Child Nutrition Summer Internship
Project Bread is the leading statewide anti-hunger organization in Massachusetts,committed to providing people of all ages, cultures, and walks of life with sustainable, reliable access to nutritious food. From community-based meal programs, to early childhood and school nutrition initiatives, to improved access to farm-to-table resources, Project Bread approaches hunger as a complex problem with multiple solutions. Project Bread takes a fresh approach to ending hunger and believes that the opposite of hungry isn't simply full — it'shealthy. With funds raised through The Walk for Hunger, the oldest continual pledge walk in the country, and other sources, Project Bread pioneers innovative initiatives and supports effective programs to eradicate hunger in our state.
The Child Nutrition Outreach Program (CNOP) works to participation in two underutilized federal child nutrition programs, the National School Breakfast Program and the Summer Food Service Program. Funded by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and administered by Project Bread, CNOP has been supporting school nutrition directors, superintendents, principals, and other school personnel since 1994. Although the team focuses primarily on assisting low-income communities with a high percentage of children eligible for free and reduced price school meals, the CNOP team is available to assist all school districts within Massachusetts. CNOP offers a wide variety of free resources to ensure that all children in MA have access to and utilize these important programs.
This internship entails joining CNOP staff in increasing awareness of the SFSP program, documenting success stories of summer food service sites across the state and helping to build our repository of high-quality photographs of the Summer Food Service Program in action in Massachusetts. Depending upon interest and skillset of a prospective intern, additional components of the work could include: developing a best practice guide for improving the nutritional quality in summer meals, nutritional analysis of summer meals served, and/or assistance with other outreach, communication, and evaluation activities to support CNOP’s goal of increasing participation in summer meals.
This internship is ideal for an undergraduate or graduate student with interest in the field of child nutrition promotion and outreach. Those exploring a dietetic internship may also gain valuable experience. Strong interpersonal and communication skills will enable a prospective intern to succeed. Reliable access to transportation will be necessary for this position as the communities are dispersed across the state.While not required, proficiency in Spanish is a plus.
If interested, please contact:
Maura Ackerman
Assistant Director of Programs