Cooking Matters seeks volunteers to facilitate nutrition lessons and activities for cooking and nutrition classes in their communities.
About Cooking Matters
Cooking Matters offers cooking and nutrition classes focused on maximizing food resources to community members in low-income areas. We provide hands-on education combining cooking, nutrition, menu planning, budgeting, kitchen safety, and sanitation.
Each Cooking Matters class is led by a team of three trained volunteers – a Cooking Facilitator, a Nutrition Facilitator and a Class Assistant – who work alongside a staff coordinator to facilitate fun, lively, and informative classes for participants. Volunteers work with the participants on educational activities and preparing a shared meal. Classes are held at community organizations, public and transitional housing sites, schools, and other service-providing agencies throughout Seattle and King County.
Nutrition Facilitator Role
As an instructor, you must have a strong background in nutrition, food science, dietetics or a related field. Important things to discuss include the MyPlate model as a tool for healthy eating, planning balanced meals, benefits of fruits and vegetables, food budgeting, label reading, whole grains and fiber, and physical activity. Classes are interactive, and nutrition facilitators often lead activities to teach and reinforce the lessons for each week. Nutrition facilitators also serve as positive role models by emphasizing the benefits of nutritious eating and motivating participants to improve their eating habits.
Time Commitment
- Classes meet once a week for six weeks.
- Each week includes one two-hour class, and volunteers are asked to join 30 minutes before and after to help with setup and cleanup.
- All together for one course series, you’ll commit about 19 hours of volunteer time, in addition to any lesson planning and prep.
- We’re looking for volunteers who are interested and able to commit to actively volunteering in classes for one year.
Training
- First you’ll attend Solid Ground’s New Volunteer Orientation and complete the volunteer application process (scroll to the bottom of this post for details).
- Next, you’ll be invited to attend our Cooking Matters New Volunteer Training where you’ll learn more about Cooking Matters and volunteer expectations, including getting your Food Handler’s Permit.
- Lastly, you’ll be asked to observe a class already in session. After the orientation and observation, you’ll be able to sign up for any open volunteer class positions.
Qualifications
- Interest/background in nutrition
- Ability to work with staff, volunteers and participants with a variety of racial, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, lifestyles and sexual orientations
- Ability to be nonjudgmental, positive, respectful, creative, consistent, and flexible
- Willingness to work both as part of a team and independently
- Some teaching experience preferred, and bilingual abilities (especially Spanish) is a huge plus!
