Warming Center Information

12:45 – Set Up

  • Make 2 pitchers of Kool-Aid, two pitchers of lemonade, and a pitcher of ice water
  • Fill ice bucket and put on table with tongs for ice
  • Make Regular Coffee (no decaf). Put out creamer and sugar and stirrers
  • Light ovens if necessary
  • Find name tags – first names only
  • Set up table for beverages – table near mailboxes away from food line. Do not give out cups from the kitchen. Guests receive cups at sign-in
  • Assist St. Luke’s volunteers with set up of sign-in table

1 pm – Doors open

Sign-in Persons

  • Opens door
  • Checks in guests (name, PADS ID #, birth date, ride?)
  • Puts name on 1 styrofoam cup for each guest as they check in
Kitchen Crew
  • Put out snacks – snack suggestions: salsa & chips, veggies & dip, cheese & crackers, pop corn, celery & peanut butter, French bread for dipping
  • Begin to make lunch
  • Prepare soup & salad
  • Check paper goods (bowls, plates, napkins) and plastic utensils
  • Refresh beverages

2 pm – Serve lunch

  • Crock pot for heating soup. Heat soup in separate pan on stove first. Serve soup by the bowl as guests come through the line.
  • We have a closet of canned goods if you need extra food
  • Entrée can be any type of lunch food. Suggestions are as follows:
  • Meat sandwiches with lettuce and tomato are popular
  • Fajitas
  • Tacos
  • Tuna melts
  • English muffin pizzas
  • Fried egg sandwiches
  • Egg, chicken, or tuna salad sandwiches
  • Quesadillas
  • BLT’s
  • Chili (no chili in January)
  • Grilled cheese
  • Hot dogs
  • Sloppy joes
  • Bring enough for everyone to have 1 ½ sandwiches
  • Salad suggestions
  • Green salad
  • Cottage cheese with fruit
  • Cole slaw
  • Veggies & dip. Our guests like Ranch dressing (do NOT like Italian dressing)
  • Condiments – pickles, olives, hot peppers, etc are welcome
  • Our guests do NOT like Jello
  • Side dishes
  • French fries
  • Onion rings
  • Macaroni & cheese
  • Tater tots
  • Green bean casserole
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Baked beans (occasionally)
  • rice

3 pm – Dessert is served

  • Ice cream is very popular

General tips:

You should make sure there is something for the kitchen crew to prepare while waiting to serve. There should be veggies to chop for the salad or sandwiches to put together, or some other productive kitchen tasks that need completing so your volunteers are not standing around with nothing to do. Encourage your volunteers to chat with the guests.

Kitchen rules
  • #1 wash hands often
  • recycle cans, cardboard, pop bottles – flatten bottles. Recycle bins are sometimes outside in the gated garbage area. Serving plates, flatware, napkins are put out on the counter at the beginning of the serving line. (On your right as you face out from the kitchen)
  • Styrofoam cups are given out at check-in. They are not given out from the kitchen
  • Refill ice bucket and mix more Kool Aid as needed
  • Put milk and pop out at 2 pm
  • All food is served with UTENSILS OR GLOVED HANDS. Do not serve food with bare hands. Put tongs in all snack serving bowls.
  • Guests are served one portion of anything they want until all have gone through the line, then seconds may be served.

Remember WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH YOUR HANDS, AND WASH YOUR HANDS

Clean up is continuous throughout the day. Hungry guests come in after the initial lunch time, so please keep food safe, warm, and delicious for any latecomers.

Needed weekly
  • 2 bags of ice
  • 2 gallons of milk
  • 2 different kinds of snacks
  • At least four 2 liter bottles of pop