Food Pantry Associate bei St. Joseph Center

Background

Since 1976, St. Joseph Center has been meeting the needs of low-income and homeless individuals and families in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, and surrounding communities.  The Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that assists people without regard for religious affiliation or lack thereof through comprehensive case management and integrated social service programs.  The Center enjoys broad-based community support as well as a sponsored relationship with its founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.  St. Joseph Center serves approximately 6,000 individuals annually.

Brief Description of Principal Activities

Multifaceted intervention, prevention, and education services are carried out at four sites on the Westside of Los Angeles.  St. Joseph Center’s integrated programs provide clients with concentrated and coordinated access to services according to the nature of their needs.

St. Joseph Center (SJC) is a nonprofit organization and is the leading housing and supportive services provider on the Westside of Los Angeles.  For nearly five decades, our mission has been to end homelessness and poverty in Los Angeles.  We work at the intersection of housing, economic mobility and social justice. We provide comprehensive housing services, outreach, food assistance, mental health support, and workforce development to over 15,000 low-income individuals, youth, and families each year.

We understand that homelessness, housing insecurity and poverty in Los Angeles are unique, largely shaped by the critical housing shortage.  That’s why we take a holistic approach to supporting Angelenos in need, prioritizing Housing First while recognizing that housing alone is not enough to support individuals and families on their path to build a sustainable and productive future.

We are looking for people who, like us, believe in the inherent worth of every individual.  And understand that homelessness and poverty are often a result of circumstances, not a reflection of character. We are on a bold mission to end poverty and homelessness in our generation and are deeply committed to finding long-term solutions to shape a future for Los Angeles that works for all.

At St. Joseph Center we are committed to creating a culture where innovation flourishes, diversity strengthens us, and our strong SJC community contributes to our shared mission.

Job Summary

The food pantry assistant works as a team member with several social service professional and paraprofessional staff performing duties and providing support to program staff and clients.  The food pantry ensures that pantry operation and service is performing optimally.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The food pantry assistant’s key areas of responsibility and duties include: 

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Operation of food pantry, and supporting food pantry service
• Point person for food donation sources
• Maintain and manage food inventory and pantry storage space
• Assist and manage pantry clients
• Assist and support pantry volunteers or case managers
• Ensure data and documentation is correctly maintained

Essential Duties:

• Set-up and clean-up before and after pantry operating hours.  Restock and make sure the pantry is presentable.  Put away refrigerated items and dispose of expired items
• Support and help decide on daily distribution amounts
• Support pantry volunteers and delegate specific assignments
• Document and distribute emergency food bags for non-pantry clients
• Update the pantry chalk board and PowerPoint (i.e. closed dates, relevant information, events, and activities)
• Help submit the monthly supply order to the program manager before the order date
• Monthly deep cleaning of the pantry (i.e. sweep and mop walk-in refrigerator, clean milk crates, clean produce racks, and sweep pantry storage)  
• Support Food Forward: Deliver Sunday Farmer’s Market boxes every Friday, Pick-up Farmer’s Market donation every Wednesday, act as contact person for Sunday volunteer drivers, and notify of St. Joseph Center closures
• Support WSFB pickups and stocking at pantry.
• Clean and organize the pantry storage space, as well as sort new donations
• Rotate and distribute food in a timely manner.  Keep food pantry office fully stocked in order to make room in the pantry storage for basement stored donations.  Maintain an organized and open space that ensures there is always available storage for drop-off of new donations
• Schedule the renewal and registration appointments for pantry clients
• Deescalate and resolve any client issues
• For onsite workshops, collect pantry cards as well as create and distribute receipts.  Provide a list of workshops completed in July and August for clients’ preparation of holiday sign-ups
• Assist with holiday registration and seasonal or special projects

Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are designed to provide typical examples of the work performed; not all duties and responsibilities assigned are included here, nor is it expected that all similar positions will be assigned every duty and responsibility.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to estimate quantity of food needed on a daily and weekly basis in order to determine appropriate amount of food to be ordered
• Excellent communication and relational skills to assist and coordinate with clients, volunteers, and staff
• The ability to deescalate and resolve client issues and grievances
• Bilingual in Spanish and/or Russian is preferred

Experience:

• Prior administrative assistant or food sector experience is a plus.

Education:

• High School Diploma

Direct Reports:

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities. 

Computer Skills:

• Strong proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Ability to use widely supported internet browsers.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:

• Valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
• Valid automobile liability insurance.

Travel Requirements:

• Twice weekly pickup trips to West Side Food Bank. Occasional donation pickups within LA area.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, sit, walk, stoop, talk, hear, reach above and below shoulders; use hand and finger dexterity, keyboarding and making and receiving telephone calls. The employee may be required on occasion to lift and or carry up to 20 lbs.

 Status: Full time/Exempt

Salary: DOE

Employment with St. Joseph Center is contingent on completion of satisfactory background check.

For consideration, please submit cover letter and resume. St. Joseph Center is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. All applicants for employment are invited to voluntarily self-identify their gender, race, ethnicity, and veteran status, by completing the EEO Information. Providing your EEO Information is voluntary and refusal to self-identify will not subject applicants to any adverse treatment. Similarly, applicants who do self-identify will not be subject to any adverse treatment based on the information they provide.

St. Joseph center invites you to review the current "EEO is The Law" poster as part of the application process. A link to the current poster is located here.

 https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf