July 6, 2010

Job Opening: Benefits Connection Specialist

Author: Maria Diestro

Position Title: Benefits Connection Specialist
Submit resume by Friday, July 9 
Reports to: Benefits Connection Manager

Position Summary: Administers assistance to people at a variety of convenient locations and provides user-friendly advice and electronic, on-line benefit application aid. Provides guidance through understanding benefits as well as acts as a liaison for future client follow up and communication. Maintains an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of policy issues related to a broad range of human services, including Food Stamps, EITC, KidCare, WIC and Medicaid.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Provide detailed explanation of benefits.
2. Assist those eligible with online applications for:

a. Food Stamps
b. KidCare
c. Medicaid

3. Perform as liaison for future client follow up and communication.
4. Outreach to working poor, families and seniors as well as Hispanic and immigrant populations.
5. Ongoing monitoring of Federal and State policy to ensure barriers and/or opportunities are being communicated to the Manager.
6. Maintain and update records and reports for all applications produced.
7. Proper communication with such partners as ACCESS Florida and the Department of Children and Families (DCF).

Job Specifications
1. High School Diploma or equivalent.
2. One year of equivalent outreach experience.
3. Computer and web application literacy (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.)
4. Commitment to understanding and supporting SHFB’s mission; shows compassion and an appreciation for hunger issues.
5. Proper and effective communication skills to communicate with partner agencies as well as those in need of the Benefits Connection Program.
6. Excellent organization skills.
7. Detail oriented.
8. Bi-lingual is preferred. (Spanish, Creole)
9. Ability to utilize provided laptop for research and application processes.
10. Willingness to travel to various Central Florida locations.
11. Standing, walking and traveling as needed.
12. Reliable insured vehicle.
13. Successfully pass pre-employment drug test screening, Level II Background Check and driving record check.

Competencies

• Anticipation/Proactive Thinking
• Is able to analyze and anticipate changes at a worksite that could potentially affect his/her work goals, and plans how to deal with them
• Develops contingency plans and consults them with the supervisor
• Paces himself/herself to meet goals or deadlines
• Demonstrates and pursues knowledge, competency and expertise in work, as well as a proactive approach to problem solving
• Customer Focus
• Always seeks to achieve excellence in customer service, quickly responds to situations and returns phone calls
• Empathizes with people while maintaining clear boundaries and objectivity
• Treats clients and co-workers with respect and dignity regardless of race, color, creed and/or personal circumstances
• Always protects and maintains the client’s confidentiality
• Communication
• Consistently keeps clients, partner sites and agency management informed
• Follows the chain of command
• Develops and builds excellent working relations and collaboration with partner agencies and other groups
• Speaks positively of the Agency and refers concerns to next level of management
• Dependability / Attendance
• Can be relied on to show to up to their worksite on time
• Works independently with minimum coaching
• Can always be expected to follow through with commitments
• Manages personal and sick leave appropriately and provides reasonable notice of leave of absence whenever possible
•  Taking Initiative / Responsibility
• Goes the extra mile whenever necessary or appropriate
• Asks for help from others when a goal or a deadline is unlikely to be met alone
• Takes responsibility for their actions and uses criticism to improve and learn
• Teamwork Ability
• Listens to others, communicates effectively
• Anticipates the needs of coworkers and supports team members agency-wide
• Volunteers to assist or support fellow employees
• Has a positive “can do” attitude and encourages a strong, inclusive team spirit
• Work Production / Organization
• Consistently meets goals, targets and deadlines
• Consistently produces reliable reports that are free of errors
• Provides good record keeping and consistent maintenance to his/her caseload
• Consistently maintains a level of outreach activity that keeps his/her schedule full
• Results Focus
• Is quick to identify and put a stop to wasted effort that does not produce valuable results
• Challenges themselves to raise performance standards and aim for higher targets
• Is open and receptive to feedback and coaching, and follows through with recommendations
• Works positively and effectively in highly confusing or ambiguous circumstances

Working Conditions:
Primarily mobile, with meetings at convenient locations throughout the community. Occasional office environment.

Disclaimer:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills of personnel so classified.

Please send resume or questions to Nitza Colon at NColon@foodbankcentralflorida.org

June 23, 2010

Every Cause Needs A Champion

Author: Sasha Hausman

We would like to introduce you to 11 year-old Abbey Brunault.

Abbey came into the food bank a couple of weeks to show us a video she had created for her class. Abbey’s teacher, Mrs. Patti Gordon, asked her class to learn more about a non-profit. Out of all the wonderful organizations in Central Florida, Abbey ended up choosing Second Harvest Food Bank.

All the information on the video Abbey grabbed from our brochures and website. She created the video on her computer and used pictures she took herself when she and her mom came to volunteer. We are in the process of getting this video on our youtube page. Be sure to check back next week to see the posted video.

In addition to creating this amazing video, Abbey handed us a check for $200 out of her own money. What an amazing individual.

We were all so touched by Abbey’s commitment to fighting hunger that we asked her to speak at our Feeding Hope Breakfast. The title of her speech was Hunger is Unacceptable.

We frequently present examples of kids whose families are struggling with poverty, and who need food assistance.  Today, we’re thrilled to present an example of just the opposite.   

A kid who has received the proper nutrition from birth, been nurtured, and supported by loving parents and teachers.  And look what is possible!   So many kids lack only the nutrition element, and could be so much more.  

That’s one of the primary motivators for staff and board at Second Harvest Food Bank.

June 23, 2010

2010 Customer Service Survey: Identifying Opportunities to Build Capacity

Author: Brady Koch

I continue to review the responses that have been returned for the Customer Service Survey and want to share more results with you.

One of the main reasons we have our ADEPT program is to provide our agencies with opportunities to learn more about building the sustainability and outreach of their agencies. In order to assess our focus areas we asked you what was your biggest barriers to distributing more food.

Here’s the results:

Question 9: What are some of the issues that limit the amount of food you receive from Second Harvest?

All the Time= 1
Sometimes = 2
Rarely= 3
Never= 4

Transportation                                     3.15

Volunteer/Staff Availability                    3.18

Fundraising/Revenue shortfalls              2.54

Lack of dry storage space                    3.01

Lack of refrigerator/freezer space          2.83

Availability of appointment times           3.28

Warehouse hours of operation              3.46

 

Brady Koch
Director of Agency Relations & Programs

June 17, 2010

Summer of Hunger Article

Author: Brady Koch

We’re entering our second week of the Summer Food Service Program and are starting to see children lining up at our lunch sites. It’s certainly a good thing that these kids in need are able to locate and travel to a feeding site, but it’s also a raw reminder of the state of childhood hunger in our community. Unfortunately it’s a problem that all communities across the United States are facing.

AOL News published an article that provides a comprehensive look at our children that are out of school and out of food. The nationwide challenges detailed in the story are mirrored here in Central Florida

Record Number of Kids Facing Summer Of Hunger

 WASHINGTON (June 16) — With the school year ending in communities across America, more than 16 million children face a summer of hunger.

While classes were in session, they relied on free or discount cafeteria meals subsidized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But they will not be reached by the patchwork summer food programs financed by the USDA, which feed fewer than one in five of the total number of kids poor enough to qualify.

The children caught in the gap will likely spend the next few months cadging leftovers from neighbors, chowing down on cheap junk, lining up with their families at food banks that are already overmatched or simply learning to live with a constant headache, growling stomach and chronic fatigue. When school rolls around again in the fall, they will be less healthy and less ready to learn than their peers.

The problem is not new, of course, but indicators for a crisis are lining up. Federal studies show that “food insecurity” for children peaks during summer, said USDA spokeswoman Jean Daniel, adding, “That’s a cutting-edge research term for hunger.” Demand for food stamps is already up. Demand at food banks is already way up. Donations, however, are down.

Read complete article.

June 15, 2010

Customer Service Survey 2010: Client Frequency

Author: Brady Koch

We’ve just completed our Customer Service Survey of our 600+ partner feeding programs. We use this tool to evaluate our service to the feeding programs who access our warehouse. It helps us make certain that we’re acting as good stewards to all of the donations that the community provides to us.

There was so much participation, that the amount of data we have to sort through is amazing. Over the next couple of blog entries, I’ll share with you some of the results of our survey so that everyone can benefit from the project.

When a new agency joins the food bank they often times ask how often they should distribute food. We encourage these new feeding programs to contact some of our veteran partner agencies to find a distribution frequency that is best for them.

We would hope that all of our partners have a sustainability plan that makes certain that they are able to fight hunger in the long run. Overall we encourage them to set some kind of limit so as not to overburden your volunteers and budgets.

Here’s what the results of our survey told us:

Question 4a: How often can clients come to your pantry?

Once per month                      38%
Once per week                        23%
Twice per month                      12%
As Needed                              10%
Once every two months             4%
Other                                      13%

Look for more survey results in the coming weeks.

Brady Koch
Director of Agency Relations & Programs