Melissa Russell
The weekly Belmont Farmers’ Market is a popular community event that combines music, arts, and cultural programming with access to healthy local produce and products.
“It’s the place to be on a Thursday afternoon,” said Market Manager Mireia Carpio.
And now, Belmont’s party of the week needs your help. Volunteers are needed to keep the party going.
Vicky Slavin was the long-serving events coordinator. She retired two years ago. Last year, Alia Georges took over, but she will not be returning. So, the market is looking for someone to take on planning the season’s entertainment and building and sustaining relationships with local performers.
“Entertainment is a big part of what makes it fun to be there,” said Hal Shubin, chair of the Farmers’ Market Committee. “It’s nice to give back to the community.”
According to the job description posted on the market website, the position requires a commitment of about two hours per week, “more or less.” There are one or two performers at the market each week. The events coordinator is in charge of scheduling them, and sending reminders and thank you messages. There is a list of performers who have already contacted the market about returning this year, and other institutional information is available to assist someone taking on the role. The coordinator also reviews the weekly email newsletter to ensure information is correct.
“It would be good for the person to be there on Thursdays to meet with the performers, but it is not necessary,” Carpio said.
The market is also seeking a social media manager to let shoppers know about upcoming events, vendors, and products at the market. Ideally, someone with social media platforms, “knowledge of what makes posts fun and engaging, the ability to write short posts and a good sense of design,” would make a strong candidate, according to the job description.
Most crucially, the market needs a Food Assistance Manager to assist with its mission of helping shoppers stretch their food budgets.
“Food assistance is a big part of the market,” Shubin said. “Even in Belmont, there are a significant number of people depending on nutrition program coupons to put food on the table. Last year, through all the different programs, we added $59,000 to people’s food budgets.”
Shubin said this person will help explain food assistance programs to shoppers and help them understand what they are entitled to, including the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other programs. The role also includes setting up and operating electronic benefit transfer (EBT) equipment, training vendors, and handling vendor receipts for reimbursement for all food assistance matching. This person would be present at the market on Thursdays. Training is provided.
Candidates for all positions should be able to fulfill their commitmen, Shubin said.
“We put a lot of work into relationship building, and we have all these things at the market, not just food, so shoppers want to come back,” he said. “We have developed long-term volunteers and we are kind of a family. It’s a fun place to be, a nice place to spend a Thursday afternoon, even if it is rainy or cold.”
Volunteer Jessica Przysiecki started writing the market newsletter last year. She said volunteering has been a way to get to know a new group of people, and calls the experience of volunteering, “very positive.”
“It’s something non-controversial that everyone can be part of,” she said. “I highly recommend it.”
The 2024 Farmers’ Market season begins June 6 and is held in the back parking lot in Belmont Center from 2 to 6:30 p.m. until October, when it closes at 6 p.m. On opening day, there will be a food assistance fair.
Editor’s Note: Hal Shubin is a former board member of The Voice and served as the paper’s copy editor.
