Ralph Coolman
Seattle P-patch Program
Dear Friends,
Attached is a job announcement for a Community Garden Coordinator
position with the Seattle P-Patch Program. The position is for a
project called Cultivating Communities. The Community Garden
Coordinator assists neighborhoods in Seatle's low-income housing
projects in the development of both community and market gardens. Our
market gardens use public land to develop small scale Community
Supported Agriculture enterprises that link the low-income community
with the greater Seattle community.
this is an exciting position that requires skills in community
organizing, organic gardening, program development, grant writing and
work with multi-cultural groups. Please reply by July 5, 1996 with a
resume and cover letter to:
P-Patch Program
7th Floor,
Alaska Building
618 Second Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104-2232
or
p-patch.dhhs@ci.seattle.was.us
Good Luck
Ralph Coolman
P-Patch Program
June 24, 1996
Dear Applicant:
Thank you for your interest in the position of Community Garden
Coordinator in our project "Cultivating Communities." During the last
two years we have worked with the ethnically diverse residents at four
Seattle Housing Authority sites to build eleven community gardens and
one Community Supported Agriculture garden, a cooperative business
venture between consumers and gardeners. This project was created by a
partnership of the P-Patch Program, Friends of P-Patch and the Seattle
Housing Authority to meet a need at the housing sites. Funding for
the project, including salary, comes from multiple grant sources.
This project will continue for two more years. In the remaining time
the focus of the project will shift from garden construction
development to making the gardens and the CSA community managed
efforts.
Due to the current City hiring freeze. The coordinator will be hired
as a temporary employee of the City of Seattle in the P-Patch Program.
The position will start on August 12, 1996 and last until the end of
the year. During this time we will begin the process for a permanent
hire. Holding the position as a temporary is helpful but no guarantee
for permanent hire. As a temporary hire there are no benefits, and
salary is approximately $31,500/yr.
If you wish to apply, please send a resume and cover letter of any
length to P-Patch Program 7th Floor, Alaska Building, 618 Second
Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104-2232, by July 5, 1996. In your cover letter
please detail your experience with the minimum qualifications and
position requirements listed on the attached job announcement. If you
have questions, please call 684-0264.
Thank you for your interest.
Sincerely,
P-Patch Program Staff
Friends of P-Patch Board
JOB DESCRIPTION
Coordinator for Community Garden and Community Supported Agriculture
Job Title: Community Garden Coordinator for "Cultivating Communities"
Proposed Start Date: August 12, 1996
Job: Coordinate and develop self-reliance among eleven community
gardens in the Seattle Housing Authority communities of Holly Park,
Rainier Vista, Yesler Terrace and High Point and oversee transition of
newly formed community supported agriculture (CSA) project into self-
sustaining and community managed enterprise.
Background: "Cultivating Communities" is a four year collaborative
project between Friends of P-Patch, a non profit organization, the
Seattle P-Patch Program and the Seattle Housing Authority. In phase
one the project coordinator established 11 community gardens and a
community-supported agriculture project that employs 7 SHA families
and delivers produce to 15 to 20 subscribing families. In phase two
the focus will shift from development to helping the gardens and the
CSA become community managed.
Overall Responsibilities:
Community Garden Responsibilities. Work with gardeners to manage
the gardens; coordinate and secure cooperation of participants in the
project, including SHA residents, SHA administration, Neighborhood
House, translators, Friends of P-Patch, and the P-Patch Program among
others. Since the gardens must be able to stand on their own at the
end of the project, the coordinator will need to work with all
participants to develop systems that will insure survival and
continuity in the gardens.
CSA Responsibilities: Coordinate continuing growth and expansion
of CSA, working toward goal of CSA becoming community managed and
self-sustaining. Facilitate development of relationship between
subscribers and gardeners. Implement training programs
(horticultural, business and marketing) for gardeners.
Additional responsibilities: Work with Friends of P-Patch to
develop grant funding proposals. The coordinator will develop the
program proposal while Friends of P-Patch will manage grant writing.
Specific Tasks:
Community Gardens.
(1) In the remaining months of 1996, insure that gardens are
tended, planted and bedded down for winter. Recruit residents in
order to continue developing the waitlist and to bring new people into
gardens;
(2) In early 1997 coordinate start of the gardening season,
meet with gardeners, recruit and place new gardeners, work with
translators and interpreters where needed, pass out seeds and hold
gardening workshops;
(3) Coordinate with gardening education organizations (Seattle
Tilth, WSU/King County Extension) to offer workshops on organic
gardening and provide education tours of community and demonstration
gardens; and
(4) In remaining two years of project, work with gardeners and
P-Patch Program and SHA to develop a system of self management for the
gardens.
Community Supported Agriculture Project
(1) In remaining months of 1996, continue to oversee
production, subscription sales and management of CSA;
(2) Beginning in Fall of 1996, work with gardeners and
subscribers to plan for 1997 production; also begin planning and
development of system to insure long term viability; Work with
gardeners and subscribers to expand subscriber waitlist and develop
other marketing options; Work with gardeners and subscribers to plan
training programs in essential market garden skills, including among
others, marketing, storage, preservation, delivery, sales, accounting.
Other tasks:
(1) Create reports, include photo documentation, for grant
makers, document project for possible publication as a model project.
Minimum Qualifications:
(1) Demonstrated community organizing skills: neighborhood
organizing, community development or grass roots organizing;
(2) Demonstrated experience with collaborative work projects
and the design and implementation of programs;
(3) Business development background, with CSAs a plus, but
especially experience collaborating with others to develop a business;
(4) Organic food gardening skills: four years experience
preferred, though two years of education in horticulture, agriculture,
organic gardening or similar study, may substitute for one year of
experience;
(5) Demonstrated sensitivity toward cultural diversity;
(6) Ability to work with limited supervision and a willingness
to work some evening and weekend hours;
(7) Familiarity with grant proposal preparation and fundraising
strategies;
(8) Computer skills including database management (Paradox) and
word processing (Word for Windows or WordPerfect);
(9) Excellent written and oral communication skills;
(10) Valid Washington driver's license and insurance; and
(11) Ability to lift 50 pounds.
Preferred Qualifications:
(1) Familiarity with local resources (gardening, community and
other environmental);
(2) Fluency in a language found in the SHA housing sites
including, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, Laotian or Cambodian;
(3) Negotiation and problem solving skills with the ability to
help individuals and the group overcome setbacks (undesirable activity
or vandalism);
(4) Ability to provide safety training for gardeners and
volunteers;
(5) Knowledge of working with a nonprofit board;
(6) Ability to work with and maneuver in large bureaucratic
systems (SHA, City of Seattle);
(7) Ability to work within a budget creatively;