Co-op Hudson Valley
Poughkeepsie based, position is remote
Action Areas: Racial Justice, Economic justice
About: Co-op Hudson Valley supports workers and grassroots projects that want to start and grow cooperative businesses by pairing non-extractive loans with technical assistance and coaching, which helps projects thrive. We work with people who have been excluded from economic security to create opportunities in their own community for collective ownership and dignified work.
Position Description:
The student will be responsible for regular translation projects (from English to Spanish). Projects will focus on translating and/or reviewing things like Co-op Hudson Valley’s website, social media posts, internal documents, presentations, with the goal of providing accurate, important and helpful information and resources to the Spanish speaking members of our community.
Desired Skills: Bilingual Spanish-English, Copywriting, Previous experience in this field, Writing, We are looking for someone that is fluent in Spanish (written is a priority). We believe someone with good writing skills and that has previous experience translating written material will be most successful.
Hours: 4 hrs week
Are you interested in getting involved with Co Op HV? Visit here for your next steps.
Found and Fixed Hudson Valley
https://www.foundandfixedhv.com/about-us
Address: 10 Commercial Ave, Highland NY 12528
Action Areas: Environmental Justice and Food Security, Expression, Arts, and Culture, community wealth building, democratic work places, landfill reduction
About: Found & Fixed Hudson Valley diverts furniture from the landfill by repairing, refinishing, and repainting damaged wood pieces.
We launched our worker cooperative in 2022 to combat the 12 million pounds of furniture that goes into landfills each year in the United States. Through our work, we give new life to old pieces while also providing sustainable, cost-competitive alternatives to big box stores.
Where possible, we use sustainable and eco-friendly products on our pieces such as non-toxic paint, strippers and sealing agents.
Position description: Students can work on a number of different projects based on their skills, interests, and intended career path. Projects may include:
– Woodworking (for those who want hands on experience)
– Conducting outreach to artists that upcycle and planning a series of community-oriented workshops (ie., how to do kinsugi, how to deconstruct and reuse wool in a sweater, how to make a lamp out of anything, etc.)
– Marketing support (helping us stay on top of social media trends, developing a social media calendar, interviewing people for newsletters, writing short blog posts)
– Participation in the coop! We are a worker owned workplace and manage all aspects of the business democratically. Our org is governed by committees (or circles). Students will gain experience in democratically managed orgs by participating in team meetings and relevant circles.
Desired Skills: Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Research skills, Social media management, Web design, Writing, The most important things that we look for are responsiveness and a willingness to try anything!
Hours: 4 hrs week or 8 hrs/week
Are you interested in getting involved with Found and Fixed? Visit here for your next steps.
Thrift 2 Fight
Public Benefit Corporation, 5 – 10 team members
Address: 48 Broadway Tivoli NY 12583
Action Areas: LGBTQAI+ Rights, Prison Abolition, Racial Justice, Disability Justice
About: Thrift 2 Fight is a thrift shop located in Tivoli, NY that raises funds for local racial, disability, and queer justice organizations. At Thrift 2 Fight, clothing is sorted by type instead of gender to allow for unrestricted self-expression through sustainable fashion! The shop is size-inclusive, and the majority of items are priced below $20. It started as a single pop-up sale in 2020, and quickly developed into a movement. To date, Thrift 2 Fight has raised over $90,000 for grassroots social justice organizations, organized pop-up thrift sales across NY state and beyond, and diverted many tons of clothing from the landfill. Come to Thrift 2 Fight for free events like trans clothing swaps, panel discussions, and watch parties! You can stay updated on their Instagram @thrift2fight, and visit their website at thrift2fight.com.
Position description: Thrift 2 Fight, a queer- and trans-owned thrift shop located in the heart of the Hudson Valley is seeking a motivated marketing intern to help expand our reach and bring our mission into the spotlight. Through our business, we support and fund local racial, disability, and queer justice organizations. If you’re passionate about community-driven business, this is a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and make an impact.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing plan to grow our audience and drive foot traffic
- You will have access to a limited marketing budget for paid social campaigns, printed materials, and merchandise.
- Work directly with the business owners, you will gain hands-on experience in retail advertising and real knowledge of small business operations
- Managing our social media on Instagram through regular posting and engaging
- Designing graphics/flyers/posters in Canva to match our aesthetic
- Making outreach to local and industry publications
- Assist in developing organization goals and KPIs
- Track performance of campaigns
Learn more about Thrift 2 Fight’s story here:
Desired Skills: Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Graphic design, Research skills, Social media management, Video editing/production, Data collection/analysis, Not all of these skills are required – we are happy to work with people who are interested in marketing/outreach, and are excited about the work Thrift 2 Fight does!
Hours: 4hrs/week, 8hrs/week, We are open to working with you and your schedule. 4-8 would work for us! A mix of remote & in-store work (in Tivoli, NY). The schedule is flexible.
Town of Poughkeepsie
Municipality (local government), 30+ team members
Address: 1 Overocker Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
Action Areas: We provide resident services in the areas of public safety, parks, and senior and youth programs, among others.
About:We are the municipality within which Vassar College operates. We provide essential services (water, sewer, roads) as well as parks, youth and senior programs, and other resident services.
Position Description: Seeking a student to work directly with Rebecca Edwards, Town Supervisor, to build a spreadsheet with basic contact information for businesses in the town, focusing primarily on small, locally owned businesses. The town does not have any such list; the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce list is very partial and even for those businesses that are members, contact information is outdated. Some home-based businesses are licensed but others are not.
This is a big undertaking and the student will just get us started, but can survey and classify the types of businesses, begin to reach out and ascertain business owners’ needs and concerns, research how we might define “local,” and think about how we might create in an online directory. The work will then continue in the summer.
Desired Skills: Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Fact-checking, Research skills, Spanish-language skills would be valuable but are not required. Driver’s license helpful but not required.
Hours: 4hrs/week
Are you interested in getting involved with The Town of Poughkeepsie? Visit here for your next steps.
United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region
Non-profit, 15-20 team members
Address: 75 Market Street, Poughkeepsie
Action Areas: Education Policy and Equity, Environmental Justice and Food Security, Housing Insecurity/Justice, Public Health
About: We fight for the health, education and financial stability for every person in our community.
Position Description: We have learning opportunities in our impact, fundraising and marketing departments.
Desired Skills: Bilingual Spanish-English, Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Graphic design, Previous experience working with young people, Previous experience in this field, Public speaking/presenting, Research skills, Social media management, Web design, Writing, Video editing/production, Data collection/analysis
Hours: 4hrs/week
Positions Available: 2
Are you interested in getting involved with UWDOR? Visit here for your next steps.
Dutchess Outreach, Inc.
Address: 29 N. Hamilton Street (multiple areas in the building)
Action Areas: Environmental Justice and Food Security, Food Security Advocacy
About: Dutchess Outreach acts as a catalyst for community revitalization and exists in Dutchess County as an advocate and provider of hunger and relief programs in order to ensure that everyone, regardless of income, has access to fresh, healthy food, and the support they need.
Position Description:
Students can self select to be involved in one or a combination of the following projects:
- Lunch Box – The Lunch Box, our community meal program, provides a hot lunch and dinner for anyone within Dutchess County who needs a delicious chef-prepared meal. The Lunch Box is open for in-person dining and to-go options are still available. LUNCH: 11:15 am- 1:00 pm, Monday-Friday, 12:00 pm- 1:00 pm, Sunday; DINNER: 5:00 pm-6:00 pm, Monday-Friday
- Children’s Closet – The Children’s Clothing Closet at Dutchess Outreach provides new and gently used clothing for children of all ages, free of charge. Each year, hundreds of infants, children and teenagers throughout the county benefit from the lightly used clothing, shoes, boots, coats, and accessories that are available without fail, thanks to our generous community of donors, at The Children’s Clothing Closet. Tuesdays from 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
- Food Pantry – Our Food Pantry provides FREE groceries for the entire household. Last year alone over 134,000 pounds of food were provided, and we saw over 12,000 household visits. We also provide personal hygiene items; toothpaste and toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, shavers, and other necessities. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm. The Pantry is closed on Wednesdays!
Desired Skills: Bilingual Spanish-English, Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach. Students should be comfortable with community engagement, empathetic, compassionate and self motivated
Additional Requirements: Sexual Harassment Prevention Training (Free)
Hours: 4hrs/week
Are you interested in getting involved with Dutchess Outreach? Visit here for your next steps.