Kitchen Manager

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Purpose of Role:

Individuals who come to live at Casa Milagro have experienced homelessness and/or mental health challenges that have necessitated their engagement with supportive and subsidized housing. One cause of displacement (homelessness) is the reality that some individuals struggle with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) or instrumental Activities of Daily Living (iADLS). These include: cooking (planning, preparing, and cooking meals), house cleaning and organizing, shopping (purchasing groceries, clothing and other items), transportation (arranging a ride service, public transportation, or driving), personal finances (paying bills and budgeting accurately), and others. The ability to maintain ADLs is hindered by the mental health challenges and symptoms which people experience. 

 

The KITCHEN MANAGER role engages the Casa Milagro resident community in several of the crucial ADLs at once by providing clear structure and support for the daily meal program at Casa Milagro. 

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At the time they move into Casa Milagro, residents agree to engage with the meal program as a key part of their daily/weekly program participation. The vision is that the KITCHEN MANAGER, along with other staff, meets the residents where they are in their ability to maintain the ADLs related to the meal program. Likely, at first, the level of support will be relatively high. However, the resident’s engagement with the program will gradually lead to the development of more independence in the kitchen. The kitchen manager supports residents in this growth trajectory, as well as maintaining the organization and functioning of the community kitchen overall. 

Kitchen Manager Job Duties Include: 

• Working with Casa Milagro individual residents to support each in choosing a simple weekly meal to cook for the whole community. The meal plan needs to be close in complexity to what residents might try to cook if they lived independently. (We do not want to overburden staff with meals that are too far beyond the level that the resident can accomplish.) 

• Drafting and posting a weekly meal plan of resident meals. 

• Making at least one grocery shopping trip per week with resident(s) to replenish food supplies and ingredients for weekly menu items, as needed. 

• Communicating clearly with residents what Casa Milagro will and will not provide as part of their supportive services program, and maintaining those boundaries.  

• Supervising and/or supporting resident(s) scheduled to clean the kitchen before dinner preparation begins to make sure this chore is done, as well as residents scheduled to clean the kitchen after dinner. 

• Practicing a trauma-informed approach to resident engagement as part of an overall therapeutic program designed to support wellness recovery.

• Participating as an integral part of the overall staff team – communicating behavioral health observations, resident strengths, challenges, breakdowns, breakthroughs, etc. with the rest of the staff. 

• Help residents develop goals to support independent cooking skills or stress management while cooking. Process obstacles as they arise. Collaborate with Community Support Worker to help support these goals.

• Purchasing any needed kitchen equipment and supplies.

• Maintaining the organization and efficiency of the kitchen, including the weekly chore of cleaning the refrigerators. 

• Do special event/holiday menu planning. Support residents with cooking those days or plan support as needed.

 

Terms, Pay, and Benefits 

• Part-time or full-time options depending on availability to also perform shift work 

• $27.50/hour ($454.17 monthly) 

• For part-time employees who work regularly weekly shifts, we offer a health stipend. 

• Sick leave according to NM law.

• Looking for someone to begin training as soon as possible.

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If interested, please send a cover letter, resume, and 2-3 references to Desiree Bernard at dlb.casamilagro@gmail.com. For more information about Casa Milagro, please visit our website at www.casamilagrosantafe.org. Thanks!

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