AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinator

Start-Date: Mid to Late February

End-Date: Late August 2026

Location: Newport, Vermont

About Green Mountain Farm-to-School 

Green Mountain Farm-to-School (GMFTS) is a nonprofit organization located in Newport, Vermont with a mission to strengthen Vermont’s local food systems by providing programs that connect schools, farms, and communities through food and education. During the school year, GMFTS supports 13 schools in the Northeast Kingdom (NEK) of Vermont with school gardens, educational programming, and farm-fresh local foods that benefit over 5,000 students. Together, our programs increase access to locally-grown food and food-based education for communities in the NEK. For more information about GMFTS, please visit: gmfts.org 

Position Description 

This position is part of the Vermont Rural Learning Collective (VRLC). VRLC is a national service program that places AmeriCorps members at educational non-profit Host Sites in Vermont’s most rural communities.  VRLC members support their Host Site’s ability to deliver educational programming and services to rural and underserved learners of all ages. VRLC  supports their members in their path to educational and career attainment through direct service, on-going trainings, and professional development opportunities offered during the service year. Position dependent upon VRCL federal funding.

The primary responsibilities of the AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinator will be to develop, grow, present, and evaluate GMFTS’ Farm-to-School Programs. This is a 6 month long AmeriCorps position. The Farm-to-School Coordinator reports to the Farm-to-School Program Manager. Position starts Mid-Feb to March 1 and runs until late August for a 900 hour term of Service.

The AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinator will:

• Develop and maintain relationships with GMFTS partners
• Serve as the primary contact for 3-5 schools
• Leading lesson plans for programming and maintain educational materials
• Conduct Harvest of the Month taste tests by cooking with students and serving at lunch
• Facilitate and lead farm field trips of various types
• Deliver in-class workshops to K-8 students on food and agriculture topics
• Plant, maintain, and harvest school gardens
• Use database to collect, analyze, and report data for program evaluation
• Photo document activities and download in a timely manner
• Run Afterschool programs at schools
• Create educational newsletters showcasing programming at schools and taste test results
• Serve as an independent member of a team of Coordinators
• Work closely with staff, parents, food service directors, and farmers
• Plan, organize, and attend community and organizational events, like Harvest Festivals
• Recruit and train community volunteers
• Design outreach and publicity materials
• Communicate organization’s mission through social media (Facebook, Instagram)

Qualifications

• US citizenship
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
• Knowledge of local food systems and sustainable agriculture
• Some teaching (formal or non-formal) experience
• Strong interest in working with children
• Some knowledge of gardening and vegetable production
• Excellent public speaking, writing skills, and organizational skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Comfort working in a kitchen (home or commercial) desirable but not required
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, rapidly growing non-profit environment
• Offer contingent upon results from National Service Criminal History Check