AmeriCorps Service Term: Quarter Time (450 hours 9/29/2025 – 12/14/2025) with option to continue serving in 2026
Living Allowance Total: $5,670.00
Segal Education Award Amount: $1,956.35
Healthy Futures AmeriCorps Program Overview
Localizing our food system is one of the most impactful and actionable steps we can take to solve so many of our community problems. AmeriCorps service with Mountain Roots Healthy Futures Program builds social, economic, and environmental health for rural communities. We work with organizations throughout the region who are leaders in their fields, activating community-driven initiatives including Farm to School, Regenerative Agriculture & Community Gardens, Community Food Security, and other programs in public health, conservation, and the environment. With Healthy Futures AmeriCorps, you’ll build a bridge from college to career while sustaining healthy communities, healthy people, and a healthy environment.
Mountain Roots Food Project Overview
Mountain Roots is a local food systems initiative serving the central Rocky Mountain communities of Gunnison and Crested Butte. We are a leader in community food security, meeting food needs of underserved residents with food rescue and food distribution initiatives, including providing weekly boxes of fresh produce along with cooking education and community engagement for low-income and vulnerable households. Our growing spaces are focused on providing education, engagement, and understanding around regenerative agriculture. Mountain Roots leads initiatives to strengthen local and regional food distribution through developing wholesale markets, expanding agritourism and local food marketing, and building distribution routes to connect farms, food businesses, and consumers across Colorado. We also run a district-wide Farm to School program which includes afterschool, in-school, and summer programs focusing on environmental and food-based education.
Service Description
Through training and mentorship from experienced professional staff, service members in this position gain practical experience in planning and teaching hands-on environmental science and nutrition lessons in Pre-K through high school classrooms and designing and leading afterschool and summer programs. Programs may include farm field trips, guest chef visits, kids cooking classes, youth farmers markets, school lunch & composting programs, in-school hydroponic and STEM education, and outdoor, nature-based summer day camps. Members engage youth and community members in cultivating school gardens through a full growing season and integrating them into curricula.
Members receive mentorship from staff experienced in education, marketing, development, local food distribution, food security, and more. They attend regional conferences to expand professional networks and gain insight into the broader food and agricultural sectors. Members also develop skills in community outreach and engagement to build partnerships and foster positive community relationships.
As part of a multifaceted food systems organization, all members serving at Mountain Roots participate in “cross-pollination” experiences, rotating through various programs to gain broader exposure. Experiences may include regenerative agriculture, education, local food distribution, agritourism, community food security, and volunteer engagement. Members also contribute to capacity building by improving organizational systems and developing innovative programs to better address rural community needs. Up to 10% of time may involve fundraising, grant writing, and other outreach at community events to promote Mountain Roots’ mission.
Location and Service Conditions:
This position is based at Mountain Roots Food Project in Gunnison/Crested Butte, CO. Service often takes place outdoors and/or in schools and community buildings.
AmeriCorps Member Primary Responsibilities
Together with Environmental Education team members, and with supervision from the Director of Youth Education you will:
- Design and deliver environmental and nutrition lessons for Pre-K through 12th grade students.
- Create, plan, and lead after school programs, including kids cooking classes and science/garden clubs
- Develop and lead summer camp programs – trip-based, outdoor adventure day camps that teach earth science, nature discovery, botany, survival skills, cooking, nature-based arts and crafts, and more
- Coordinate with local experts for field trips and guest-led educational experiences
- Cultivate and integrate school gardens & hydroponics units into curricula and cafeterias; organize community garden field days
- Introduce fresh local foods through tastings, chef-in-classroom programs, and other in-school activities.
Fore more information please visit: https://www.mountainrootsfoodproject.org/healthy-futures