Market Match Assistant (South LA Region)

As a Market Match Assistant at Food Access LA, your main responsibilities include administering EBT and nutrition incentives transactions, educating customers about Market Match and how to apply for CalFresh benefits, and ensuring customers know which vendors accept WIC benefits. You will also help communicate critical updates, assist with customer surveys, and support market managers in their operations. This role is vital for enhancing food access for our low-income customers and improving economic development in the community.

To apply for the Market Match Assistant position at Food Access LA, you should ideally possess bilingual skills in English and Spanish, have retail or farmers’ market experience, and a good understanding of food security and nutrition issues. Knowledge of federal nutrition benefit programs like CalFresh/SNAP and WIC is highly preferred. Strong interpersonal skills, time management, and organizational abilities are essential, along with basic proficiency in Excel for data collection tasks.

A Market Match Assistant at Food Access LA can expect a dynamic work environment, primarily outdoors at various farmers' markets throughout the South LA Region. You will be working directly with community members and vendors, engaging in activities such as setting up market tents, conducting transactions, and promoting nutrition programs. The role involves physical activity, including lifting boxes and standing for extended periods, and adaptability to various weather conditions is necessary. If you enjoy a lively, community-centered atmosphere, this position is perfect for you!

Food Access LA supports its Market Match Assistants by offering comprehensive training on nutrition incentives, EBT transactions, and customer engagement strategies. Regular team meetings provide an opportunity for staff to discuss challenges and share best practices. Additionally, the organization fosters a positive work environment focused on professional development and encourages input from team members to continuously improve services for the community.

Market Match Assistants at Food Access LA typically work during the hours of the farmers' markets, which include year-round shifts such as Wednesdays from 2:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Compton College Farmers’ Market and Saturdays from 9:30 AM to 3 PM at Crenshaw Farmers' Market. The position may involve regular monthly shifts and on-call responsibilities based on market schedules, providing flexibility and opportunities to make a meaningful impact in the community.

When answering this question, be specific about your previous roles where you interacted with EBT or nutrition assistance programs like CalFresh and WIC. Highlight any training or certifications you received and describe how you participated in helping customers understand these programs. Mention your techniques for ensuring a smooth transaction process and positive customer interactions, which are vital for the Market Match Assistant role.

Discuss your strategies for maintaining a calm demeanor under pressure. Describe practical techniques for prioritizing tasks, such as using active listening skills to quickly identify and address customer needs, managing lines efficiently, and keeping calm when faced with challenges. Highlight your ability to multitask and still provide excellent service, which is crucial in a bustling farmers' market setting.

Explain how you could leverage different communication methods, such as flyers, conversations with customers, and social media outreach, to promote the Market Match program. You could provide examples of how you've successfully promoted similar initiatives in the past, emphasizing the importance of sharing success stories and community benefits to engage potential participants better.

Outline the steps you would take to troubleshoot the problem calmly and professionally. Mention checking equipment, verifying the customer's information, and explaining the possible reasons for failed transactions. Emphasize the importance of ensuring the customer feels valued and supported, and mention any follow-up actions you would recommend, such as working with your supervisor or referring them to additional resources.

Share your insights on the significance of food access, emphasizing your understanding of local food deserts and the impact of economic factors on neighborhoods. Discuss how limited access to fresh produce affects health outcomes and community well-being. Connect this understanding back to the mission of Food Access LA, sharing your passion for helping improve food equity and access in the community through your work.

Discuss your time management techniques, such as using to-do lists, setting priorities based on customer needs, and utilizing technology for tracking tasks. Provide examples of how you've successfully managed your time in high-paced environments like farmers' markets. Stress the importance of regular communication with supervisors and team members to keep operations running smoothly.

Provide a specific example where your teamwork contributed to a successful project or a goal, outlining your role and the overall outcome. Highlight the skills you used, such as collaboration, idea-sharing, and problem-solving. Emphasize the importance of open communication and how it helped cultivate a supportive team dynamic, which is essential for a Market Match Assistant.

Demonstrate your knowledge of Market Match and how it helps low-income families afford fresh produce. You should mention your understanding of how the program works, its benefits, and the significance of such initiatives in promoting healthy eating and food equity. Additionally, you could touch on other programs like EBT and WIC that align with the mission of Food Access LA.

Explain how you would break down the application process into simple, easy-to-follow steps for the customer. Discuss your approach for providing visual aids or printed materials and your willingness to answer questions along the way. Highlight your interpersonal skills and patience, which are crucial for ensuring customers feel confident in navigating the application process.

Share your personal motivations for wanting to join Food Access LA, emphasizing your passion for community service and food equity. Discuss how the organization’s mission aligns with your values and what aspects of the role excite you the most. You might also mention any knowledge you have about the organization's impact on the community, further reinforcing your commitment to helping others through this position.