Hot Lunch Service Attendants

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Second Helpings fights hunger in Central Indiana from every angle - and that includes here at Damien Center! With their support in 2025 we plan to serve up to 100+ hot or warm lunches daily to Damien Center clients and participants. To make this possible, it will take generous volunteers like yourself who are willing and able to come to Damien Center during lunch hours to help us serve lunch. As a volunteer lunch attendant, you will be responsible for working alongside Damien Center staff to serve meals to clients and participants at the Center each day. This is a great volunteer opportunity for retired folks, those free during midday hours, people looking for recurring volunteer opportunities, and even groups of volunteers from local businesses, clubs or other organizations!

Key Responsibilities:

1. Greet clients, answer their questions about the lunch menu and help distribute the meals to Damien Center clients and participants
2. Always ensure compliance with food sanitation and safety standards
3. Work alongside Damien Center staff to properly clean and sanitize all silverware and utensils, as well as properly dispose of any trash or leftover waste
4. At the end of lunch service, help Damien staff clean up and properly store/dispose of leftover food

Skills and Qualifications:

• Have a friendly and approachable demeanor - be a people person!
• Ability to work well both in a team and independently
• Be sensitive to, and respectful of, a diverse and LGBTQ+ friendly clientele and staff.
• The ability to effectively use a variety of basic food service tools including, but not limited to tongs, ladles, kitchen scissors, spoons, spatulas, etc.
• Customer service or food service skills experience is a plus but is not a requirement.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit or stand for up to 3 hours at a time while serving food
• Ability to perform tasks that involve repetitive motions, including sweeping, moping or wiping, and spooning, tossing or handing out food to clients
• Ability to lift up to 5lbs with or without assistance, multiple times during a shift as necessary

Time Commitment and Training:

• Volunteers will complete a New Volunteer Orientation and Training either virtually or in-person prior to their first volunteer shift. This is required regardless of the position you are applying for.
• Once the New Volunteer Orientation and Training is complete, interested volunteers will be connected with the Coby Palmer Food Pantry Coordinator to determine a working schedule that (1) respects the time and labor of the volunteer and (2) ensures we are adequately prepared to serve our clients each day.
• Shifts are available Monday - Friday of each week from approximately 11:30am - 3:30pm. Shifts are coordinated directly between the volunteers and the Coby Palmer Food Pantry Coordinator/Lunch Service Coordinator via phone and/or email.
• We ask that volunteers make a recurring or long-term commitment of at least 3 shifts per month to be considered. Those who cannot meet this requirement will still be considered, but preference will be given to volunteers who know they will be available for recurring shifts.
• ServSafe Certification requirements are still being determined internally by Damien Center staff and, should this be found necessary for volunteers, will either be purchased for the volunteer or reimbursed after completing a specified number of volunteer shifts. You will receive confirmation of this before you are asked to begin volunteering.

About the Environment:

This opportunity will occur at the Damien Center Mosaic Building, located at 1420 E Washington St., beginning in 2025. This service will operate out of a food service space near the food pantry, as well as in the greater community day space, which features adjustable walls and movable furniture. Volunteers will be behind a serving station when interacting with clients, and the serving station will be at approximately waist-level when standing upright. The space is indoors and climate controlled. Volunteers should expect a slow work environment to start as we begin informing clients about this service, working towards eventually handing out 100 hot meals a day.