Every day in Chillicothe, families are making impossible choices between food, rent, medicine, and gas. The Chillicothe Community Resource Center exists to make sure “you’re not alone in this” is more than just a slogan — and we’re looking for a Community Resource Navigator who wants to turn that into reality.

As a Community Resource Navigator, you’ll be the first point of contact for neighbors seeking help with food, housing, utilities, healthcare, childcare, transportation, and more. You’ll sit down with individuals and families, listen to their story, help identify needs, and connect them to the right mix of local resources — including services offered directly by our center, other local nonprofits, faith partners, and statewide programs.

You’ll work on-site at our center in downtown Chillicothe, with occasional off-site outreach (tabling events, community fairs, partner visits). This role is ideal for someone who’s organized, compassionate, and excited to build relationships across the community.

Key responsibilities

• Welcome walk-in visitors, phone calls, and online referrals with warmth and respect.

• Conduct brief intake interviews to understand needs around food, housing, utilities, transportation, childcare, healthcare, employment, and legal support.

• Use CityOS-style resource tools / internal referral database to identify best-fit programs (food pantries, rent/utility assistance, legal aid, mental health resources, etc.).

• Help clients complete applications and paperwork (benefits, housing lists, ID replacement, etc.).

• Follow up with clients to see if they were able to access services and if additional help is needed.

• Coordinate with local partners (schools, churches, hospital social workers, city offices) to keep resource information up-to-date.

• Track activity in our case management system (contacts, referrals, outcomes) for grant reporting.

• Participate in outreach events, community fairs, and presentations about our services.

• Work closely with our Food Pantry & Clothing Closet teams to provide a seamless, dignified experience for clients.

Minimum qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s in social work, human services, psychology, education, or related field preferred.

• 1+ year experience in customer service, social services, education, healthcare, or similar people-facing work (volunteer experience counts).

• Strong listening and communication skills; comfortable talking with people in crisis or under stress.

• Basic computer skills (email, web browser, data entry, Office/Google Suite).

• Able to maintain confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries.

• Commitment to equity, dignity, and non-judgment for all clients, regardless of background or circumstance.

Preferred / nice-to-have

• Experience with case management, advocacy, or navigation roles.

• Familiarity with local Chillicothe / Livingston County resources (food pantries, shelters, clinics, etc.).

• Bilingual English–Spanish or experience working with multilingual families.

• Prior work or volunteer experience in a nonprofit, school, clinic, or faith-based outreach setting.

Schedule & location

• Status: Full-time, non-exempt

• Schedule: Monday–Friday, primarily 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM; occasional evening/weekend events with advance notice.

• Work arrangement: On-site, with limited local travel for outreach.

• Location: Chillicothe Community Resource Center – near downtown Chillicothe, MO.

Compensation & benefits (detailed)

• Hourly rate: $18.00 – $21.00/hour, depending on experience and language skills.

• Benefits:

  • Health insurance stipend (individual) after 60 days

  • Dental/vision stipend option

  • Paid time off and sick leave

  • 11 paid holidays, including your birthday

  • Paid trainings, conferences, and certifications as budget allows

  • Mileage reimbursement for approved off-site visits

  • Simple IRA with employer match after 1 year (if nonprofit budget allows in your scenario)

Our commitment to equity & fair chance hiring

The Chillicothe Community Resource Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applicants of all races, ethnicities, religions, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and backgrounds.

We are a fair-chance employer. Having a prior conviction does not automatically disqualify you. Many of the people we serve have been impacted by the criminal legal system, and we believe that lived experience can be a strength in this work. Background checks are completed in conversation with applicants and evaluated case-by-case.