International Rescue Committee

BACKGROUND:

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee is a leading, non-sectarian, non-profit organization providing emergency relief, protection, rehabilitation assistance, resettlement services, and advocacy for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. Domestically, our 28 offices across the U.S. ensure new arrivals have food, shelter, and clothing, and work with refugees to help them gain self-sufficiency. New Roots is a program of the IRC that connects refugees with community gardens and farm sites so that they can feed themselves and their communities through market and wholesale opportunities.

SCOPE OF INTERN WORK:

The New Roots Marketing intern will play a central role in promoting New Roots farmers markets in the greater Salt Lake area and ensuring the markets’ smooth operation and an excellent customer experience. The primary focus of the internship May through June will focus on farmers market outreach and farmer trainings to ensure New Roots participants are prepared for the market season. The remainder of the internship (June onwards) will focus on assisting in market operations and the market-based food pantry. This position will be mostly in-person with the potential for one or more office or remote work day. The intern will report to a New Roots market team member.

COMMITMENT:

May 13th – mid to late August (exact date TBD), 15-20 hours per week

RESPONSIBILITIES:

May-June

• Work with the New Roots market team to conduct outreach to customers in the Salt Lake City and West Valley areas.
• Create targeted marketing campaigns promoting:

o Redwood Farmers Market and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) weekly vegetable box program.

o Sunnyvale Farmers Market

o New Roots Bud Bailey Farmers Market

• Assist the market team in developing and implementing farmer trainings, including but not limited to a training on the Square point of sale system, which will allow farmers to process payments at the Bud Bailey Farmers Market.

June-August

• Assist farmers with using Square at the Bud Bailey Farmers Market
• Assist New Roots staff with managing all three New Roots Farmers Markets (primarily in-person market staffing).
• Place orders of non-perishable foods to keep the Sunnyvale food pantry stocked.
• Work with the New Roots youth agriculture program (YALL) to pick up food pantry orders and transport them to the farmers market site.
• Coordinate and pick-up free kids lunches for the Sunnyvale Farmers Market.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. The intern will demonstrate knowledge of New Roots programming and how to best promote farmers markets to potential customers.

2. The intern will gain experience with food access programming and promotion through outreach to SNAP/EBT customers.

3. The intern will gain professional experience in customer management in the context of farmers markets.

4. The intern will demonstrate an ability to communicate with limited English speakers and people from different cultures.