Room in the Inn Ministry at St. Stephen United Methodist Church

RESPONSIBILITIES OF FOOD PREPARERS
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3-4 Servers (min.) are recommended for each meal depending on the extent of preparation.

PM: Arrange for food and servers to arrive at church by 5:30pm (Earlier or later depending upon preparation time). Dinner should be ready by 6:45pm.
AM: Arrange for food and servers to arrive at church by 6:30am. (Earlier or later depending upon preparation time). Breakfast food may be dropped off the Friday night before for storage. However, food volunteers should return by 6:30am to prepare and serve the meal. Breakfast should be ready by 7:15am.
Set-up tables for Guests and hosts to eat. Plan for 18-20 very hungry members and Guests for dinner and breakfast. Bag lunches should be prepared for 10.
All china, plastic utensils, plates, cups, and placemats will be provided by the church and should be stocked and stored in the Fireside Room kitchen cabinet designated for RITI or in the opposite china cabinets Note: Unlike past years, in 2008-09, we are encouraging all volunteers to use the china and cups in the china cabinet vs paper products. This helps St. Stephen "go green" and save money at the same time.
Coffee and hot chocolate will also be provided by the church and should be stocked and stored in the Fireside Room kitchen cabinet designated for RITI. Volunteers should bring iced tea and sodas for dinner and milk and juice for breakfast.
Dinner and breakfast meals should be hot and hearty (e.g., bacon and eggs, fruit, cereal, biscuits with jelly, grits, etc.). Also please keep in mind the dental care of many Guests. Thus, hard to eat food such as raw carrots, apples, hard candy, etc. should be avoided.
Bag lunches should contain, for example, 2 sandwiches, chips, fruit, cookie/dessert, and soda/water. Note: lunches should be mostly non-perishable.
When in doubt, prepare more vs. less food. Many of the Guests are men who may not have eaten that day. You should also plan on feeding the Overnight Hosts and other volunteers. Thus, prepare accordingly.
Although not required, when planning your menu, you may want to avoid quick prepared meals that are often encountered at general shelter sites (e.g., spaghetti, lasagna).
During each meal, NO ONE should remain in the kitchen. You are encouraged to either eat or drink with the Guests.
CLEAN UP THE SERVING TABLES AND KITCHEN AREA after each meal. Encourage Guests to participate.
All trash bags should be emptied the next morning into the large dumpster behind the youth wing. Do not assume that Bill Devore or our church's other staff will take care of it in time for the next class/event.
ALL SERVERS ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED TO INCLUDE ANY FAMILY MEMBER FOR A MEAL. You will simply need to adjust the amount of food accordingly.