Food Service Committee

1
Food Service Committee
The most remarkable think about my mother is
that for 30 years she served the family nothing
but leftovers. The original meal has never been
found.
- Calvin Trillin
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Food Services CommitteeYou will,
without question, be the most popular volunteer
on the site!.

• Food Services committees are formed primarily
  when planning blitz or accelerated builds.
  However, during a regular build when Saturday,
  perhaps, is your main workday, it is always
  helpful to provide morning snacks and/or lunch.
  Volunteers appreciate the convenience of on-site
  meals and are less prone to leave the site for
  meals elsewhere. Its a well known fact that, if
  your volunteers sit down for half an hour in
  air-conditioned comfort, your chances of having a
  full crew return for the afternoon are greatly
  reduced!
• Meals need not to be complicated. Volunteers are
  not looking for gourmet cooking. They simply need
  good quality foodand plenty of it.
• If planning a regular build, try to schedule
  snack foods, cold/hot drinks and lunches for the
  workdays. This is a wonderful way to involve
  local churches and businesses in your build.
• If doing a blitz or accelerated build and
  starting early in the morning, all volunteers
  should receive breakfast, a mid-morning snack, an
  afternoon snack, lunch and dinner (either hot or
  cold depending on available services), as well as
  hot and cold drinks. This may sound like
  overkill, but when you have a tight schedule,
  your volunteers will appreciate the food and you
  will ensure that they will work a full day.
• Food must be plentiful, nutritious and of good
  quality. As a guide, cater for 50 percent more
  than the number expected. Construction is hard
  work and develops appetites. You will always have
  visitors, media, etc., on site to increase your
  numbers.
• Snacks and beverages should be freely available
  to volunteers throughout the day and, during a
  build, throughout the night for sub-contractors.
• Clean, fresh drinking water and clean cups
  should be readily available throughout the
  construction site. Ideally, a large water jug,
  with cups, should be placed at each house, if
  building more than one, and several made
  available at the food/snack tent throughout the
  day and during meal times.
• Offer vegetarian options at all meals, catering
  for 15 percent of the meals to be vegetarian.

3
Food Services CommitteeYou will,
without question, be the most popular volunteer
on the site!.

• Food Service Planning Should Include
• Preparing menus and a food take-off list.
  These should include soap, paper towels, paper
  plates, cups, napkins, condiments, etc.
• Obtaining donations of food and utensils when
  possible. Churches are a good source,
  particularly for snack foods and sandwiches.
• A study of the site layout. If several houses
  are to be built, is it possible to establish
  snack stations (tables set up with snacks,
  fruit and water) around the site? Snack stations
  limit the number of
• trips volunteers make to the food tent and
  allow them to continue with their work. Food
  Service
• people can also continue with the next
  meals preparation and set up.
• Dont skimp on food service to save money. It is
  important that volunteers receive good food and
  plenty of it.
• If doing a build where you will be catering
  several on-site meals, contact local soup
  kitchens or the Salvation Army to alert them to
  the possibility of leftovers throughout the
  build week. Remember it is always better to have
  too much food. Your volunteers will be satisfied,
  and by giving any extra meals to soup kitchens,
  you can provide a service to the community.