Family Housing Network’s Faith Family Hospitality

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SET UP CREW

Arrive on Sunday at 1 PM. Set up should take approximately an hour.

  • Prepare guest rooms: fold-up tables, stack chairs & move extra furniture to edge of each room.

  • Make the beds with plastic mattress covers, cloth mattress pads, sheets, pillows &; blankets. Place stack of towels on the table. Set out hangers on the clothes racks. Make the room as comfortable as possible. Each room will have the following items: cot, towels, and baggie with toothbrush and toothpaste for each guest, lamp, alarm clock, hangers, disinfectant wipes, and Kleenex box.

  • Host Rooms (nursery and Goodness) are for use of Overnight Host volunteers. Set up SOJ’s own cots (in boxes marked SOJ) along with table lamps. Hosts bring their own bedding.
    Place inserts into door windows in guest rooms and Overnight Host rooms for privacy. Use tape to secure the inserts.

  • Make sure bathrooms are clean and set out toiletry baskets: Baskets with soap, razors, deodorant, etc in Women’s and Men’s bathrooms, basket with soap, bath gel, shampoo, conditioner, and shower items in the Family bathroom. Place plastic bath mats in front of the shower in the family bathroom.

  • Foyer: To be enjoyed by all members of the families before and after dinner.

  • Set up 5 tables, chairs, and high chairs as needed. Set out age-appropriate toys and books in the Patience Classroom.

  • Record your volunteer hours in the Volunteers Notebook. Thank You

DINNER PREPARERS

Responsible for providing the evening meal for our guests. You will receive a list of guests and ages prior to the week of hosting. The list will include any allergies, likes, and dislikes. When planning meals, please remember to include the evening hosts (2) and yourself.

  • Plan to serve dinner at 6:30 PM. Make the guest meal at your home and bring prepared or cook at the church - the church will be open at 5 PM.

  • Make and wear a name tag, available in the Volunteers Notebook in the kitchen.

  • Review guest names and schedule posted in the kitchen. Set aside dinners as requested for those who will be late.

  • Call everyone to dinner at 6:30 PM.

  • Wearing gloves, individually plate food per each guest’s wishes. You may enlist adult guests to help in plating dinner (wearing gloves). These FFH guidelines are to reduce the spread of infections.

  • Eat dinner with our guests and enjoy some fellowship time.

  • Together with our adult guests, thoroughly rinse load and run the dishwasher or sanitizer, empty, dry the dishes and clean up the kitchen.

  • We have a sanitizer and dishwasher. The sanitizer is fast and instructions are posted on the backsplash above the unit. Run one initial cycle to bring it up to temperature (~140).

  • Rinse food from dishes then load and run. The soap is built-in (no need to add). It takes less than 5 minutes to run but does not scrub or dry. Remove dishes (they’ll be hot) and they can air dry on the counter on the cloth pad.

  • Please take leftovers home. Feel free to leave after cleaning up and logging your hours and any concerns in the Volunteers Notebook in the kitchen. Thank You!

NOTES AND INFORMATION

  • Please use the milk (chocolate & 2%) and juice provided in the refrigerator for dinner.

  • Everyone should wear gloves (provided) while preparing or serving food in the kitchen.

  • For safety reasons, children are not allowed in the kitchen.

  • Guest drug prescriptions may be placed in the upper locked corner cabinet to the left of the sink for the safety of the children and other guests. The key to this locked cabinet is in the Volunteers Notebook.

  • Cleaning supplies for spills are in the Janitor's closet near the office door. Use the church key to open the door.

Guidelines for dinner:

  • Make certain all items are thoroughly cooked (e.g. chicken)

  • Simple meals are great, keep in mind that many of our guests are children.

  • Aim for nutritious meals including all the food groups. Vegetarian meals are fine.

  • Dessert is not always necessary. Many guests choose not to eat dessert so don’t expend extra time making homemade desserts. Spend your efforts on healthy parts of the meal.

Some suggested menus:

Chicken legs with rice-a-Roni, celery & carrot sticks with ranch dip, fruit salad
Mac & cheese
Spaghetti pie
Pasta Bake
Spaghetti and meatballs
Potato bar, salad and dessert
Pizza (always popular!)
Slow-cooker BBQ chicken on buns
Baked ziti, salad and garlic bread
Pork chop casserole and salad
Lasagna, salad
Stuffed shells
Chicken casserole
Chili and cornbread
Ham and Cheese casserole
Tater Tot casserole

EVENING HOST

Your main purpose is to open the church by 4:45 PM and assist in making our guests feel welcome and at home at Spirit of Joy.
If you do not have a church-key, please contact one of the SOJ Coordinators for the code to the lockbox outside Pastor’s door which contains a church key, or to make other arrangements to get into the church. Please return the church key to the lockbox after opening the church. There is a church key in the Volunteers Notebook in the kitchen for your use during the evening.

  • Arrive at 4:45 pm and unlock the front doors (use the key to lock bar in recessed/unlocked position).

  • Unlock the nursery and Goodness for the Overnight Hosts.

  • Wear a name tag, available in the Volunteers Notebook. Review guest names and the guests’ schedule posted in the kitchen.

  • Greet guests and unlock their rooms as they arrive between 5 – 6 PM.

  • Eat dinner with our guests and enjoy some fellowship time.

  • After dinner, either assist with clean-up or (with parental permission) interact with the kids in Foyer while parents take part in the clean-up.

  • When the overnight hosts arrive (8 pm), introduce them to guests who are still in the common area. After that, you may leave.

  • Record your hours and any feedback in the Volunteers Notebook. Confirm that the church key is in the Volunteers Notebook. Thank You!

NOTES & INFORMATION

Emergency numbers are posted in the kitchen by the phone, in the Volunteers Notebook in the kitchen and in each of the Overnight Hosts rooms (nursery and Goodness). Call the SOJ Coordinator with any problems or in an emergency call 911 first.

Guest drug prescriptions may be placed in the upper locked corner cabinet to the left of the sink for the safety of the children and other guests. The key to this locked cabinet is in the Volunteers Notebook.

For safety reasons, children are not allowed in the kitchen.

Adult guests and hosts should wear gloves when handling any food in the kitchen.

Always ask parents’ permission before offering food, activities, or other things to their children.

DO NOT intercede with parents disciplining children, unless it is life-threatening. If you notice any behavior that you think is inappropriate, make a note of it in the Volunteers Notebook and the SOJ Coordinator will notify the FFH Program Director. Your main responsibility is to show hospitality and interact with our guests as appropriate. Volunteers are not babysitters; parents are required to keep their children within ‘line of sight at all times.

Guests may use the ashtray on the patio out the locked south door across from the women’s bathroom, propped open with a stone, to smoke at night.

Fire extinguishers are in the Foyer to the right of the sanctuary doors, outside the Peace classroom, and in the office. Each room has smoke detectors; CO detectors are in the hall.

OVERNIGHT HOSTS

Your primary responsibility is to assist the guests in turning in for the night and to be available in case of any nighttime emergency. You may use the nursery or Goodness to sleep in. Please bring your own twin size sheets, pillow, comforter or sleeping bag, and alarm clock; cots are supplied.

  • Arrive at the church by 8:00 PM and let the Evening Hosts know you have arrived.

  • Wear a name tag, available in the Volunteers Notebook in the kitchen.

  • Sign in and review guest names and schedule and check for any notes about late guests listed in the notebook.

  • Introduce yourself to any guests who are still up and enjoy spending time with them. If guests have gone to their rooms, do not disturb them; their rooms are their private spaces.

  • Quiet time begins at 10 PM. Turn off lights, lock all doors (verify that back doors are locked) and check that guests are settled in their rooms.

  • Your alarm should be set so you can have coffee made and breakfast/lunch items set out for guests by 6:00 AM. Remember food items that may be in the refrigerator.

  • Guests set their own alarms but if needed, knock on each door (no earlier than 6:30 AM) and make sure folks are awake and getting started.

  • Families are to leave SOJ by 7 AM all mornings except Saturday when they may leave at 9 AM

  • Check that the kitchen, bathrooms, and foyer are clean; (guests should pick up after themselves). Empty the coffee pot. Return breakfast & lunch items to the back kitchen counter.

  • Rinse breakfast dishes, load, and run the sanitizer or dishwasher. If you use the fast sanitizer, dry and stow the dishes. Clean up the kitchen as needed.

  • On Sunday morning, remind guests to strip and pile their bedding by their door.

  • Log hours in the Volunteers Notebook. Note any problems or concerns in the notebook.

  • Lock all guest rooms, host rooms, and all outside doors using the church-key found in the Volunteers Notebook. Verify that the church and prescription cabinet (see below) keys are placed back in the Volunteers Notebook.

NOTES AND INFORMATION

Emergency numbers are posted in the kitchen by the phone, in the Volunteers Notebook, and in each of the Overnight Hosts rooms (nursery and Goodness). Call the SOJ Coordinators with any problems or in an emergency call 911 first.

Guest drug prescriptions may be placed in the upper locked corner cabinet to the left of the sink for the safety of the children and other guests. The key to this locked cabinet is in the Volunteers Notebook.

For safety reasons, children are not allowed in the kitchen.

Adult guests and hosts should wear gloves when handling any food in the kitchen.

Always ask parents’ permission before offering food, activities or other things to their children.

DO NOT intercede with parents disciplining children, unless it is life-threatening. If you notice any behavior that you think is inappropriate, make a note of it in the Volunteers Notebook and the SOJ Coordinator will notify the FFH Program Director. Your main responsibility is to show hospitality and interact with our guests as appropriate.

Volunteers are not babysitters; parents are required to keep their children within ‘line of sight’ at all times.

Guests may use the ashtray on the patio out the locked south door across from the women’s bathroom, propped open with a stone, to smoke at night.

Fire extinguishers are in the Foyer to the right of the sanctuary doors, outside the Peace classroom, and in the office. Each room has smoke detectors; CO detectors are in the hall.

TEAR DOWN CREW

  • Arrive at 7 AM on Sunday and finish by 8:00 AM.

  • Tear down the cots and wipe the vinyl mattresses, pack-n-play/cribs, and cots with disinfectant wipes.

  • Load the cots into the FFH trailer along with any of the guests’ belongings that they would like moved to the next church in the trailer. Load all the cots and pads first. The trailer will be completely full.

  • Place SOJ’s Overnight Hosts cots in their storage boxes and return to the first room of modular along with table lamps.

  • Gather the laundry. This includes all sheets, plastic mattress covers, mattress pads, pillowcases, pillow covers, towels, blankets, plastic bath mats, kitchen towels, and washcloths. If possible, keep the sheet sets together. Place in the plastic bags labeled with the Laundry volunteers’ names. Put laundry bags in the office for pickup.

  • Place striped pillows in large cloth bags. Place lamps, alarm clocks, hangers, disinfectant wipes, Kleenex boxes, and inserts from door windows (6) in storage bins.

  • Put baskets with toiletries and hand soap dispensers (twist close the dispensers) from the bathrooms into the storage bin along with the three hall night lights.

  • Put toys in storage bins.

  • Vacuum rooms. Move all furniture to its original position.

  • Clean bathrooms, kitchen, and Foyer. Use the two blue buckets in the modular storage room with FFH cleaning supplies and gloves.

  • Store all FFH non-perishable foods and kitchen items in the cupboard labeled ‘FFH’ (bottom cabinet to the right of the coffee maker).

  • Gather perishable food items in box (Food Coordinators will handle disposal) and dispose of unusable food items such as open milk, etc. Clean counters.

  • Confirm that the kitchen, bathrooms, and guest rooms are clean and tidy. Remove all FFH signage.

  • Store all supplies in the first room of the modular.

  • Sign your name and log your time in the Volunteers Notebook. Note any problems or concerns in the notebook. Thank You!

LAUNDRY VOLUNTEERS

  • Please pick up dirty laundry bags labeled with your name in the church office.

  • Wash, dry, and fold. Use hot or sanitize settings on your washer and dryer.

  • Return laundered items to the church office within a week. Thank You!