CAPI USA (formerly Centre for Asians and Pacific Islanders) has been working with the refugee and immigrant communities since 1982, having about 3,500 participants annually. While CAPI has been known as a service agency, it is transforming to integrate into its programs a social change agenda, focusing on gender and health equity.
Vision: All refugees and immigrants lead successful lives and exercise fully their civic rights and responsibilities.
Mission: To guide refugees and immigrants in their journey toward self determination and social equality.
POSITION: Healthy Food Project Specialist
CLASSIFICATION: Intern
LOCATION: 3702 E. Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406
EFFECTIVE: Summer 2012
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Candidate should have at least one or two years of college coursework. Progress towards a degree in a science or a social science field is desired but not required. Candidate should have an interest in immigrant and refugee communities and/or urban agriculture.
• Ability to work independently
• Computer proficiency
• Multicultural awareness
• Strong communications skills
• Team player
• Research and writing skills
• Experience with/knowledge of gardening, food, agriculture or refugee issues is desired
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: The intern will work directly for approximately 40 hours per week with CAPI’s Program Coordinator Dean Porter and/or other designated staff to assist in project implementation, grant writing and fundraising for CAPI’s Gardens, Farmer’s Markets and Healthy Food Shelves for Immigrants and Refugees project. Overall, the intern will assist CAPI staff and volunteers in meeting the following project goals:
• 60 community gardeners and urban farmers grow nutritious produce for their families (336 people total based on an average client family size of 5.6) by transforming vacant lots in Twin Cities’ area food deserts into productive gardens that serve as hubs for healthy eating.
• Healthy food is accessible to 2500+ immigrants, refugees and low-income people in the Twin Cities through garden produce donated to CAPI's food shelf (which serves 1800 individuals monthly) as well as 400 customers of 2 mini farmer's markets and 336 gardeners mentioned above.
Scheduling will be determined based upon organizational needs. CAPI’s regular hours of operation are 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM but some evening or weekend hours may be required. Intern should expect to spend a portion of hours in the office and a portion of hours out in the community.
HOW TO APPLY: Please email a resume, cover letter, and a supplement explaining your plan to fund your internship experience (ex. Grinnell's Prairie Studies program) to Dean Porter at dean.porter@capiusa.org or mail your materials to CAPI at 3702 E. Lake Street, Minneapolis,MN. Call Dean at 612-767-3680 with questions; please leave a message.
Diversity Farms, Inc. is a private natural resource consulting and management business. The business works with private landowners, business, organizations, and agencies to enhance native prairie, woodlands and wetlands. The business is located in southern Carroll County, near Dedham, Iowa. Intern Duties would be to help with prairie burns, planting prairie seed, collecting prairie seed, cleaning prairie seed, removal of alien weeds from prairie areas, and removal of woody species from prairies. Educational opportunities would be to learn the technique and function of prescribed burns, prairie and weed species identification, prairie restoration and reconstruction techniques, exotic weed and woody species control techniques, and the business of land management, prairie restoration, and prairie seed sales. For further information contact Jon Judson; 25494 320th Street; Dedham, Iowa 51440. Phone: (712) 683-5555. Email: diversityfarms@iowatelecom.net.
Living History Farms, a non-profit, historical, educational, outdoor museum, connects visitors of all ages to the history of agriculture and rural life. Situated on 500 acres, Living History Farms provides summer internships for up to 25 college students. Interns earn six hours of tuition-free history credit for their work, while receiving valuable experience working at a museum and an hourly wage. Living History Farms pays all tuition costs associated with the summer internship program. Credit is offered through the History Department of Graceland University and at the conclusion of the internship students may transfer the credit hours to their own program. Summer interns work as historical interpreters or as day camp counselors. Application deadline is February 15th each year. For more information, see the Living History Farms’ web page at www.lhf.org/internships.html, or call 515-278-5286.
One Step at a Time Gardens has hired their intern(s) for 2012. They are located in southern Hancock County, provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the value of local food first hand from the workings of a direct market farm. One Step at a Time Gardens has space for two interns this summer. Both interns will be involved with a wide range of the farm’s operation – from vegetable planting and harvest to marketing and managing the farm’s pastured poultry flocks and more. Both Jan and Tim are heavily involved in local food and sustainable agriculture organization at regional and state level. The farm has hosted interns since 2003 and developed an effective mix of hands-on experience and focused discussion and introduction to resources and networking.
Apply: Send resume with three references and a cover letter listing your goals for the internship to Jan and Tim at the above address or email.
Supervisor: Jan Libbey and Tim Landgraf; 1465 120 th St., Kanawha, IA 50447. Phone: 515-851-1690 - E-mail: libland@peconet.net.
The Land Institute, an independent environmental NGO, is developing new, perennial grain crops to make it easier for future farmers to conserve soil, energy and biodiversity. Seasonal research-assistants play an important role in our plant breeding, agroecology and soil science research. Positions are available year round and involve a mix of field labor (often in extreme heat/sun/wind), farm machinery operation, greenhouse work and (often repetitive) laboratory/data procedures. The exact mix depends on the time of year and an applicant’s skills and experience.
For general information, contact The Land Institute; 2440 E. Water Well Road; Salina, KS 67401. Phone: (785)823-5376. Fax: (785)823-8728. E-mail: Development@LandInstitute.org. To arrange an internship or to apply for a seasonal position, please contact David Van Tassel (vantassel@landinstitute.org).
