Food-Inspired Resilience & Equity (FIRE) Internship

Hosted by CEFS, Community Food Strategies, and the North Carolina Local Food Council, the FIRE program connects interns with community-based food organizations across the state to support their work to build a more resilient and equitable food system. Throughout the year, interns will be paid to assist and manage various projects, including research, meeting facilitation, logistical support, and communications, as well as other tasks that align with the host’s needs and the intern’s interests. 

In addition to valuable technical skills, interns can expect to learn about grassroots food initiatives, cultivate meaningful relationships with mentors and community members, and engage with and uplift their communities.

Student Benefits:

  • Hands-on practical work experience 
  • Ability to use your unique skills and perspectives to support community-based food organizations
  • In-depth, on-the-ground learning of local food and parts of the food system via the internship and the CEFS professional development programming 
  • Income 
  • Fulfill student work hours or internship requirements

Student Qualifications:

  • Enrolled in any kind of accredited institution of higher education in North Carolina
  • Able to discuss and connect how their major and personal or professional experiences relate to local food systems
  • Able to commit to the program from September 2024 through April 2025
  • Able to work approximately 15 hours per week
The student-intern application period is now open. Apply here.

Purpose:

The purpose of this program is to expand the capacity of local food-based organizations, that are dedicated to promoting more resilient and equitable food systems, across the state by pairing them with paid college student interns. We pair unique student skill sets (such as social media, marketing, and experience with online platforms) to match the needs of host local food organizations. In addition, we cover the salary of the student interns and program logistics, such as recruiting and hiring. In return, host sites provide impactful experiences and hands-on skill-building related to food systems and equity work for college students.

Timeline:

  • Host site applications open: May 6, 2024
  • Host site applications due: June 3, 2024
  • Intern applications open: July 1, 2024  
  • Intern applications due: August 2, 2024
  • Interviews: Week of August 26, 2024
  • Orientation: September 15, 2024
  • Start date: September 20, 2024
  • End date: May 2, 2025

Background

Community Food Strategies works to inspire connections and amplify collective action so that community voices are heard and food policy shifts toward more equitable outcomes. Our ultimate purpose is to help build an equitable, community-driven food system that improves the quality of life for all people. Learn more here.

North Carolina Local Food Council serves as a collaborative network across various organizations, agencies, and groups whose statewide work supports vibrant farmers and fisheries, healthy people, strong communities, thriving local economies, and resilient ecosystems through a common aim: NC’s local food system. Learn more here.

CEFS envisions a future of vibrant farms, resilient ecosystems, strong communities, healthy people, and thriving local economies. CEFS is one of the nation’s most important centers for research, extension, and education in sustainable agriculture and community-based food systems. It is recognized as a national and international leader in the local foods movement, and celebrated for its work in building consensus around policies, programs, and actions that facilitate a vibrant local food economy.

CEFS was born from the shared conviction that a land-grant-university-based research, education, and extension program focused on organic and sustainable agriculture could have a significant and essential impact in North Carolina.

Funding for the 2024 – 2025 cohort is provided by BlueCross BlueShield Foundation of NC and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.