PHENND Fellows: Katie's Cupboard Community Program Developer

Katie's Cupboard is a program of Tabor Lutheran Church, located in lower Northeast Philadelphia. We opened the pantry in 2019, scaled up rapidly during the pandemic and now are serving an average of more than 100 households each week and 2000 unique individuals over the course of a year. Our volunteer staff, which includes members of the larger community as well as of the church, reflects the ethnic diversity of our neighborhood, and several have current or past experience with food insecurity themselves. We receive most of the food we distribute through a federal program and do not discriminate or proselytize.

Member Duties : Our primary goal is to have a VISTA worker build on and expand the work accomplished in the first year of the VISTA program by continuing to assess our neighbors' needs, and by planning, implementing and evaluating and assessing the effectiveness of pilot programs that address root causes of poverty, and to evaluate their effectiveness. A secondary goal would be to assist leaders of the program in adapting to new technologies and policies required by our partners.

Program Benefits : Education award upon successful completion of service , Stipend , Living Allowance , Training , SEPTA Transportation Pass , Relocation Allowance , Health Coverage* , Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend , Childcare assistance if eligible .

*For details about AmeriCorps VISTA healthcare benefits, please visit https://americorps.gov/members-volunteers/vista/benefits .

Terms :
Permits working at another job during off hours , Permits attendance at school during off hours .

Service Areas :
Community and Economic Development , Hunger , Community Outreach .

Skills :
Leadership , Community Organization , Social Services , Knowledge of Spanish/Chinese + , Conflict Resolution , Writing/Editing , Team Work , Communications .