Family Promise - Dinner Preparers
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
- Be fully familiar with the Family Promise (FP) Program rules, the facilities, and your responsibilities.
- Obtain the number of adults and children to prepare food for from the FP Coordinator (listed on the Wasatch FP web site).
- Avoid leftovers and waste with good meal planning. Check with other preparers to fix just what is needed for one dinner.
- Fix dinner and arrive at church in time to serve at 6:00 PM. (5:30 PM on Sundays) Sign in/out in the logbook in kitchen.
- Prepare simple yet hearty, non-spicy meals to include meat, vegetables and a starch of potatoes, rice, or pasta.
- Include a vegetable or fruit salad to accompany dinner.
- Bring only enough rolls, butter, and dessert for one meal.
- Set out plates, glasses, silverware, napkins, and drinks to include water, milk, and coffee. Make yourself a nametag.
- Prior to serving, offer a simple nondenominational blessing.
- Serve buffet style from the kitchen counter window or another table you set up adjacent to the kitchen.
- Eat dinner with the guests and evening hosts if you wish.
- Wash dishes; wipe off tables/chairs, and clean kitchen.
- Take all leftovers home if you have prepared too much.
Remember, someone else is fixing dinner for the next night.
Thank you for volunteering!
Salt Lake Family Promise Network
Dinner Preparers
We need dinner for 20-25 each night, which includes the prep crew, 2-4 evening hosts, and 3-4 families (maximum 20 SLIHN guests). The actual numbers vary, including variance by day of the week, because some families may make different arrangements with the FP office, and the coordinator. We'll make every effort to let you know a final number before you arrive. We'd like to eat every night at 6:00pm.
Guests arrive at the church between 500 and 600pm, and they're usually recuperate in their bedrooms until dinner. Children commonly show up before dinner hoping to snack or to see what's going on and "help out"; use your best judgment .
Many volunteers find it easier to prepare the meal at home and warm it up, rather than dealing with the equipment at church; if you plan on using the latter, please get accustomed to its appropriate use before arriving to prepare your meal, Please prepare a simple, non-spicy meal, including a meat or vegetarian dish; a starch such as potato, rice, or pasta; vegetable and/or salad, or fruit; bread or rolls, and a dessert. Because our guests have commonly had an inexpensive diet before entry into the FP program, please emphasize protein-rich foods, and vegetables/fruits. A BBQ is a fun option in the summer. Most kids are not fans of fancy sauces or fish, so if you decide on these, please have another simpler option available. Serve buffet style on the kitchen counter and/or another table you set up adjacent to the kitchen, and set out plates, glasses, silverware, napkins, drinks such as water, milk, and coffee if desired.
We eat together in and an evening host will perform a brief nondenominational blessing on the meal. Please be prepared to bring unused portions home if you have greatly overestimated volume , as we sometimes have trouble getting through all the leftovers (we'll try to use them up at weekend lunches). This is a big job, but spread between 2-4 folks, it's very manageable, and not very expensive. Work together with other volunteers to share planning, purchase, and preparation. If you would like to eat with the guests and the evening hosts, that would be great. If guests want to initiate a conversation with you about religion or their problems, use your best judgment, and be empathetic, but don't try to problem solve; the FP staff takes care of that. Please don't initiate conversation about such matters yourself- the weather and the kids are great dining subjects.
Guests are expected to help with bussing their dishes, and cleanup. Make sure one of your group knows how to run the dishwasher. Wipe down the tables and chairs. If we need the tables taken down, we'll let you know. The evening hosts are there to help with any needs of the guests and the dinner prep volunteers, so feel free to ask them.
THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING AND FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY!!!
