26-27 Kansas City Market Specialist VISTA - MO

26-27 Kansas City Market Specialist VISTA - MO This VISTA position is a part of Catholic Charities USA's Family Strengthening Program, a national intermediary project. As a member, you will meet virtually with VISTA Leaders and other VISTAs serving throughout the country, all focused on alleviating poverty. Catholic Charities' Serve & Lift Self-Choice Market is a grocery-style food pantry designed to alleviate hunger while restoring dignity. The market allows individuals and families to select food that meets their cultural preferences, dietary needs, and household size, while reducing food waste and strengthening community well-being. The AmeriCorps VISTA member will serve as a capacity-building partner, helping the market strengthen systems, expand community partnerships, and improve data-driven decision-making to address the root causes of food insecurity. The AmeriCorps VISTA will focus on organizational capacity building, not direct service. The member will support the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the Serve & Lift Self-Choice Market by developing systems, tools, and partnerships that expand access to nutritious food and supportive services for neighbors experiencing food insecurity. The member will support the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the Serve & Lift Self-Choice Market by developing systems, tools, and partnerships that expand access to nutritious food and supportive services for neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Member Duties Develop and document sustainable systems for market operations, volunteer engagement, and shopper flow in a self-choice model. Assist with creating or refining policies, procedures, and training materials for staff and volunteers. Support data collection, tracking, and analysis related to pantry usage, food distribution, and shopper outcomes. Assist with grant reporting and outcome measurement aligned with organizational and funder requirements. Identify and help cultivate partnerships with local organizations, schools, faith communities, and service providers. Support outreach strategies to increase awareness of the self-choice market and related resources. Assist with coordination of referrals to complementary services that address underlying causes of food insecurity. Assist with researching funding opportunities and preparing supporting materials for grants or reports. Help document the impact and story of the Serve & Lift Market for communications and fund-raising purposes. Program Benefits Childcare assistance if eligible Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend Health Coverage* Living Allowance Relocation Allowance Training Skills Communications Writing/Editing Social Services 26-27 Kansas City Market Specialist VISTA - MO