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5/24: Group Services Coordinator

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EZRA (HELP in Hebrew) is a resource center that provides a variety of anti-poverty programs to community residents, Uptown Café is one such program. The Café, Chicago's first kosher anti-hunger program, feeds people who are hungry while nourishing their spirits. Meals are served in a restaurant-like atmosphere by volunteer wait-staff from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago's TOV (Tikkun Olam Volunteer) Network.

The Milieu and Group Services Coordinator is a member of the Health and Nutrition Team which is charged with promoting food security, health and wellness to EZRA clients and the community at large allowing the opportunity and framework for accessing these necessary services.

Specific duties include but are not limited to:

 Provide coverage at Café meals, coordinating duties as needed with other staff including Security and maintenance personnel.
 Visit with Café guests during meals with attention paid to client hygiene, grooming and interpersonal interactions.
 Foster and support positive behavioral change, focusing on social
function, while providing crisis intervention as necessary.
 Relay input on client social and behavioral functioning to the EZRA case management team.
 Enforce House rules with a calm and consistent demeanor, paying special attention to guests who may be ill, attention-seeking, disruptive, or disrespectful.
 Implement behavioral plans and disciplinary time-outs with respect and dignity.
 Assess client need through benefits screenings, food stamp/SNAP
application and recertification, preparing Circuit Breaker forms, referring those in need of follow-up to appropriate resources.
 Conduct Café screenings and intake; tracking demographic information as needed.
 Welcome, orient and debrief Café volunteers regarding meal procedures, the mission and goals of the program and the collaboration with EZRA and JUF.
 Foster an open and welcoming Jewish community within EZRA
 Plan and implement a weekly Kiddush program that connects clients to Jewish learning and community.
 Involve clients and staff in developing and implementing Jewish holiday and festival programs.
 Promote holiday events through mailings and/or newsletters.
 Survey client interest and create, plan, and execute appropriate programs.
 Provide staffing and other support to Health and Nutrition Team and other Center programs as requested.
 Track and report attendance at group programs.
 Track and report Café meal attendance ensuring an average attendance of 65-70 people per meal.
 Follow-up with Café guests who have absented themselves from participation.
 Write and update client database contacts.
 Obtain and maintain food service certificate once hired for this position.
 Complete and submit incident reports in accordance with agency procedures.
 Work with the Health and Nutrition Manager to meet grant deliverables and provide vignettes as requested by the grants team
 Serve as lead contact for TOV network, local synagogues, Federation, and other Jewish-sponsored organizations that express interest in learning more about the JUF Uptown Café and Jewish programming.

DAYS/HOURS:
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 10:30am-7:30pm
Wednesday 10:00am-5:00pm
Friday 10:00am-4:00pm

REQUIREMENTS:
Bachelor's degree in Education, Social Work, Counseling, or related field; well versed in Jewish culture with access to educational resources and topics; informal Jewish Education experience preferred; strong leadership skills, ability to manage challenging group dynamics, and advise others in a caring and compassionate way; Ability to work in a calm and collected manner; strong communication skills, both written and verbal; ability to encourage and motivate people to join in, try something new, and grow personally; desire and ability to work with the poor and special needs adults; passion for social justice, accepting and embracing diversity; ability to network with volunteers, congregations, community organizations, and other Jewish entities; Must have demonstrated proficiency utilizing Microsoft Office (Word, Access data entry); must have willingness to work some secular holidays (i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Memorial Day, Labor Day); The ideal candidate will have a background in and knowledge of Jewish holidays, lifecycle events, and customs with a strong desire to work for an agency with an urban Jewish social agenda and a mission to repair the world by meeting basic human needs.


TO APPLY:
Apply online at www.gojcc.org

    Location: Chicago
    This is at a non-profit organization.
    Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
    Please, no phone calls about this job!
    Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.