Are you interested in food access and want some on the ground experience working with getting fresh local fruits and vegetables to people in our local community? The Carrboro Farmers’ Market is seeking a part-time Intern to assist with administration of the market’s SNAP (formerly food stamps) program as well as assisting with other Market duties as needed. The position is unpaid and part-time with a time commitment of roughly 6-10 hours per week. Responsibilities will include staffing the market’s SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) booth, as well as assisting with some of the following as needed: on-site set up and clean up, assisting with special events and on-site activities, communicating with volunteers and farmers, among other tasks. The majority of intern duties occur on-site during Market hours, so we ask that the intern has availability during one or both market days: Wednesdays (3:30-6:30PM) and/or Saturdays (7:00AM-12:00PM). Qualified applicants will possess initiative and promptness, be able to work independently with minimal supervision, and be comfortable communicating with a broad range of community members and farmers.
The unpaid internship is a minimum of one semester beginning immediately, with the option for continuation into the following semester. For further information email Erin Heiderman at erinheiderman@gmail.com. To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to Erin Heiderman at erinheiderman@gmail.com. Application deadline is August 25, 2012.
This internship does not guarantee employment opportunities within the Market after the internship is completed.
Information about CFM:
Touted as one of the finest local markets in the country, the Carrboro Farmers' Market has provided an opportunity for local farmers to sell their products directly to the consumer since 1979. Run by the farmer members, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Farmers' Markets, Inc. oversees the operation of the market. Member farms are visited periodically to assure that all items sold are locally grown by the seller and are of the highest quality. Learn more at www.carrborofarmersmarket.com.
More information about SNAP EBT:
SNAP, which stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is essentially the U.S. government’s new form of food stamps. SNAP recipients receive government assistance for food purchases through an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) to a personal card. In 1993 when food stamps were still paper coupons, $9.3 million of food stamps were spent at farmers markets around the nation. Since the switch from paper coupons to debit cards, farmers markets have had to figure out how to convert electronic funds on EBT cards into alternative currencies that SNAP recipients can spend like cash to buy items at farmers markets.
The Carrboro Farmers’ Market has accepted EBT since 2010, making healthy, local food available to low-income community members and increasing revenue for farmers. SNAP customers who shop at the CFM can easily exchange electronic funds for wooden tokens at the market’s Info Booth. SNAP customers are then able to buy food products and garden starts from any participating vendors. Token collection and vendor reimbursement occurs regularly.
