Meal Train® for Supper at the Shelter

Special Instructions

Thank you for your willingness to serve!! We look forward to having more churches involved. What to bring? Home cooked meals are preferred. Our guests eat lots of pizza throughout the season, so we only use that as an emergency backup plan. Try to avoid spicy foods as it hurts the stomachs of those that are sensitive. There’s usually a bottle or two of hot sauce in the refrigerator for the ones that like it. Also, there’s usually a bunch of salad dressing and condiments so it’s not always necessary to bring additional. Drop by an evening or 2 before and assess what is needed. One more thing - many guests may have missing or sensitive teeth, so hard to chew foods aren’t the best choice. It’s also nice to have additional hands there to help serve and clean up so ask for volunteers in your church to join you in serving in this rewarding ministry! I have found it helpful to ask for small groups, men’s and women’s ministries or 2-3 families to partner together in planning meal preparations. It’s fun to see what different groups create as meal plans. Things that work well include soups & sandwiches, breakfast for dinner, taco bar items, baked potato bar, pulled pork BBQ with buns and a few side dishes. Also, casseroles of all sorts are very popular. Bring a variety of drinks. Tea, lemonade, white and chocolate milk are all very popular. Last year there were 25 to 30 people there for dinner on Thursday evenings due to Bible study. Plan large meals. Leftovers for guests that arrive late or as lunches for our hard-working men are much appreciated. Staff and volunteers are welcome to eat dinner with our guests. Our guests LOVE it when you join them for a meal!! Equipment available? There’s a couple of refrigerators, a stove, microwave, some pots, pans, griddles and crockpots but the food should really be brought hot and ready to serve. Warming up the food is fine using these appliances. Meal timing Meals need to be ready to serve by 6 pm. Anyone bringing dinner should arrive between 5:30 and 5:45 pm to allow time for setting it up, last minute warming if needed, etc… I try to have an emergency stash of paper plates, plastic eating utensils, cups, storage bowls for leftovers and so forth in my car just in case the shelter is out of anything needed. Dinner is wrapped up by around 7 pm. Clean up Please wash all dishes, stove, countertops, microwave and tables used during the meal. Guests are often happy to help!