SANTA MONICA—The City of Santa Monica Farmers Markets announced on July 6 that volunteers and interns were being recruited to assist with operations.
Two Santa Monica Farmers Markets have closed temporarily: the Pico and Main St. markets. Two others—those on Arizona Ave. and 2nd Street—remain open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and volunteers will fulfil their duties there. Vendors from the Pico and Main St. markets have joined their Saturday counterparts for the time being.
Volunteers are currently needed on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. — there will be vacancies on Sundays once the Pico and Main St. markets reopen. They must commit to a fixed schedule for at least one month and work 1-6 hour shifts. There are three types of volunteer roles: Information Booth Volunteers, Market Entrance/ Exit Monitors, and Vendor Booth Auditors.
Information Booth Volunteers are “the pulse of the farmers’ market;” they direct customers around the market, assist with CalFresh and EBT transactions, and help with chef check-ins. Market Entrance/ Exit Monitors primarily greet customers and detail rules to them. Vendor Booth Auditors are only required to volunteer in the morning, and can combine the position with another type. They must monitor booths and adjust markings between them to “optimize line flow and social distancing.”
The Santa Monica Farmers Markets are also hiring one Social Media Intern and one Volunteer Coordinator Intern on a rolling basis; both positions are unpaid. Internships last for a minimum of 11 weeks, and interns are expected to commit at least 10 hours of their time to the program each week.
Numerous health and safety protocols have been enacted throughout the farmers’ markets due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including:
- facial coverings are required at all times,
- all visitors must maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between other groups,
- browsing time is limited to 30 minutes,
- lingering and socializing are not allowed,
- produce cannot be touched by customers, and
- tape has been placed on the ground to mark queuing areas.
Details regarding the Santa Monica Farmers Markets can be viewed at smgov.net/portals/farmersmarket. The application page for interns and volunteers is surveymonkey.com/r/smfmapplication.
