Winter Shelter Cook & Server

Join a team of up to 5 to plan, purchase ingredients, cook, and serve a meal at the Winter Shelter.

Detailed Description:

Background: QUUF joins other local faith-based and secular organizations (the Community Outreach and Shelter Team) in hosting the Jefferson County Winter Shelter each year. The Shelter offers beds and bathing nightly as well as meals for those who are homeless, from November through March. QUUF covers all meal and monitoring for two weeks each winter: traditionally the week after Thanksgiving and the last week of January. Having a food handler’s certificate, available either through a local class or online, is helpful. Key Activities: Volunteer cooks offer either a breakfast (2-3 hours) or a dinner (4-5 hours), donating ingredients unless the cost is personally burdensome (in which case the cost of one's share of ingredients is reimbursed). Outside of not "potentially hazardous" home baked goods, meals are prepared in a Donor Kitchen, either QUUF's or the Shelter’s. Finally, one serves, cleans up, handles lunches and completes report forms. Dinner cooks prepare lunches using ingredients in the Shelter, while breakfast cooks package those lunches and distribute them in the morning. Meals are ideally offered by teams of 2 for breakfasts and 5 for the dinners. Meals are shared by both shelter guests and all those supporting the Shelter, about 35 people for most meals. Time Commitment (hours): Activity Breakfast Dinner 1. Prepare to cook in a Donor Kitchen (absorbing directions) 2.0 2.0 2. Plan meal .5 1.0 3. Purchase ingredients .75 1.5 4. Cook 2.0 1.0 5. Serve, eat, clean, work with lunches, report 1.0 2.0 Total 5.25 8.5

Service Term:

As needed

Benefits for the Volunteer and the Congregation:

Directly helping those most in need Supporting a community-wide effort to allieviate suffering during the time of year when those living without basic shelter are most vulnerable Joining others in QUUF to actualize this support--this may include youth who may cook but not serve in the shelter. Get to know others as only people who meet over food can.

Skills Needed:

Meal planning: balanced, healthy, comforting palatable foods, responsive to dietary and physiologic needs and preferences of those being served -- attentive to nutrient and caloric requirements, and dental disease
Purchase food mindful of quality, source, and cost
Prepare food hygienically, to prevent food-borne illness in this vulnerable population and retain the "Donor Kitchen" status of the kitchens where meals must be prepared for legal donation
Balanced, respectful, and on-task interaction with co-cooks
Access resources which allow team members to share costs of the meal
Reporting time and materials donated

Training, assistance, and safety requirements:

1. Optimum preparation includes becoming a licensed food handler through local Public Health Department training or online at https://www.foodworkercard.wa.gov/language.html. Because food donations are governed by WA State laws (Chapter 69.80 RCW, WAC 246-215) familiarity and compliance with these laws is essential. Knowledge can result from i) direct review of the laws ii) understanding the guidance provided by the COAST Volunteer Coordinator or Team member holding a Food Handler's certificate. Compliance with requirements for where donated food must be prepared is critical (potentially hazardous food prepared in a home kitchen and delivered to the Shelter is illegal and can compromise our ability to serve food. Additional guidance specific to the safety requirements at the Shelter must be understood and followed. If ill, a volunteer should refrain from serving. If donating an individual's share of the team meal is a financial burden, reimbursement is possible.

Contact Person:

Cathe Bell

Contact Person Email:

bell.cathe@gmail.com

Ministry Team:

Justice and Outreach

# of positions available:

Multiple

Availability:

Position Open

Keywords:

Teach RE/Family activities