Growing Gardens Coordinator (GGC)

Structure: Part Time (Hourly, 12-14 hrs/week) – employee or contractor possible Location: Hybrid (remote + events/site visits in Franklin, Hampshire & Hampden Counties) Pay range: $24-$25/hr Reports to: Director of Intercultural Learning & Land-Based Programs See also: Youth & Young Adult Engagement Coordinator and Visual Design, Marketing & Communications Coordinator. You are welcome to apply for more than one position. We will be glad to consider a combined position for the right person. Please view here . About Rachel’s Table of Western Massachusetts (RTWM) Rachel’s Table of Western Massachusetts (RTWM) is a grassroots, volunteer-powered nonprofit that alleviates hunger while advancing community-led solutions to food insecurity. Rooted in Jewish values and shaped by intercultural partnerships, RTWM operates across Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties through four core programs—Rescue, Purchase, Glean, and Grow—and an intergenerational volunteer base of over 350 people, including a Teen Board cultivating youth leadership in food access. We partner with 70+ agencies and community networks to fill critical gaps in local food access. We address immediate hunger crises as well as strive for long‑term solutions through redistributing surplus food, engaging local farms, and supporting food‑insecure communities to grow and harvest their own food.

JOB OVERVIEW

RTWM’s Growing Gardens (GG) program supports diverse agencies in building and maintaining on‑site gardens in which they grow culturally affirming food, flowers, and community with their constituents. We are in the process of evaluating impact and refining future trajectories of the program. The GGC plays a pivotal role in cultivating a vibrant, well‑supported network of agency gardeners. They coordinate program logistics, ensure successful implementation of seasonal events and workshops, and support community partners in sustaining and strengthening their gardens. The GGC brings event planning and facilitation experience and is ready to lead on‑the‑ground operations while learning the program’s specific vision and approach. They steward volunteer engagement and ensure that GG programming reflects and supports our community partners’ strengths, needs, and cultures.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Coordination & Partner Support Maintain strong, supportive relationships with up to 10 garden sites in Hampden, Hampshire, and/or Franklin Counties through regular visits and consistent communication; Offer garden partners technical support, facilitation, and resources tailored to specific goals and needs; Track and document each site’s development, successes, and challenges; Collaborate with supervisor to design and implement seasonal plans, sustainability strategies, and shared learning opportunities across sites; Collaborate with supervisor to select and onboard new agencies if/when appropriate. Event Planning & Facilitation Take the lead in planning and executing GG workshops and events, including managing logistics, materials, outreach, and site coordination; Coordinate interpretation, translation, and other access needs for multilingual and multigenerational audiences; Schedule and facilitate monthly virtual “lunch chat” gatherings for garden staff and volunteers; Work with the RTWM volunteer coordinator to steward strong volunteer engagement through outreach, onboarding, and consistent communication and support; Develop and/or adapt digital and print educational materials; Maintain accurate documentation of site‑level expenses, in‑kind contributions, and volunteer hours; Keep contact lists up to date and accessible; Contribute to strategy discussions and research to strengthen/refine future program direction.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required: Embodies a commitment to the mission and values of Rachel’s Table of Western Massachusetts; 2+ years experience in event coordination, community organizing, program implementation, or similar; Experience with or knowledge of food equity, urban gardening, and/or land‑based education; Skilled facilitator who can create inclusive, energizing environments for diverse groups; Excellent organizational, communication, and time‑management skills; Basic to intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 or ability to quickly learn. Preferred: Working knowledge of food security and/or human service agencies in Western Mass; Technical knowledge in two or more of the following areas: irrigation at different scales, crop planning, crop health, integrative pest management, soil health, food production infrastructure; Spanish language fluency and/or fluency in other languages spoken by local communities; Familiarity with Canva and one or more social media platforms.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & LOGISTICS

Occasional attendance at in‑person staff meetings at the Springfield JCC or retreats at varying locations; Virtual or in‑person attendance at weekly check‑in meetings with supervisor; Attendance at Growing Gardens workshops and events in Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin counties; Most partner sites operate within regular business days/hours (M‑F 9am‑5pm), so site visits, meetings, and events must occur during these hours. Otherwise, precise working hours are flexible, and work that does not pertain to a specific garden site or event can be done remotely. To Apply Please send a cover letter or video sharing your interest, experience, and what you’ll bring to the role, along with a resume or a summary of relevant work to Cara Michelle Silverberg at View email address on click.appcast.io by August 1. Applications will be reviewed as soon as they are received, and interviews will begin in mid‑July. Rachel’s Table of Western Massachusetts is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Statistics show that women, People of Color, and underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications; we invite you to break that statistic. #J-18808-Ljbffr RACHEL'S TABLE