Background: The mission of the IRC is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. The IRC’s New Roots program has developed services and infrastructure aimed at engaging low-income families in urban agriculture, nutrition education, and healthy food access navigation. New Roots builds on the agricultural experience of many new refugee and immigrant families by providing access to land, materials, and education for program participants to grow healthy food.

New Roots Program Services include: Increasing Food Access, Fostering Income Generation, Improving Nutrition, Building Community, Developing Leadership and Skills.

Scope of volunteer work: The Community Garden volunteer will be part of a bi-weekly volunteer group of up to 3-5 members who will support the New Roots team in maintaining and caring for the community gardens throughout South King County. Volunteers will support the Community Garden Specialist in projects and overall provide general support where and when needed.  This is a great position for someone who has a community centered approach and is passionate about food and land access and justice. 

Location: In-person at garden sites.

Namaste Garden (St. Thomas Parish Church)

4415 S 140th St, Tukwila, WA 98168

Hope Community Garden (St. Columba's Episcopal Church)

26715 Military Rd S, Kent WA 98032 

St. James Community Garden (St. James Episcopal Church)

24447 94th Ave. S Kent WA 98030

 

Time Committment: 1-2 hours/bi-weekly during IRC office hours on Fridays (ideally in the afternoon). Regular schedule preferred. Minimum 2-3-month commitment. Position begins June 2022.  Ideal commitment is June through October 2022.

Essential Position Functions:

  • Provide general support to Community Garden Specialist at the gardens
  • Garden cleanup
  • Garden maintenance activities such as digging up plots, setting up irrigation etc
  • Check-in with community gardeners onsite, and document questions or concerns

Requirements:

  • Must have access to a car.
  • Must have a computer and cell phone.
  • Passion for food justice and food access in local communities.
  • Must be able to work productively in a team environment, as well as under minimal supervision, taking the initiative to ask questions as needed.
  • Must be culturally sensitive, respectful of diverse backgrounds, and willing to work with English language learners; previous cross-cultural communication and work experience is a plus.
  • Deep commitment to IRC’s core values and the ability to model and communicate those values in relationships with IRC staff, clients and partners.
  • Willingness to adhere to IRC workplace policies.

Desired Qualifications:

  • Knowledge of following is a plus: US food systems, gardening/agriculture, social justice systems and nutrition.
  • Fluency or advanced proficiency in a second language (Dari, Farsi, Arabic, Swahili, Spanish, Nepali, and Burmese speakers especially encouraged to apply)
  • Experience working in farming or gardening
  • Experience working with interpreters.
  • Experience working in multicultural environments is a plus.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires candidates who are selected for interview to have proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for this position.

Reports to: Community Garden Specialist   

Apply:

1. Please email [email protected] with a resume and cover letter

2. Please fill out our online volunteer application 

Updated: June 2022