Christ Church Georgetown Soup Kitchen: Volunteer duties

Cook duties

• Arrive at 5:30 pm. Go to the kitchen on the second floor in the Parish Hall.
• Prepare sandwiches as determined by the leader, with 150 being the usual number for the warmer months. Use 2 slices of meat and 2 slices of cheese for each sandwich, but be sure to use up all the meat and cheese designated for that night.
• Place sandwiches in individual plastic bags.
• Fill large clear plastic bins with brown lunch bags. It is OK to layer these.
• At the leader's discretion, fill brown lunch bags with: sandwich, spoon, napkin, mayo packet, mustard packet, and dessert (e.g. fruit). Extra supplies are in the pantry.
• Heat up the soup following any special directions, or until heated through. If there is a homemade soup, there may be instructions to add a few last-minute ingredients.
• Pour soup into a large blue plastic serving container and close lid.
• Gather food items to go out on van: soup, soup ladle, plastic bag to hold the wet ladle, sandwiches in bags, and any extra items if available.
• Wash soup pot and other dishes. It's easiest to use the sink in the back of the kitchen with the disposal; to turn on disposal, pull down the brass button located under the sink on the left. Do not run the motor unless the lid is closed.
• There are recycling bins near the kitchen freezer, if needed. Corrugated cardboard boxes may be broken down for recycling also.
• You are free to leave after the kitchen is clean. No need to sweep the floors. Thank you!

Server duties

• Younger children riding the van must be accompanied by at least one of their parents or a close adult friend, while teens should have at least one adult chaperone on the van. Children must be 12 or older to serve on the van.
• Arrive around 6:30 pm and go upstairs to kitchen.
• Help take food to downstairs foyer or front steps, including: thermal containers of soup; soup ladle; plastic bag for ladle; sandwich bags; clipboard; and any extra non-perishables or fruit, if there are any.
• The Salvation Army/Grate Patrol van should arrive between 6:45 pm and 7:00. The driver and assistant can carry the heaviest items, but volunteers help load the truck.
• Be sure you know how to get back into the building.
• When handing out food at each stop, give each person a cup of soup and paper bag with sandwich. The Salvation Army/Grate Patrol will give out drinks from the back of the van (hot chocolate in the winter; punch in the summer). You can give out second helpings of soup or drinks, but use a new cup or bowl - don't refill a used cup for reasons of hygiene. Likewise, always use a new cup for drinks - do not fill individual water bottles. The Salvation Army/Grate Patrol will have latex gloves available for servers.
• At the end of the night, the van will return to the Parish Hall. Bring back the thermal soup container, ladle, and clipboard to the kitchen.
• Wash the thermal soup container and ladle. It's easiest to use the sink in the back of the kitchen with the disposal; to turn on disposal, pull down the brass button located under the sink on the left. Do not run the motor unless the lid is closed. Leave dry dishes beside this sink.
• Count the number of people served at each stop, and write any comments in the log sheet on the clipboard. Leave the clipboard in the kitchen, and turn out the lights. The Salvation Army will also ask for feedback on a form of their own.
• Be sure the front door locks behind you when you leave. Thank you!

Leader duties

• Arrive at 5:30 pm. Go to the kitchen on the second floor in the Parish Hall.
• Greet and introduce new cooks and servers to the program. Make sure all are comfortable with their duties.
• Help cooks make sandwiches, heat soup, and clean pans.
• Decide how many sandwiches to prepare guided by instructions from the chef, recent reports from prior weekends, and instinct. The usual number of meals prepared in the summer is 150. Leaders can decide whether to pack brown paper bags or not. Leaders and cooks are free to suggest a different menu, but they should communicate this to the chef and food buyer in advance of any changes.
• When servers leave with the truck, make sure they take with them the clipboard and be sure that someone knows how to get back into the building.
• Be available in case of staffing questions or last-minute cancellations. The leader may need to ride with the van if serving volunteers fail to show up. Try to honor the preferences of volunteers who were scheduled to serve.
• Before leaving the church building, please make certain the front door is locked.
• If soup kitchen van does not appear, try to contact someone at the Salvation Army.
• If the driver is unable to reach Christ Church after you have prepared food, use your discretion in deciding what would be best to do.

There is additional information about shopping for the soup kitchen and preparing the menu, in case you are interested.

Go back to the previous page.