Food-Inspired Resilience & Equity (FIRE) Internship
Host Sites
Host Sites are community-based food organizations (including food councils and food coalitions) that are paired with college students to increase their capacity by supporting their work to build a more resilient and equitable food system.
Participating host sites for this internship cycle include:
North Carolina Local Food Council (NCLFC)
Internship Type: Hybrid
Organization summary: The NCLFC serves as a collaborative network across various organizations, agencies, and groups whose statewide and regional work supports vibrant farms and fisheries, healthy people, strong communities, thriving local economies, and resilient ecosystems through a common aim: NC’s local food systems. We do this by providing interactions between members to foster coordinated programs, guidance development, communication, resources, and support on food-related research discussions and development.
Scope of Work:
- We would like an intern to assist in conducting an internal council assessment. The intern would support this project by collecting and interpreting data in the fall that would be used to guide the strategic planning for 2025.
- Additional work would include supporting our communications (newsletters and annual report) and supporting our local food marketing workgroup that aims to connect producers with consumers.
Preferred skills that the intern will bring to the work:
- Survey design
- Data analysis
- Story telling/writing
- Canva design
- Synthesizes and summarization skills
What we hope the intern gains:
- Greater understanding about the day-to-day function of food councils
- How to conduct informal research and data analysis on food councils
- Improved communication skills
Growing High Point
Internship Type: Hybrid
Organization summary: Our mission is to transform under-resourced neighborhoods through community engagement, empowerment, and entrepreneurship. Growing High Point is anchored in the 27260 ZIP code, the fifth poorest in North Carolina and a “food desert.” In this ZIP code, we have transformed formerly blighted urban properties into a network of urban farms covering nearly 4 acres. The produce we grow is sold at the High Point Farmers Market, to Second Harvest Food Bank of NWNC’s Farm Nourish program, and on Growdega, our mobile market. We also serve 19 seniors each week with free produce delivery as well as new refugee families. We have nearly 20 youth employees who are learning about urban agriculture through employment and enrichment, and we’re training 3 adults in urban farming with the goal of expanding our urban farm network.
Scope of Work:
- Growing High Point’s Food Hub is a resource that is available for local farmers and gardeners. The intern would research small local farmers, visit their farms or gardens, introduce Growing High Point’s Food Hub, and help build a network that utilizes the Food Hub to increase the availability of local produce. Additionally, we would likely want them to be involved in special events to help support the overall organization’s goals.
Preferred skills that the intern will bring to the work:
- Research and data analysis
- Customer service
- Entrepreneurial mindset
What we hope the intern gains:
- We would hope the intern would gain strong relationships and experience that would lead them to a career in agriculture.
Common Ground Cafe
Internship Type: Hybrid
Organization summary: Common Ground Cafe is a 501c3 nonprofit food service model in Cleveland County formed to help overcome barriers to basic human needs of citizens within our community. Our mission is to strengthen our community, improve our economy, foster local partnerships, and promote health by offering nourishing meals in a welcoming and safe environment to everyone, regardless of income, age or status. From 2018-2022, Common Ground Cafe, through the establishment of a network of culinary artists, restaurant owners, churches, local farmers, area businesses and volunteers to enrich the lives of our guests by providing nourishing meals through a “donate-what-you-can” payment model via various pop-up markets and periodic fundraising events. In 2023, we recognized the need to address the disparity towards underserved and marginalized seniors who are unable to consistently prepare meals on their own. In June 2023, we successfully piloted the iSMILE Meal Program for Seniors, provided weekly home-cooked meals to 18 seniors in the program. As of today, we provide that meal delivery service to 75 seniors residing in Cleveland County.
Scope of Work:
- The intern will be tasked with supporting the sustainability of our nutritionally-tailored meals program, and connecting with other food systems opportunities in and around Cleveland County.
- The goal is to increase access to nourishing foods, utilizing local ingredients, for those most in need (we have a particular focus and reach with African American seniors.) Through a variety of activities that support increasing our impact and strategic planning, the intern will support codifying a model that distributes the economic cost of healthy food equitably within the community through pay-what-you can opportunities and other forms of subsidization. The project will involve evaluation and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative impacts, as well as research into other existing initiatives that our organization could learn from.
- We are looking for ways to increase purchasing of locally-sourced produce (at fair-market value), ensuring both the highest nutritional quality of the meals we produce and economic opportunity for farmers.
- August-October:
- Onboarding
- Event planning and outreach support for October fundraising event
- October – December:
- Assist with summarizing impacts for the year and evaluating successes/challenges.
- Assist with SWOT analysis (or other strategic analysis tool) to develop goals for 2025, with a focus on partnerships.
- Assist with developing simple budget templates and tools for forecasting, tracking costs.
- Research grant opportunities and develop a grants timeline.
- January – March
- Support application to Creating New Economies Fund
- Research and help develop a fundraising plan (non-grant sources)
- Create marketing/communications materials, such as a one-pager about the organization.
- Coordinate meetings with relevant partner organizations and agencies as identified by SWOT analysis/ end-of-year planning.
- March-April
- Assist with Q1 evaluation.
- Communicate impacts to stakeholders.
- Research university/internship partnerships for additional technical assistance
Preferred skills that the intern will bring to the work:
- Strong in evaluation and analytics
- Comfortable with budgeting tools
- Some level of business administration or administrative leadership background
- Ability to synthesize knowledge and experience and to formulate plans of action as a result
What we hope the intern gains:
- We want the intern to be integrated into each part of our work, gaining a deep understanding of the machinations of rural non-profit food access organizations. The intern will be coached in a setting grounded in social work principles: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. Likewise, they will be part of the lifecycle of a learning organization: collect data, analyze data, make changes, repeat.
- The intern will have the opportunity to learn about other models and food systems work through their research to support our learning and growth. They will grapple with the same challenges and decisions we have to make about how to uphold our values with limited resources, and ultimately practice resourcefulness to find solutions that work.
Toxic Free NC
Internship Type: In-person
Organization summary: Toxic Free NC builds power with communities to advocate for policies that advance a justice and healthy food system, and we promote community-led solutions and food sovereignty as an answer to extractive industrial agriculture. We prioritize engagement with communities most impacted by environmental and food injustice including low-income communities, communities of color, and migrant farmworkers, as well as children and families who are most at-risk to the cumulative health impacts of our industrial food system. Our Women of Color Farmers initiative benefits BIPOC women farmers’ economic and environmental sustainability on the land. The Farmworker Health and Justice initiative aims to build power with and between migrant farmworkers and their families, as well as with the broader Latinx community statewide. Our work has evolved in response to the changing realities and needs of our community, and as we have deepened our justice lens. Today, our work is advanced through policy advocacy and through key initiatives like the Women of Color Farmers Network, Environmental Justice Academy for farmworkers and families, and other partnerships, programming, and coalition work that advances a more just and sustainable agricultural future so that everyone in North Carolina can enjoy healthy and safe food.
Scope of Work:
- The intern will work closely with the Program and Organizing Director to help build the capacity of the Women of Color Farmers Network, including organizing presenters for the monthly call, planning and organizing in person events, and advocating alongside farmers for supportive and equitable policy. Additional responsibilities could include external communications through social media, direct farmer support, and attending coalition calls.
Preferred skills that the intern will bring to the work:
- Experience in community engagement and outreach
- Experience with google suite, zoom, social media
- Grounding in a racial justice lens
What we hope the intern gains:
- We hope the intern gains organizing and advocacy skills, as well as a deep understanding of the needs of farmers across the state in order to truly implement equitable policies.
NC Farmers Market Network
Internship Type: Hybrid
Organization summary: The mission of the North Carolina Farmers Market Network is to work with and for farmers market communities to create a thriving network of marketplaces for local food and farm products through education, innovative services, programs, and partnerships, including providing resources to historically underserved populations. One of our current priority projects is coordinating efforts to create statewide funding for doubling SNAP/EBT benefits at farmers markets. This initiative works towards creating more equitable food systems by increasing access and reducing barriers to fresh and local produce.
Scope of Work:
- Support Double Up North Carolina (DUNC) working group with various tasks such as: additional data collection for Statewide Nutrition Incentives; working group meeting note-taking; and assisting with engaging partners and collaborators by sharing updates, information and educational materials. Other responsibilities include: NCFMN Statewide Conference (Feb 2025) support; NCFMN membership engagement and recruitment efforts; social media support; and creating photographic content of farmers markets.
Preferred skills that the intern will bring to the work:
- Well-organized with good follow through and communications skills
- Social outreach skills to help collect and compile data
- Note-taking with good synopsis skills
- Photography (i.e. image collection for promotional materials of farmers markets)
- Social media and website design experience for support work on this theme
What we hope the intern gains:
- We truly hope that the intern gains practical and real experience with not only the immediate tasks they will assist with and be responsible for but also insight into the details and challenges of a growing nonprofit organization. Ultimately, we hope that this experience provides the intern with tools and skills to continue engaging in food systems work.
Good Shepherd Food Pantry of Bertie County
Internship Type: In-person
Organization summary: Our mission is to increase self-reliance, relieve hunger and improve the quality-of-life for food insecure families. Approximately 750 Bertie County families are served monthly during our distributions; 450 -500 seniors receive food boxes from the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. Since 2022 GSFP in partnership with Access East under the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) program has delivered healthy food boxes to over 375 households. As of October 2023, an average of 150 boxes per week are delivered to Medicaid (managed care recipients) through the HOP program.
During the summer months of June-August, GSFP manages the Windsor Farmers Market. We provide opportunities for local farmers, vendors, students and the community to sell their products at a minimal monthly fee of $10 per market day. GSFP purchases produce that isn’t sold and distributes it during our distribution the following day. SNAP recipients are able to use their EBT card during the “double bucks’ program to receive free produce. The prescription program under HOP can be redeemed at the market also, allowing for more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Scope of Work:
Intern responsibilities will include:
- Provide administrative assistance to the Ex. Dir and Program manager as needed to include maintaining an updated filing and database system for families served.
- Identify and interview potential families that may benefit from services we provide.
- Update and/or develop an engaging social media platform to reach potential clients.
- Serve as our community liaison during community events to educate the public on potential opportunities.
Preferred skills that the intern will bring to the work:
- Customer service
- Social media
- Web design
What we hope the intern gains:
- An appreciation of an organization that is true to its mission of serving and advocating for the community it serves.
Transplanting Traditions Community Farm
Internship Type: Hybrid
Organization summary:
TTCF’s mission is to uplift food sovereignty in the refugee community through access to land, education and opportunities for refugee farmers to address community food insecurity and the barriers they face in reaching their dreams of farming. The farm provides a cultural community space for refugee adults and youth to come together, recreate home and build healthy communities, and continue agricultural traditions in the Piedmont of N.C.
Scope of Work:
- TTCF is growing as an organization, and many farmers that TTCF works with are growing their businesses. We are hoping to expand our presence on social media and increase accessibility of our website to increase our reach to potential customers and the community more broadly. With this increased access to customers, farmers can better meet their business development and income goals, and revenue for refugee owned farmer businesses will increase. Another benefit of increasing social media following is reaching more people with our story. There are still many people in the local area who don’t know TTCF or our work, and it would be powerful to share what we do with our broader piedmont/ NC community. Other communications and outreach related aspects of this role could include working to support our growing food access and wholesale programs, or stepping in to organize special events.
Preferred skills that the intern will bring to the work:
- We are looking for an intern with strong social media skills (i.e. creating posts and posting schedules, an eye for designing posts based on our brand kit and something that will capture the attention of followers) creating videos/ reels and taking photos, web design. Photography skills. Working well within a dynamic team. Working well outdoors in fluctuating weather conditions. Commitment to language justice and cultural sensitivity for refugee and immigrant farmers.
What we hope the intern gains:
- TTCF hopes that from their time with TTCF the intern will gain insight on what it’s like to be a part of a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, multi-racial organization that prioritizes the needs and uplifts the voices of our program participants. TTCF works from an empowerment model and prioritizes language justice and participatory learning. The intern will take these examples and bring them into other organizations that they will continue to work with throughout their career, and ultimately make waves throughout food justice spaces towards more accessibility and equitability.
