Sunday after service, before 1st day / To prepare the guest bedrooms, move the tables out of classrooms 204, 206, 209, 211and put in room 205 (next to the Education Director’s office), except leave two tables in each room. Fold up the chairs and lean against the walls in their classrooms. Note that excess furniture cannot be put in the hallway, it all goes in room 205. Corner room 207 is to be left as it is. Recruit others to help before or after worship service.
To prepare the dining area, put two rectangular tables by the kitchen pass-through counter and set up 6 round tables with chairs on the kitchen side of the room. All other furniture is to be put away in the furniture storage closets.
Move In Day
First Day
8:30 – 10:30 AM / The Grassroots movers will bring items from the previous CWS location and need direction to move items upstairs to the classrooms where our guests sleep.The bedrooms (rooms 204, 206, 209, 211) will be marked such that the bedding, mats, and the guests' bags get placed in the rooms. An estimate of beds per room will be given shortly before move-in day. The Grass roots tubs of supplies and extra bedding goes in corner classroom 207. HoCo Dept. of Corrections will drop off blankets. Arc of HoCo will drop off sheets and towels. If no one is at the church to receive the blankets or sheets, they may be left outside at the front doors, so bring them inside.
Make arrangements to have a church front door key and elevator key in advance. The elevator key is to help the movers. Put the keys on a ring of the Grassroots 3-ring binder. Grassroots administrative materials and child car seats will be placed at the narthex Welcome Center. Items to be locked up (meds, etc.) are to be put in the janitor closet between the restrooms across from the office (front door key fits this lock).
Bedrooms
Set-up
First Day
4:00 – 5:30 PM / Make up the beds using the supplied bed mats, sheets, pillows, and blankets prior to arrival on the first day. The classrooms are marked for set up (typically two men’s, one women’s, and a family room). Set up a chair next to each bed if there is room. If they are marked, move theguests’ bags of personal items into the respective rooms. This is to be completed by 5:30 PM before the guests arrive.
Guidelines
for Meals / For hot meals, set up the dining area, serve the meal, and clean up the kitchen and dining areas. Disposable dishes, cups, and cutlery are recommended and are in the pantry, but it is fine to use Bethany's china dishes and flatware (there is a commercial dishwasher). Set a bowl of ice out in the dining area for the drinks(there is a commercial icemaker). The guests are not allowed in the kitchen. Coffee prep instructions are next to coffee maker next to the pass through window – give yourself 20 minutes due to heating up the maker water reservoir. Do not use the large coffee percolator. Make only decaffeinated coffee at the dinner. Meal volunteers are encouraged to dine with our guests and linger to converse, play board games, or read to children. Joel and Sori Meredith will be present as SafeServ certified commercial kitchen monitors -- read the kitchen usage guidelines at the CWS page on the church website. For questions or guidance, contact Food Coordinator Karen Ingalls.
Weekday Quick Breakfast
Drop off the night before
or
6:00 – 6:45 AM / Provide foods that are packaged and portable like fruit (e.g. bananas), breakfast bars, single serving yogurts, microwavable breakfast sandwiches, single serving juices, and hard boiled eggs. Cereal is to be packed in single serving containers, and milk for the cereal. Bring English muffins, bagels, and butter/cream cheese too. Quantities may fluctuate, so check beforehand with the Food Coordinator. If you will not be present in the morning, put the non-refrigerated foods in the Bethany kitchen on the counter opposite the refrigerator for the overnight attendant to put out.
If you elect to serve our guests yourself, then please have the foods ready on the kitchen pass-through counter before 6:15 AM. Use the drip coffee maker and coffee packets to make two pots of coffee.
Weekend Hot Breakfast
7:00 – 9:00 AM / Purchase and prepare hot breakfast, which is to be served at 7:30 AM. Cook a simple breakfast at such as pancakes and sausage, scrambled eggs and hash browns -- or made-to-order omelets for the more adventurous. Provide coffee, water, juices and other breakfast beverages. Have fun with this event and dine with the guests.
Sack Lunches
Drop off the night before / Purchase and prepare sack lunches for an average of 12 people. The number fluctuates, so check beforehand with FoodCoordinator. The lunches are typically prepared offsite and dropped off at the shelter by 9 PM the night before or by 6 AM the morning of. A typical lunch consists of sandwich, fruit, bag of chips, and cookie. A beverage is not required. Avoid ham, bologna, or peanut butter sandwiches. Label ‘CWS’ and the date on the bags to help the overnight attendant.
Evening Meal
5:00-7:30 PM / Procure and prepare dinner for 30 people (guests plus volunteers) to be served from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. This task can be done by three people or more. The main course is predetermined for each day. Do not make any dishes containing ham or pork. To accommodate vegetarian diets, do not add meat products (e.g. bacon, chicken stock) to vegetable side dishes. Identify your side dishes in the Signup.com comments field to avoid repetition. It is encouraged to provide beverages in addition to the church lemonade and iced tea, and also dessert (ice cream is popular).
General Transportation
Information / For each shift, one person drives a large passenger van and another drives their own vehicle. The van and provided child car seats remain atthat church when not in use. Be flexible for special requests for locations other than the mall, such as a workplace or day care.
The Transportation Coordinator position is vacant, so please contact a Bethany Shelter Coordinator if you are interested.
Morning Transportation
Weekdays
6:30 – 7:30 AM
Weekends
8:30 – 9:30 AM / Drive guestsfrom the church to Columbia Mall in the morning. On weekdays, most guestsare to depart from the church between 6:30 and 7:30 AM to catch county buses, but some may need to depart the church as early as 6:00 AM to go to work. Weekends are delayed two hours, leaving between 8:30 and 9:30. On Sunday, a driver may be needed later if guests stay forworship services – check the worship service signup sheet at the Welcome Center.
Evening Transportation
Van - 5:40 PM
Car(s) - 5:50 PM / The Columbia Mall rendezvous spot is at the HoCo bus stop by the Sears auto repair center on the upper level, just before the first bus stop shelter. The van is to arrive no earlier than 5:40, and aim to leave around 5:50. The personal vehicle is to arrive no earlier than 5:45, and aim to leave around 6:00.
Have a ‘CWS’ sign available to display on your windshield so guests can identify your vehicle. Coordinate with the other shift driver so that you have enough child car seats.
Evening Shelter Attendant
6:00 – 10:00 PM / Assist Grassroots staff with check-in. Assist our guests during the transition between dinner and bedtime: interact and dine with the guests;collect personal items to be secured (meds) by the Grassroots staff; remind guests that dirty laundry pickup is at 8:00; ensure snacks, drinks, and ice are available in the fellowship hall (guests are not allowed in kitchen). On Saturday, inform the guests that there is a signup sheet for Sunday worship services.
For showers:turn on the sanctuary lights (switch to left of entrance) and back parking lot lights (switch in front of sanctuary on right); unlock exterior sanctuary door; unlock/lock parsonage basement;turn on lights outside and in shower area (switch opposite wall from door); ensure there are towels, washcloths, soap and shampoo by the Welcome Center; escort guests to the parsonage basement shower upon request (first time only) – do not enter parsonage with them; remind guests when it’s their turn for the shower (see signup list at Welcome Center). When showers are done turn off all lights and lock up.
Keys for the parsonage and the secured items closet are kept in the Grassroots attendant’s 3-ring binder. The front parking lot lights should be on until 10:00. Generally, one attendant is stationed on each floor after dinner – this includes the Grassroots staff. Check the restrooms occasionally. Adjust classroom thermostats if guests say it’s cold. Guests can be in the sanctuarybut not the office area. Food and drink should stay on the first floor. The smoking area is on the steps outside the narthex (we have to be able to see them), and smokers’ children can be outside with them.
Evening Activity (optional)
7:00 – 9:00 PM / Coordinate a social activity or provide entertainment between dinner and bedtime. This is ideal for a GIFT group, youth group, or local club. We have had youth host a movie party with popcorn, and have had groups come in with visitation dogs. Others just enjoy coming in to play board games. We have had GIFT groups conduct their gatherings on site. Be creative, but let the Bethany Shelter Coordinator know in advance if you plan to provide a project/ event/ activity but are not on the volunteer schedule. Activities can be either in the fellowship hall or library. The ‘no food upstairs’ rule is waived for library activities.
Laundry Washing
8:00 PM / The dirty laundry will be placed in a designated area in thelobby no later than 8:00 PM. Also, take any used shower towels from the hamper next to the Welcome Center. Bedding is not washed by the volunteers. The washer and dryer in the parsonage basement are available for use if desired.
Return the clean and folded laundry in an issued laundry basket anytime the next day before 8:00 PM. The cleaned clothes are to be returned in a designated area on the 2nd floor.
One volunteer acts as the primary person to do all of the laundry if there is a manageable amount. A backup volunteer is signed up in case the primary person needs help with a larger than anticipated amount.
Overnight Shelter Attendant
10:00 PM–8:00 AM / Provide overnight shelter monitoring with the Grassroots staff member. Tidy up the shelter space (e.g. store or dispose of snacks in fellowship hall). Our guests are not allowed to take smoke breaks between 10:00 and 6:00. Make sure guests don’t smoke in the bathrooms. Volunteers can take turns catching a nap while the other stays up with the Grassroots staff member. Bring your own bedding such as a sleeping bag, and there are foam mats in room 205 or 207.
For continental breakfast on weekday mornings, set the breakfast foods, toaster,and utensils out on the kitchen pass-through counter. Use the drip coffee maker and coffee packets to make two pots (prep instructions are next to the coffee maker). Microwave frozen breakfast sandwiches upon request. (The breakfast provider may optionally do the food and coffee). Set out the sack lunches for our guests to take on their way out in the morning. Clean up the kitchen area. Ensure that all guestshave transportation.
Move Out Coordination
Last Day
8:00 – 10:00 AM / On this last morning, the church is to be returned to its original condition. Bag sheets, pillow cases, and towels for washing by Arc of HoCo, and label with provided stickers. Separately bag blankets for HoCo Dept. of Corrections to wash, and label. Stage in place the bed mats, guest belongings, and child car seats for the Grassroots movers to relocate to the next CWS location. Arrange to have leftoverfood taken to Grassroots (Grassroots stafftry to help with this, and ask the staffer from overnight).
Coordinate with the overnight attendants to get into the church before they leave or make arrangements to have a church front door key in advance. The elevator key for the movers is in the CWS Grassroots 3-ring binder at the Welcome Center. Remove the church keys from the CWS binder before it gets packed.
Classroom Furniture
Last Day
7:00 – 8:00 PM / The second floor classrooms (rooms 204, 206, 209, 211) are to be restored to their original configuration. Tables stored in room 205 (next to the Education Director’s office) are to be moved back into the empty classrooms – follow the layout diagram on the wall of each room. Move the foldup chairs leaning against the walls of each room around the tables. Lastly, in room 205 move the furniture back to its correct layout. This can be done anytime after the Grassroots movers are finished moving out.
General Volunteer Information / Fill in the volunteer sign-in sheet at the Welcome Center. Be physically ready and mentally prepared for service at the shelter. Keep valuables in a secure or monitored location or locked in your car. Inside the church wear your name badge sotheguests know that you are there to help.
Let a Bethany Shelter Coordinator know ASAP if you can’t cover for your shift – we can help you find a replacement. If you aren’t sure how to address a guest request, ask the Grassroots attendant. Feel free to bring games such as cards, a book to read with a friend or a DVD that you would like to share. Stay for dinner. Engage in conversation.
A Word on Getting Involved / Some volunteers may be inclined to offer extra services for the guests such as a haircut, creating a resume, giving gifts, or providing transportation to a doctor’s office. There is a responsibility that goes with this kind of help. If you want to give extra attention to one of the guests, first talk to the Grassroots staff on duty or Bethany Shelter Coordinator. Sometimes the end result does not turn out to be the way you planned. It is better for more than one person to get involved. Be cautioned that one guest could make the same request of several volunteers.
Grassroots Needed Items / Because our guests do not have permanent housing, we should not burden them with more belongings. Gift bags are not encouraged. However, Grassroots needs to replenish the following items at to help care for them at CWS: full size towels, hand towels, wash cloths, twin bed sheets, blankets, pillow cases, deodorant, shaving cream, razors, hand cream, facial tissues.
Contacts
Bethany Shelter Coordinators –
Jack Santori (443) 794-7761
Adam Marshall (301) 801-5278
Bethany Food Coordinator - Karen Ingalls, , (443) 812-6068
Grassroots Shelter Manager – Doug Carl, (410) 707-1100
Grassroots on-site staff (CWS mobile phone) – (410) 660-0449