The Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC) is located in fertile Walla Walla Valley of Southeastern Washington and is one of a number of Community Action Programs in Washington State. BMAC is a private, nonprofit, multipurpose agency, serving residents in Southeastern Washington to meet the basic needs of low-income individuals and families, offer opportunities for individuals and families to achieve greater levels of strength, independence, and self-sufficiency, develop and implement strategies to prevent poverty in our communities, and leverage community support, service, and volunteerism. The Summer VISTA will operate out of the BMAC Food Bank, the State recognized Emergency Food Assistance Program lead in the four counties of Southeast Washington. The BMAC Food Bank is Emergency Food Assistance Program lead in four counties of Southeast Washington. Over 30 food pantries and meal programs depend on the BMAC Food Bank for distributions of food sourced from a variety of providers. The BMAC Food Bank also operates a Senior Commodity distribution (CSFP) and helps organize and host mobile food banks throughout Southeast Washington. These programs depend on BMAC to provide them with fresh produce so that food insecure populations in Walla Walla County have a better chance of breaking the cycle of poverty. Project Background: Harvest VISTA, a program of Harvest Against Hunger, connects local growers, food banks and volunteers to secure fresh produce for distribution to thousands of people throughout Washington State. The Harvest VISTA program finds new and innovative ways to decrease waste of fresh fruits and vegetables and increase the availability of nutritious produce for food bank clients. The VISTA Summer Associate (SA) program will work in an intensive level of summer service for 10 weeks. The SA will work to start or support existing food bank, community or school garden projects.

Member Duties : The Community Food System Summer Associate (SA) will build upon past efforts to build a network of farmers and gardeners in the Walla Walla Valley that grow food for the Food Bank clients. The SA will recruit community volunteers to help glean, harvest, and transport agricultural products from the fields to the food pantries in the five counties that Blue Mountain Action Council serves. The SA will create a recruitment strategy to be used at the Farmers Market to solicit volunteer food producers and harvesters and build volunteer skill levels for safe operations on farms and with handling agricultural products. The SA will also conduct activities of harvesting, gleaning, sorting, washing, and distribution in concert with recruited volunteers. In addition, the SA will compile data and records for reporting and succession to harvest season.

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