WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers help out in a variety of ways, both on-site and off-site!
On-site volunteers prepare food in our large kitchen, serve meals for our guests in our dining room, and box up meals that we prepare for to-go meals as well as other agencies that provide shelter. They also keep the dining room tidy and clean, bussing and wiping down tables. On-site shifts are Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-Noon.
Off-site volunteers pick up and deliver donations around the tri-state, hold food drives, and even cook food, bake treats, or assemble sandwiches that they deliver to Our Daily Bread. Cooking or baking are great ways for families with children to help out. Assembling sandwiches has become very popular for businesses, congregations, and other larger groups that want to use teamwork to make a difference. If you are interested in preparing food off-site, you can learn more about our needs and sign up here.
If you are interested in volunteering on-site, transporting food, or holding a food drive, please use the form below to contact Kathy Schickel, Director of Operations. Thanks so much for your interest in supporting our work!
Soup Kitchen Volunteer FAQs
During COVID-19 Our Daily Bread has re-assessed multiple times to make changes to protect the safety of our guests, volunteers and staff. Below are frequently asked questions to help guide you in your decision about volunteering at Our Daily Bread.
Things look different from a couple years ago, but our heart is the same: we feed people, and we do it with dignity.
· Our dining room has limited capacity, and guests have the option to come inside to eat or to pick up meals, snack bags, and drinks at a to-go window.
· Volunteers in the kitchen dish up and bag the to-go meals, which are served hot. They also dish up hot meals as guests go through the serving line and choose their food. For dine-in and to-go, we provide double the amount of food we used to put on the plate so that guests do not need to come through line more than once (but if they need to, they can!).
· In addition to meals, guests also receive “snack bags” with sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and treats to eat later in the day. Volunteers assemble these bags every day.
· Our daily meal numbers are much higher now. They fluctuate based on the time of year, with fewer in the winter and more in the spring, summer and fall.
· We have also increased our service hours. Volunteer shifts now begin promptly at 8:00 AM and last until noon. Volunteers begin boxing to-go meals at 8:10, and we start serving at the to-go meal and in the dining room at 8:30 to help our guests move quickly through line.
· We’ve increased our attention to cleanliness. All volunteers must wear gloves and wash their hands frequently.
We understand that many volunteers have preferences of how they like to spend their volunteer time. While we try to respect these preferences when possible, there are certain tasks that need to be completed each day if we are to successfully serve our guests. We request that volunteers prioritize the following tasks before moving on to the other jobs (such as cooking) that they prefer.
· Dishing food on the serving line
· Packaging meals and transporting them on carts to the to-go window
· Stuffing bags with forks and napkins for to-go meals to be added
· Wrapping pastries
· Constructing snack bags
Yes. Due to the vulnerability of the population we serve, many of whom have underlying health conditions and an inability to quarantine when sick, we are requiring all volunteers to be vaccinated.
All interactions contain an element of risk. Potential volunteers must weigh their risk factors (age, general health, vulnerability of others in their households, vaccination status, etc.) and make the personal decision if they feel comfortable volunteering. Volunteers must be vaccinated to work on site (see above). Masks are now optional. If you need one, we can provide one for you.
Most volunteers will not engage directly with the public. A few volunteers each shift will be in the dining room, but it is not required. They provide guests with trays and utensils to go through the serving line, or they bus tables.
We no longer have sit-down volunteer activities. If you volunteer, you will need to be able to stand and do moderate physical labor for 4 hours with limited opportunities for a break.
In order to minimize the number of people in our building and limit COVID exposure, we are asking all volunteers to commit to at least one or two days per week.
8:00 AM – Noon, Monday – Friday
There are many ways to stay involved with Our Daily Bread and our mission. Opportunities vary as we adapt and change – please click here for our latest needs, including cooking or baking at home, assembling sandwiches, and more.
Please contact Kathy via the drop-down form above the FAQ’s to discuss options.