2026 Food Access Coordinator (Seasonal)

Job Title: Food Access Coordinator

Employment Status: Hourly, Seasonal (Early May to Mid November). 32-40 hours per week

Compensation: $21.00 – $25.00 per hour depending on experience

Location and Dates: Candidate $21.00 – $25.00must be available to work all Wednesdays at the Downtown Bend Farmers Market (approx. 9:30am-4:00pm) from approximately June 17th to September 30th. Occasional evening and weekend hours will also be required.

Start Date: Early May 2026

About HDFFA: The High Desert Food and Farm Alliance (HDFFA) is a non-profit whose mission is to support a healthy and thriving food and farm network in Central Oregon through education, collaboration and inclusivity.  We meet our mission by fostering relationships between producers (farmers, ranchers and food businesses) and consumers, increasing awareness of and access to food from our region, and cultivating community participation with local food. We serve farmers, ranchers, food businesses, nonprofits and underserved families in the high desert region of Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson Counties. We believe everyone deserves good food.

About this Opportunity

HDFFA is seeking a Food Access Coordinator to join our team for the 2026 growing season. In this role, you will coordinate and execute VeggieRx & Fresh Harvest Kit programming across Central Oregon. The Coordinator will lead VeggieRx recruitment and enrollment, spearhead ongoing outreach and engagement, conduct program evaluations, and deliver nutrition education. You will also manage the purchasing, coordination and distribution of Fresh Harvest Kit supplies across multiple sites throughout the season, ensuring smooth program operations. This role includes setting up, staffing and tearing down the weekly VeggieRx booth at the Downtown Bend Farmers Market on Wednesdays, where HDFFA has direct interaction with Bend VeggieRx participants each week. You will work closely with HDFFA’s Senior Manager of Food Access, as well as other Central Oregon food access leaders, community members, local farmers, healthcare providers, and partner organizations, strengthening access to healthy, locally sourced foods for the Central Oregon community.

Who we’re looking for

You are passionate about improving food access for all Central Oregonians and want to support local farmers and ranchers, people experiencing food insecurity, and those living in rural communities in Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties. You thrive on connecting with diverse communities, whether it’s program participants, healthcare providers, local farmers or volunteers.  You have experience translating nutrition, food preparation, and seasonal eating into clear, accessible programming. You are a creative problem solver, with excellent communication, time-management, and organization skills which will allow you to effectively coordinate our VeggieRx and Fresh Harvest Kit programming throughout the tri-county region.

Primary responsibilities and functions

General HDFFA Functions (10%)

• Maintain a working knowledge of the mission, vision, core values, food access programs and events of HDFFA
• Distribute HDFFA resources, including our 2026 Central Oregon Food Guide and High Desert Food Trail maps
• Maintain clear communication with HDFFA’s Senior Manager, Food Access via weekly check-in meetings, as well as other staff as necessary via phone, email, and meetings
• Manage and staff HDFFA’s regional farmers’ market pop-up booths throughout the season, handling setup, teardown and offering interactive seasonal tasting experiences to engage patrons (~6 dates, will require some weekend & evenings hours)
• Attend and support the Fill Your Pantry farmers market, full day on Saturday, November 7th

VeggieRx Coordination (45%)

• Aid in program recruitment and enrollment in all VeggieRx locations
• Set up, tear down and staff the HDFFA VeggieRx booth at the Downtown Bend Farmers Market on Wednesdays (approx. 9:30am – 4pm) from June 17th to September 30th
• Manage program accounting and administrative tasks such as attendance tracking, counting and recording market tokens or vouchers and conducting spot surveys at distributions
• Create and implement interactive nutrition activities at VeggieRx market booths
• Communicate regularly with partner farms, distribution partners and HDFFA staff to coordinate the VeggieRx Program and troubleshoot any issues
• Serve as a regular point of contact to participants to identify barriers and opportunities in program utilization and success
• Conduct regular check-in calls and implement text reminder system with participants
• Organize & lead VeggieRx volunteers in partnership with HDFFA’s Operations Coordinator
• Coordinate and organize VeggieRx supplies and printed education materials for the season
• Attend 1-2 Prineville VeggieRx distributions in Crook County (Saturdays, approximately 10:00am-2:00pm)
• Attend 1-2 Sisters VeggieRx distributions at the Sisters Farmers Market (Sundays, approximately 10:00am-2:00pm)
• Administer post program surveys to participants to gather insights
• Accurately enter and manage survey data for analysis and reporting

• Maintain and update program outreach, nutrition and cooking education materials, including newsletters, recipes and produce preparation handouts, etc.

Fresh Harvest Kits (45%)

• Coordinate, organize and deliver Fresh Harvest Kit supplies (bags, pantry staples, spice packets, print material, etc.) regularly for our various sites throughout Central Oregon
• Track, organize and purchase inventory of Fresh Harvest Kit supplies to ensure sufficient stock throughout the season
• Organize & lead volunteers during Fresh Harvest Kit activities, such as spice packing events, in coordination with the Operations Coordinator
• Communicate regularly with partner farms, distribution partners and HDFFA staff to coordinate the Fresh Harvest Program and troubleshoot any issues
• Administer surveys to participants and partners to gather insights and feedback
• Accurately enter and manage survey data for analysis and reporting
• Set up, staff and tear down local produce pop-ups at food pantries throughout Central Oregon, to offer seasonal eating experiences and education to guests (approximately 2-3x/month)

Required Qualifications

• Excellent communication and organization skills, with strong attention to detail
• Ability to creatively solve problems, take initiative and produce results with minimal supervision
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and handling sensitive information with discretion
• Self-motivation with the ability to work independently, balance multiple projects and prioritize tasks effectively
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills to build relationships and interact in a respectful and professional manner with volunteers, stakeholders and partners
• Comfortable interacting with the public and program participants, including navigating challenging or emotionally charged situations with professionalism and empathy.
• Ability to work weekly on Wednesdays at the Downtown Bend Farmers Market for, from approximately June 17 – September 30.
• Ability and willingness to work outdoors in varying weather and environmental conditions, including heatin accordance with applicable workplace safety guidelines.
• Willingness to travel throughout Central Oregon for supply coordination, data collection dates and other food access programming needs, as necessary.
• Ability and willingness to drive HDFFA’s company vehicles including a pick-up truck and cargo van.
• Ability to lift 50 pounds safely and stand for 4-5 hours. This includes loading and unloading market booth items (including tent and table), the ability to set up a 10×10 tent and lift large bins of produce occasionally.
• Ability to work occasional evening and weekend hours for events and programming distributions (ex: Farmers Market pop-ups, Fill Your Pantry, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Program coordination or other administrative experience
• A degree or certification in nutrition (or related field) or be working towards a degree in this area of study
• Previous volunteer coordination and/or hosting experience
• Prior work in food access, community health, or food system initiatives
• Experience working with non-profit organizations or in community development programs
• Spanish proficiency or fluency

Benefits

• Accrued sick leave at a rate of 1.33 hours accrued for every 40 hours worked
• Monthly phone stipend
• Season completion bonus: $1,500.00 paid out upon satisfactory completion of seasonal job, hire date through Fill Your Pantry

Due to the seasonal nature of the role, there is a limit of 3 Personal Days off, which must be approved in advance, not including sick time. Extended vacations will generally not be approved.

The candidate must possess a current, valid, Oregon driver’s license. In addition the candidate will need to provide a 5-year motor vehicle record obtained through DMV2U – Login (oregon.gov) that includes no license suspensions or major violations in the last five years.

Mileage reimbursement will be provided at the federal mileage rate when a personal vehicle is used for HDFFA business.

Commitment to Inclusive Hiring Practices

The requirements listed in our job descriptions are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Your experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work, which helps build the competencies, knowledge, and skills that translates directly to our openings. If you are excited about this opportunity but are unsure if your experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application and how your talents and experience can bring value to this role.

HDFFA provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.