Indeed, it is that time of year again, time for Food Corps recruitment! You may well remember I wrote about the initial recruitment for the first class of Food Corps service members about a year ago. Well I thought the second year of recruitment deserved its very own post because the organization has done a ton of great work in the past year. If you look at their website alone it becomes quickly apparent that this budding program is here to stay.
So what do you need to know for recruitment this year?
- The qualifications for an applicant have not changed, one must be: 18 years or older by the start of service (August 13, 2012), U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States and have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent.
- This year's deadline is: March 25, 2012 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time. No late applications will be accepted and FoodCorps recommends you get yours in early to avoid any tech problems that may arise.
The FoodCorps site lists the benefits of being a FoodCorps member for one year of service as:
- A $15,000 living allowance
- A $5,550 AmeriCorps Segal Education Award
- Student loan forbearance
- Health insurance
- Partial childcare reimbursements
- Training and mentorship
- Alumni network
- The experience of a lifetime
Now, I don't know about you, but all of that sounds pretty great to me (especially that part about student loan forbearance)! As a service member you will be helping teach the future citizens of our nation, children. Everything from gardening to nutrition to how these things relate to math, science, history and more will be explored and taught. Service members will be working nationwide at different types of projects and organizations who are working to educate about and increase access to fresh, healthy food.
This is a really wonderful opportunity for young people looking to get active about the future of food and nutrition in the USA. I highly recommend suggesting applying to friends and family who are into food and who are just finishing high school, maybe in college, or getting ready to graduate. This is a wonderful chance to learn a ton and become a part of the bigger picture of the role food plays in our society. Some of my suggestions for why you or someone you know might want to apply for FoodCorps:
- Know anyone who has been thinking about a "Gap Year"? Service in FoodCorps would be a fantastic way to spend it. Maybe it will inspire one or more young service members to become a Greenhorn (young farmer) rather than going off to college!
- Maybe you are or know a college student who's been getting bored at their university? Maybe thinking about Study Abroad? What about saving money by becoming a service member and gaining similarly invaluable experiences?
- Someone who has graduation approaching but is petrified of the state of the job market? Jump start networking and potentially a career by getting involved with FoodCorps!
- Apply for FoodCorps!
If you still need more inspiration, watch their brand new Recruitment video for 2012 and see some of the great work they've been doing in the past year:
And lastly if you feel you are beyond the years of becoming a service member or don't think the timing is right for you yet, feel free to check out ways you can support FoodCorps without becoming a service member here.
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If you have any questions first check out the FoodCorps website: www.foodcorps.org
Need to know even more? Email: serve[at]foodcorps[dot]org
Want to connect on Social Media and spread the word about FoodCorps and Recruitment?
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/foodcorps
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/FoodCorps
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