The University District Food Bank provides their neighbors with reliable access to healthy food and vital resources. The Food Bank offers a grocery store style shopping experience for customers, where they are offered dignity through choice and able to find food items that are culturally relevant. In July 2016, University District Food Bank moved from the University Christian Church into a new home, one shared with 49 affordable housing apartments. With this transition, they were able to significantly increase the amount of food provided to the Northeast Seattle community as their space increased in size. The expansion has allowed the food bank to provide additional programming and operations including Rooftop Roots, Apple-a-Day Café, and Community Connector programming. Today, they remain one of the busiest food banks in the city from the perspective of total household visits each month.

Our BASW intern will assist the Community Connector team in providing direct service to customers of the food bank to connect them with resources that fit their needs and goals. Intern will support customers in general referrals, completing screenings and applications to various programs and benefits. Resources can include SNAP benefits, healthcare coverage, utility discount programs, rental assistance programs, housing services, employment, and education opportunities, and much more. Additionally, depending on the student’s interest, our intern will have the opportunity to visit and work in collaboration with other food banks to experience the work in a different community.

The Community Connector BASW intern will support the Community Connector team in working one on one with food bank customers to connect them with resources, benefits, and programs that suit their needs and goals. These customers come from a variety of backgrounds and identities, and many have experienced significant barriers to getting their needs met. Our intern will learn about common resources for their specific needs and facilitate their process in getting connected.

Student will assist the CC team in building strategic partnerships with organizations in the community that will increase access to resources for food bank customers and wider U District Community. Students will assist in locating and promoting resources in the community as well as keeping additional resource materials stocked/displayed.

Our intern can participate in macro social work opportunities depending on interest. There are opportunities to connect with community partners engaged in policy and advocacy work. We understand various social policies play a role in the lives of our customers. We support students’ interest in addressing various social issues through policy and advocacy.

Free food! We allow staff and volunteers to shop at the food bank at their discretion, and practicum students are encouraged to shop at the food bank if needed. We offer a $250 per quarter stipend.

-Demonstrated experience communicating with and developing trusting relationships with diverse individuals, including those with a wide range of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, individuals with language barriers, mental health and/or substance abuse challenges.
-Commitment to undoing institutionalized racism and building cultural awareness.
-Willingness and ability to work with people from a variety of racial, cultural and economic backgrounds, with varying abilities, sexual orientations, and of all ages.
-An understanding of issues related to poverty and hunger, and the unique challenges that face our customers.
-Ability to work independently and collaboratively, using discretion, professionalism, integrity, and compassion.
-Ability to tolerate unusual or unpleasant behavior from customers.
-Empathy, compassion and unconditional positive regard for our customers.
-Ability to maintain confidentiality.
-Enjoys being part of a team and able to work self-reliantly.
-Ability to adapt to a dynamic and unpredictable workplace environment.
-Ability to work in an open-office environment.

Required English
Additional language is preferred but not required. Most common languages spoken by our community are Spanish/Mandarin/Cantonese

Please email resume to sam@udistrictfoodbank.org with the subject line "BASW Practicum Application"