Respect & Tolerance
- Be respectful of everyone present.
- Try to just listen.
- Be as respectful to those receiving services as to those who are working.
- Remember that your conversations should have:
- No shame/blame/judgment.
- No swearing or inappropriate language.
- No name calling.
- No sex talk or drug talk.
- Try not to personalize comments that may seem negative.
- Keep all conversations you have with clients as well as information you might overhear confidential.
- In sharing about your experiences in Open Kitchen, don’t use names of clients or other identifying information.
- If you become aware of a situation in which a guest intends to harm him/herself or another, alert a coordinator and together make a report.
- Don’t initiate conversations about religion with guests. If a guest brings up a religious topic feel free to respond but keep your focus on what the guest brings up.
Boundaries
- Maintain appropriate boundaries with clients.
- Don’t give guests rides.
- Don’t give guests money.
- Don’t make arrangements to help guests on your own (with housing, jobs, etc.). If you have a particular concern please bring it to the attention of one of the coordinators.
- Don’t make arrangements to meet with guests outside of Open Kitchen.
- Don’t answer personal questions or share personal information.
- Refrain from initiating physical contact of any kind. Many people are not comfortable with being touched.
- Don’t get talked into things: If asked to do anything that you are not sure about, always ask one of the coordinators. Do not rely on what other volunteers or guests say.
- Honor the volunteer guidelines. If your needs are not being met, please contact a coordinator for other alternatives.
General Responsibilities
- Stay on task: Feel free to chat while you work, but stay attentive to your duties and any children for whom you are responsible.
- If you choose not to finish a shift or are unable to do so, let the coodinator know that you are leaving.
- Please put away cell phones, except for emergency situations, during the meal preparation, service, and cleanup.
- If there are any conflicts during your time at the soup kitchen, please direct the issue to a coordinator.
- Please remember to sign out before you leave.
- Please do your very best to volunteer from beginning to end of your allotted time/duty.
- Do not take items that do not belong to you.
- All kitchen staff are responsible to the kitchen manager.
- We are a smoke free facility; if you need to smoke, please observe the 25 feet rule (find the tent in the parking lot), and remember to properly dispose of your cigarette butts.
Kitchen Volunteer Duties
- Prepare ingredients.
- Assemble soups and sandwiches.
- Prepare coffee.
- Prepare dessert trays.
- Adhere to proper kitchen procedures in order to maintain a safe and clean cooking environment.
- Pay particular attention to Charity Food Donation Guidelines and Safe food handling guidelines.
- Adhere to proper hand washing technique.
- Avoid Cross Contamination, the transfer of microorganisms from one surface or food to another, which can cause food-borne illness. Cross contamination occurs when…
- Raw contaminated ingredients are added to food that receives no further cooking.
- Raw food touches or drips fluids onto ready-to-eat food.
- A food handler touches raw food and then touches ready-to-eat food.
- Surfaces and equipment are not properly cleaned and sanitized before touching ready-to-eat food.
- Cleaning with contaminated wash rags.
- Examples of cross contamination violations:
- cutting raw chicken on a cutting board and then cutting vegetables on the same unclean and unsanitized cutting board or with the same unsanitized knife.
- not cleaning the multi-use sink after rinsing raw chicken or other raw foods.
- Be aware of the food danger zone.
- Do not let frozen food thaw at room temperature.
- Hold hot foods at 135 degrees F or higher.
- Hold cold foods at 41 degrees F or cooler.
- Cool cooked foods from 135° – 70 ° within 2 hours and from 70 °- 41° within 4 hours.
Set Up Responsibilities
- Set up tables and chairs.
- Decorate tables with centerpieces.
- Set up buffet with plates, bowls, silverware, napkins, glasses, coffee cups.
- Set out coffee service items.
- Set out trivets and serving utensils.
- Set up banners, sign-in tables, sandwich boards.
Greeting Responsibilities
- Welcome guests.
- Remember to let guests initiate any physical contact.
- Help guests to sign in.
- Show guests where they can put their belongings if they choose.
- Show guests to the buffet and help them get seated. Help persons with special needs and families with children.
Serving Responsibilities
- Buffet servers stand behind buffet line and serve food to patrons.
- Drink servers pour drinks for patrons.
- To Go portions can be served at 7pm if there is food left over and if guests provide a container.
Floater Responsibilities
- Wipe tables off with bleach water and rag once guests leave table.
- Refill items on serving line as necessary.
- Fill in for servers who are eating or need to take a break.
Dishwasher Responsibilities
- Rinse dishes completely.
- Compost food scraps.
- Run dishes through the dishwasher.
- Return dishes to cabinets/drawers.
- Hand wash items too large for dishwasher.
Clean up Responsibilities
- Properly package, label, and store leftover foods for freezer or next meal.
- Gather remaining aprons, napkins, rags and place in laundry basket.
- Wipe tables with bleach/water solution.
- Stack chairs.
- Sweep floor.
- Mop floors as necessary.