Food Insecurity AmeriCorps Member - August 2023

Food insecurity is present and growing in our country and our community. As of 2019, over 10% of Allegheny County residents, or over 126,000 people, are food insecure, with this rate likely climbing within the COVID pandemic. Furthermore, Black and Hispanic Americans are disproportionately affected by food insecurity; according to USDA data, 19.1% of Black households and 15.6% of Hispanic households experienced food insecurity in 2019.  

In seeking to address this crucial need, our Family Health Center has partnered with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to launch universal food insecurity screening and intervention for our patients. Within this process, every patient receives a simple 2-question screening device before each office visit. If they screen positive for food insecurity, we offer them a food box from the Food Bank (about 20 shelf-stable meals). Since initiation, we have distributed hundreds of food boxes, while also trying to connect these patients with sustainable food resources in our community such as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and regional free farmer’s markets. Despite these efforts, many of our patients remain hungry and without sustainable food sources because they need more support connecting with local resources.  Connecting patients of the Family Health Center with food insecurity to sustainable food sources is the primary goal of this position. 

The duties of this member service position include to: monitor and adjust the process of universal food insecurity screening within our office; maintain records of food insecurity screening rates, food boxes distributed, and a patient registry including those patients still needing support to connect with sustainable food resources; contact patients with food insecurity that are not connected to sustainable food resources and assist them in the application for WIC, SNAP, and/or other food resources; coordinate tracking, delivery, and distribution of food boxes with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank; form new partnerships with community organizations to bring new opportunities for sustainable food to our patients. 

• team-oriented
• organized
• community engagement/outreach skills
• able to communicate effectively with individuals with diverse backgrounds and identities
• compassionate

• Knowledge of AmeriCorps/Health Corps member requirements
• Skill with Microsoft Office or other software for a variety of data processing operations involving a range of problem solving, record keeping, correspondence, and service tracking options.

• Member uses initiative in carrying out recurring assignments following set procedures, independently
• The supervisor assigns service activities, advises on changes in procedures, and is available for assistance when required
• The supervisor assigns service activities in terms of project objectives and basic priorities and is available for consultation in resolving controversial issues.

• Completed projects are reviewed very generally to determine that objectives have been met and are in compliance with policies and regulations.

• Written and oral guides provide specific instructions for doing service
• Detailed guidelines exist, including regulations and directives, handbooks, precedents, industry standards, and files of previous projects
• Guidelines are generally applicable, but the member independently makes adaptations in dealing with problems and unusual situations

• The facts or conditions of the service position are clear cut, predictable, and apply directly to the assignment

• Unusual physical demands involving climbing, lifting, stooping, and reaching, etc.
• Health screening or service required
• Lift, move, and organize food boxes that weigh approximately 18 pounds each.

English

In addition to NHC Standard Checks, all NHC Pittsburgh members are required to complete and pass criminal history checks for Great Lakes Behavioral Research Institute/Diversified Care Management (DCM). Great Lakes/DCM is a third party vendor contracted with the Allegheny County Health Department (operating site for NHC Pittsburgh) to distribute NHC Pittsburgh member stipends. NHC Pittsburgh members are onboarded to Great Lakes/DCM system only when the checks have been completed and the member has passed those checks.  Along with these checks, ALL NHC Pittsburgh Members Are Required to be Vaccinated against COVID-19. 

The checks that all NHC Pittsburgh members would be required to complete and pass for Great Lakes/DCM are the following: 1) Act 33 (Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance), 2) National Sex Offender Registry Clearance,  3) Act 34 (Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance, and 4) Act 73 (FBI Criminal History Clearance - ONLY completed via Identogo PA).

NHC members do not have to pay for the completion of these checks. Great Lakes/DCM will distribute payment codes for the Act 33 (Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance) and Act 73 (FBI Criminal History Clearance which is conducted through Identogo PA ( PA FBI fingerprinting agency). The National Sex Offender Registry Clearance and Act 34 (Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance) will be completed by Great Lakes/DCM upon receiving requested information that members will be asked to submit.