Dinner Volunteer

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You can sign up for one-time opportunities or set up a weekly or monthly plan to prepare

COOKING AT HAVEN HOUSE:

• Cook what is listed on our menu
• PLEASE use ALL the ingredients set out, including meats, as more food is better than not enough.
• Any grease used for cooking MUST be poured in the grass up the exit door stairwell or in the container labeled "grease" next to the stove, NOT down the drain.
• Cook what is listed with some of your own changes or additions
• Cook your own recipe with our ingredients
• Cook your own recipe with your ingredients

COOKING OFF-SITE:

• Cook what is listed on the menu using our ingredients
• Come to Haven House and collect ingredients, pots and pans, etc. you need to prepare the meal
• Cook a meal of your choice using our or your own ingredients
• We will need to discuss this option to be sure this is a meal residents will enjoy and food items we can purchase
• Come to Haven House and collect ingredients, pots and pans, etc. you need to prepare the meal
• Deliver prepared meal to Haven House by 5:30pm

We recommend arriving at 3:30 pm. Any menu items needing defrosting should already be in the refrigerator before you arrive, shelter staff does this. If you plan to deviate from the menu, let us know so we do not defrost unless needed.

Meals should be prepared and ready by 5:30. Dinner is served in family packaged meals. When the meal is complete you will portion the main dish, sides, salad, dessert, etc. into containers for each individual family. The containers will be set on each table for parents to serve their own family. After setting the meal out, let staff on duty know the meal is ready so they can announce it. Often residents come in a bit later, so before you leave please put the meal in each family's refrigerator who is not present for them to eat when they arrive back at the shelter.

Dinner volunteers ARE required to clean any meal prep dishes. All pots & pans, knives, cooking utensils, bowls, mixers, blenders, crock pots, roasters, etc. used to prepare the meal must be cleaned before clocking out. Dishes will need to be washed, rinsed, sanitized, dried and put away, and the oven and stove-top cleaned, if needed. The supplies you will use, where to find them, and more detailed instruction will be discussed during your tour.

*Be sure to "cancel" via your account if you cannot make your dinner preparation as scheduled so shelter staff can be prepared to make dinner that night. Calling the shelter to cancel as well is helpful in case Volunteer Coordinator is not in the office to receive automatic cancellation email*