CalFresh Outreach Volunteer

Vietnamese, Tagalog, Karen, and Somali speakers highly encouraged to apply!

The mission of Feeding America San Diego is "to feed the hungry; to advocate; to educate." The Feeding America San Diego vision is to create a hunger-free and healthy San Diego by raising awareness about hunger to the public and reaching out to those living in food-insecure households in our community. To meet the needs of San Diego County, Feeding America San Diego was established in 2007, aiding people during the San Diego wildfires and bringing national, regional, and local food to those facing hunger.

Feeding America San Diego's goal is to minimize the hunger gap: many people living in San Diego County are eligible for the CalFresh (food stamps) Program, a supplemental nutrition assistance program, and are not aware of its benefits.

As a CalFresh Outreach Volunteer, you will be assisting clients through pre-screening them for eligibility for the CalFresh Program, which will help alleviate hunger issues in San Diego County. San Diego County has the lowest CalFresh participation rate in the country. Volunteers are a crucial component to CalFresh Outreach to people in need and to provide direct assistance by answering community members' questions and concerns to dispel myths regarding CalFresh.

You will learn what barriers detract clients from utilizing CalFresh benefits and will learn how to help clients access the CalFresh program. This volunteer opportunity will allow you to better understand the need for increasing access to nutritious foods for better health and quality of life.

As a CalFresh Outreach volunteer you will recruit and support potential clients for the CalFresh Program, which stimulates the economy; you will educate and promote resources that are available to the public for further assistance; and most importantly, you will inspire others to take a leading role in addressing the hunger issues that are prevalent in the San Diego community.

Volunteers can choose to fulfill a field or office placement; one CalFresh training is required for either

Field Placement

• Distribute information about the CalFresh program, clarifying eligibility requirements and federal regulations for potential clients
• Pre-screen clients for eligibility for the CalFresh Program
• Provide language assistance if possible (Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, etc.)
• Represent Feeding America San Diego's CalFresh Program at special events

Office Placement

• Input pre-screening data into tracking system
• Review CalFresh applications for completeness and accuracy
• Conduct follow-up and pre-screening phone calls

Time commitment:

2 hour CalFresh Training Workshop, minimum 40 hours (4 months) to the volunteer program

Qualifications:

• Ability to follow procedures
• Ability to work with diverse populations and sensitive issues
• Reliable transportation for field work
• English/Spanish speakers welcome (but not required)!