Housing Intake Steward
About Mobile Loaves & Fishes
Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) is a social outreach ministry that has been empowering communities into a lifestyle of service with the homeless since 1998. Founded in Austin, Texas, the organization serves its homeless neighbors through three core programs: Truck Ministry, Community First! Village, and Community Works. Often referred to as the most talked about neighborhood in Austin, Community First! Village is a 51-acre master planned development that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. We are now embarking on a new phase of community expansion, adding more than 1400 new neighbors over the next 5-10 years.
About the Role
The Neighbor Care Team has the privilege of walking alongside our "neighbors" as they apply to live at Community First! Village (CFV) and to provide an opportunity for them to settle, cultivate and care for themselves and others in this unique community. The Housing Intake Steward is an integral part of the Neighbor Care team, supporting and welcoming neighbors into Community First! Village. The Housing Intake Steward will steward relationships with new potential neighbors as they move through the housing interview process and settle into life at CFV.
This is a full-time, non-exempt position reporting to the Senior Move In Manager. Due to the nature and requirements of the position, hours are flexible to fit need, but typically include 8am-5pm Monday-Friday. Some nights and weekends may be required. The Housing Intake Steward will office at Community First! Village located at 9301 Hog Eye Road, Austin, TX 78724.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Steward relationships with new potential neighbors as they move through the housing interview process and settle into life at CFV.
- Conduct housing interviews and home selection appointments for new potential neighbors.
- Conduct background check reviews and confirm potential new neighbor eligibility.
- Schedule housing contract signings, healthcare intakes, Move In day appointments, and other various appointments. Inform all relevant departments of upcoming move ins.
- Ensure organization move in goals are met.
- Work closely with new neighbors to make sure they have a plan to pay monthly rent.
- Verify funding for move in costs for approved housing applicants; coordinate with partner agencies regarding funding, as well as with the Property Management and Accounting Team.
- Lead the New Neighbor 101 Program in an effort to help our neighbors connect with each other and settle well into community at CFV.
- Support relationships with partner agencies serving people currently experiencing homelessness and educate them on our housing application process and requirements.
- Facilitate the virtual and in-person CFV Potential Neighbor Tour.
- Oversee the process of all neighbor approved transfers.
- Create Welcome Home Report and Move In Report on a monthly basis.
- Assist MLF and Neighbor Care team in achieving our goals, especially helping to move neighbors' home and into community.
- Assist Neighbor Care and other departments as needed.
- Other Duties & Responsibilities as needed
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Principles
- MLF is a faith-based organization whose ideals and philosophy come directly from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As an organization, we strive to reflect this precept in our communications, both internally and externally.
- Commitment to serving those who have experienced homelessness and personal alignment with MLF's vision, mission, core values, and goals.
- 3 years of housing experience
- Experience in housing chronically homeless/individuals with high needs is preferred
- Relevant bachelor's degree preferred
- Experience with evaluating and refining processes
- Proficient in Office 365
- Strong calendaring / scheduling skills
- Knowledge of Fair Housing Laws
- Strong organizational skills, detail oriented
- Ability to multitask effectively
- Should possess a strong aptitude for problem solving
- Ability to work joyfully and connect with diverse populations and organizations
- Demonstrates integrity and strives for excellence in her/his work
- A collaborative spirit and ability to work well individually as well as part of a team
- Action oriented-enjoys working hard and looks for challenges; able to act and react as necessary, even if limited information is available
- Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
- Must have a valid driver's license
Work Environment & Physical Demands
- Ability to move about Community First! Villages phases
- Ability to work in an office setting
- Ability to lift up to 30 pounds
MLF VISION
We empower communities into a lifestyle of service with the homeless.
MLF MISSION
We provide food and clothing, cultivate community, and promote dignity to our homeless brothers and sisters in need.
GOALS
- Transform the way people view the stereotype of those who find themselves homeless
- Reconnect the homeless to self, family and community
- Help the chronically homeless rediscover and utilize their God-given talents to do purposeful work
- Connect human to human, heart to heart through the fellowship of food and hospitality
- Inspire people into a lifestyle of abundance by giving their best first
BELIEF STATEMENTS
The vision is supported by belief statements centered on our belief that homelessness is the result of a profound, catastrophic loss of family:
- God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life
- By virtue of being created by God in His image, we are all called to live in community and relationship with Him through each other
- The family is the original cell of social life
- You shall love your neighbor as yourself
- All members of the human family are equal in dignity
- The Lord God took the man and settled him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and care for it. Gen 2:15
CORE VALUES
MLF is committed to fostering a culture that prioritizes relational connection. We believe there is opportunity in every aspect of our work to be relational in a highly transactional world. In this culture, transactions are means to relational ends, not the other way around.
This begins with the countercultural love poured out by Jesus Christ and grows as imperfect individuals strive to show this love to each other human-to-human, heart-to-heart.
Each individual's openness to the journey of their own personal growth is essential in building our relational culture, and we believe this culture flourishes as we each continuously strive to more fully embody these four core values:
- Faith: We define Faith as the foundational belief that our world and all our work belong to God. This allows us to engage our work with joy and lightheartedness, knowing that we are not ultimately in control.
- Humility: We define Humility as rightly viewing oneself as a single piece of a grander story. This humility leads to a view of oneself that is neither too high nor too low.
- Generous Spirit: We define a Generous Spirit as a readiness to give more grace, mercy, and hospitality than is necessary or expected. This posture allows us to see others for who they are, not what they do.
- Integrity: We define Integrity as a wholehearted commitment to doing right by God, ourselves, and others. This wholeheartedness shows itself in consistently choosing honesty, responsibility and ownership in all actions and decisions.
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.
MLF is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Personnel are chosen based on ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, genetics, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation in accordance with federal and state law.