Wellness Specialist

The Center for People is a dynamic non‑profit organization that provides innovative services and programs to the low-income community in Lincoln, Nebraska, addressing basic needs and providing opportunities to achieve economic independence for our clients.

We are currently looking for a Wellness Specialist. This position is a full-time, 40 hour per week, onsite position.

The Wellness Specialist supports the delivery of community-based nutrition, wellness, and self-sufficiency programming at the Center for People. This position plays a key role in facilitating hands‑on learning experiences that help individuals and families build practical skills related to healthy cooking, nutrition, food budgeting, and small‑scale food production.

Working closely with the Wellness Exchange Program Manager, the Specialist helps implement educational programming designed to improve food security, health outcomes, and long‑term independence. Programming may include cooking demonstrations, nutrition workshops, food preparation instruction, and introductory gardening or food‑growing education.

This role serves as a primary facilitator and educator, translating program design into accessible and engaging learning experiences. The Specialist helps create welcoming, dignity‑centered learning environments that encourage curiosity, participation, and practical skill‑building.

The Nutrition Specialist approaches all programming with cultural humility and an understanding that food traditions, cooking practices, and wellness perspectives vary across cultures and communities. Educational sessions intentionally incorporate culturally diverse ingredients, recipes, and food traditions to reflect the experiences of participants while expanding access to healthy and affordable food options.

This position regularly works with individuals and families experiencing poverty, food insecurity, housing instability, or other barriers. The Specialist demonstrates empathy, patience, and trauma‑informed awareness while fostering a respectful and inclusive space where participants feel safe to learn and participate. All interactions are guided by dignity, respect, and a strengths‑based mindset that recognizes the knowledge, resilience, and lived experiences individuals bring to the learning environment.

• Facilitate hands‑on workshops focused on cooking, nutrition, meal preparation, and practical food skills
• Demonstrate safe food handling practices, cooking techniques, and efficient kitchen skills
• Lead interactive sessions that emphasize low‑cost, accessible meal preparation using commonly available ingredients
• Teach participants how to prepare nutritious meals with limited equipment or restricted kitchen access
• Integrate culturally diverse foods, recipes, and cooking traditions into educational programming
• Encourage participant engagement, discussion, and peer learning during sessions

• Support instruction in basic gardening, container growing, and small‑space food production
• Demonstrate practical growing techniques such as planting, watering, harvesting, and seasonal crop care
• Assist with maintaining any program gardens, planting areas, or demonstration spaces
• Provide participants with simple strategies for growing food in limited or urban environments

• Teach foundational nutrition concepts in an accessible and practical format
• Facilitate lessons on meal planning, food budgeting, and stretching limited food resources
• Provide guidance on food storage, pantry organization, and reducing food waste
• Help participants identify nutritious and affordable food options available in the community

• Support the Wellness Exchange Program Manager in implementing program initiatives and educational activities
• Prepare materials, ingredients, and supplies for workshops and demonstrations
• Assist with setup, organization, and cleanup of kitchens, classrooms, and program spaces
• Assist with ongoing revenue streams, not limited to, but including Impact Fuel Boxes, virtual cooking classes, and…