COMFORT FOR THE BELLY & SOUL - Make Soups & Casseroles from Home!

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GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS IN THE HARRISBURG, PA AREA

Share your culinary talents! Simply make a little extra when cooking for yourself and/or your family!

The end-of-life journey is a time when extra comfort and support is needed as patients and their families are often fatigued physically, emotionally and spiritually. A simple home-cooked soup or casserole that can be taken from the freezer, heated, and enjoyed is a huge blessing. It's comfort for the belly!

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS:
1. Contact Laurie Murry, Volunteer Coordinator to share your interest.
2. Purchase, pick up (at the Homeland Hospice office) or have delivered to your home, the materials that are needed (listed below). We understand that not everyone may be able to purchase the needed materials, but if you can, it is a huge help not only financially, but also in helping to save a lot of staff time.
3. Prepare soups and casseroles. Perhaps you cook a little extra when making your own meal or maybe you have left overs that would make a delicious casserole or soup. All of the meals can be the same, or they can be varied, that is up to you.
4. Complete an info sheet that includes the ingredients (due to allergies) and warming instructions. The Information sheet is provided by Homeland Hospice.
5. Wrap the casseroles in foil (no lids, please. They come off and are hard to work with), place casserole or soup in a gallon freezer bag, along with your information sheet, and freeze.
4. When you have several meals, either deliver them to Homeland Hospice (schedule a time with the volunteer coordinator), or schedule a time for the volunteer coordinator to pick up. Again, if you are able to deliver, that is very helpful!
5. The casseroles and soups are kept in a freezer at Homeland Hospice and delivered by staff and/or a volunteer to families as they need them.

MATERIALS NEEDED: (these can either be provided by Homeland Hospice or purchased/picked-up by the volunteer)
1. 8" x 8" aluminum casserole pans and/or 32 ounce plastic soup containers
2. Aluminum Foil - to wrap the casseroles
3. Gallon Size Freezer Bags - to place the casseroles and soups in (the 8" x 8" pans fit nicely!). The freezer bag helps to ensure that the meals arrive to the patients/families in the best possible condition - no freezer burn, foil in-tact, and recipe information is included.
4. Meal Ingredient list and rewarming instructions - provided by Homeland Hospice

During any interactions with Homeland Hospice Staff, masks will be worn and social distancing will occur.