One of the things my dad and I do on Thanksgiving morning is Serving Irving. Its hosted by a church in my hometown and we take food out into the community and feed. We serve food to neighbors and friends in an apartment complex or trailer village. These are usually spots where the church who sponsors the feed day does ministry work or already has an established connection. But, these same principles could work for a new feeding site, serving holiday meals to homeless, or setting up in an open area located in a downtown section of your community.
While the process of serving is simple and the meal can be simple, coordinating and getting the details together take a little planning. Working a couple months ahead would be idea, but this kind of thing can come together in a week or few days if the team making it happen is committed.
It really is my favorite thing we do all day. You know I love to do things that make people smile and there is nothing more fulfilling than providing something for someone they cannot provide for themselves.
I thought I’d provide a little “Guide to Setting Up a Holiday Food Serving Center” because you know what I think – when you feed a belly, the door is opened to feed a soul.
Now “food” can look like lots of things. But, since its the Christmas/Holiday Season, I thought I would pass along a grocery list, set up map and to do list in case you might get a group together and feed some of the homeless in your community this holiday season or winter.
The menu listed here is based on a traditional American holiday meal. Many of our neighbors are Hispanic and Marshallese and these types of foods are a treat for them. But, if I’m being honest, they would be find with fajitas, enchiladas, burgers and chips, or anything off the grill. For many of them this is a meal they do not have to provide for their own family and it takes care of a hard time when kids are not at school with breakfast and lunch provided or, where extra family members are around that need to be fed and cared for.
10 Steps to Setting up a Holiday Food Serving Center/ Feeding Site:
- Call and coordinate location, time, and set up with the site coordinator or main contact.
- Invite people to eat if it is not the obvious meal (canvas neighborhood or mail flyers). It may be helpful to get a count or number of people to expect, but do not rely solely on RSVP.
- Gather friends and volunteers to help you.
- Pull together set up supplies…keep it simple!
- Prepare food or coordinate getting the items donated
- Load food and supplies in car and move to feeding location
- Set up the serving site
- Serve food and share a smile
- Clean up
- Secure a chance to do it again!
Grocery List for Holiday Food Serving Center/ Feeding Site:
- Protein (pick one) – Turkey, Ham, Chicken
- Starch (pick two, max) – mashed potatoes, dressing, rice, corn, mac and cheese
- Veggie (pick one) – green beans, peas, mixed veggies
- Bread (pick one type) – rolls, sliced bread
- Gravy, if you wish (Home Depot bucket works
great!) – use a powdered mix and stir with water - Dessert (any combination) – pies, cakes, cookies
- Bottles of water if serving beverages as a meal
Set-up Supply List for Holiday Food Serving Center/ Feeding Site:
- Long tables for food set up
- Table covering – paper table cloth, plastic table cloth, butcher paper
- Plates or to-go containers to serve meals
- Small plates or dessert containers (clamshells)
- Plastic forks and napkins if serving meal at the location
- big metal catering pans to transport food
- large buckets to carry gravy or vegetables
- tarp to put under carseats or in the vehicle where food is being transported
- If serving warm, catering sterno set up – holders, warming pans, sterno heaters
- Stick lighter
- Gallon of water to go in the bottom of catering pan set up
- To-go grocery sacks for people to carry their food home
- Serving spoons (include slotted if serving veggies with liduid)
- Tongs for meat
- Knife and server for pies/desserts
- Ladle if doing gravy
- Hand can opener
- Sharpies and pens
- Trash bags
- Rags or clean-up cloths
- Lots and lots of smiles
- potentially form and pens to gather contact information from attendees if you intend to follow up with them
And, what about the table? Here’s a little diagram to help you set up your feeding site:
Whether you are the one to organize the whole thing, get a group together or just participate in the day, I promise you will be the one who’s heart will be the most blessed. Most of us have so much. We don’t worry about where the next meal will come from. We have a job that puts food on our table and can probably help put food on another. Be a blessing this holiday season and open your eyes to the needs around you!
This post is part of the #NWArkCares series by the Northwest Arkansas Bloggers group. To view other posts, visit the Northwest Arkansas Bloggers Pinterest Board or follow #NWArkCares through social media.
