Attend 3 to 5 events in targeted communities between the months of July and August (Approximate time commitment is 15-20 hours.).
Conduct surveys to measure knowledge of healthy food options in targeted communities.
Be responsible for maintaining and reproducing neighborhood specific educational outreach materials.
Maintain contact information of community members interested in working with the campaign.


Food Stamps/Food Cards Benefits Pre-Screening Specialists

The Brooklyn Healthy Food Campaign seeks volunteers to participate in its Food Stamps/Food Card (EBT) Benefits Pre-Screening Specialists Training Program. Currently somewhere between 300,000 to 600,000 Brooklyn residents are eligible to receive Food Stamp/Food Card (EBT) benefits, but are not yet enrolled. The Food Stamp/Food Card (EBT) Benefits Pre-Screening Specialists Training Program will train 60 community volunteers to support and increase the capacity of 10 sites actively conducting pre-screenings in Brooklyn in an effort to raise enrollment rates of eligible neighbors and improve their access to fresh, affordable nutrient-dense food.

Commitment:

- Complete a 1- Day training in conducting pre-screenings for enrollment to receive Food Stamps/Food Card (EBT) Benefits. Choose from the following dates: June 8, 9 or 10
- Volunteer 1 to 2 days a week at one of the 10 pre-screening sites from July through August.

Food Summer Behind the Scenes Support

For volunteers excited to be a part of the Brooklyn Food Summer Campaign, who are unable to make the commitment to being a Community Food Ambassador or a Pre-Screening Specialist, we invite you to join our Behind the Scenes Support team. We are looking for folks with a wide range of skills and interest to support the campaign from researchers, writers, editors, graphic and website designers, photographers to you fill-in-the-blank. Let us know how you would like to help and we’ll find a role for you.

Commitment:

- Attend monthly planning meetings
- Serve as a member of a sub-committee
- Minimum of 10-15 hours

Apply online now at: http://www.brooklynhealthyfoodcampaign.org/fs_volunteerapp.html