Siena Francis House

This volunteer opportunity occurs in the dining room and kitchen areas of our emergency shelter, located at 1117 North 17th Street, following safety guidelines that include hand washing, glove use and mask use.

Food service volunteers will help us serve a meal by assisting in the dining room and kitchen.  

General Lunch Meal Service Responsibilities Include:

• Arriving five minutes prior to the start of your volunteer shift.
• Preparing the food service area with drinks, utensils, napkins, “plating” food onto trays, abiding by meal service guidelines, including safe food handling procedures.
• As guests come into the dining room, greeting them with a smile, providing them with a welcoming environment in which to enjoy their meal.
• Distributing trays of food to guests and maintaining dining room cleanliness.
• During lunch service, some volunteers may be needed to dish up food onto trays, which occurs on the kitchen side of the serving line. This is the only Lunch Serving Volunteer task that a minor may be engaged in. Further, all minors must be accompanied by an adult, at all times.
• Cleaning and sanitizing the dining room’s tables and chairs, after guests finish their meal and leave the area.

While performing the duties of this job, the volunteer is regularly required to stand, walk, bend, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, lift and/or move up to 20 pounds, and talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit, and reach with hands and arms.

The following ARE REQUIRED, related to volunteering at the Siena Francis House:

Prior to coming to the Siena Francis House’s emergency shelter facility and entering our 1117 North 17th Street emergency shelter facility:

• Sign up online for an open volunteer meal serving position, including electronically signing the Volunteer Agreement (expectations, waiver, code of conduct).
• Wear closed-toed shoes with rubber/non-slick soles.
• Minors must be accompanied by an adult at all times (minimum age of 12 years old).

When you arrive at the emergency shelter’s front desk:

• Check in with staff at shelter’s front desk.
• Obtain a “Volunteer Sticker” from shelter staff and wear it prominently.
• Walk through dining room to the kitchen.

When you arrive in the kitchen:

• Introduce yourself to the kitchen staff.
• Clock-In to record that you arrived for your volunteer shift, using the computer at the sign-in kiosk, located in the very back of the kitchen.
• Need to put your purse or coat away? Use one of the lockable lockers near the volunteer sign-in computer and kiosk.
• Wash your hands using soap and water; dry hands.
• Put on disposable gloves.
• Put on a hair net.
• Put on an apron (optional).

Meal service kitchen volunteer responsibilities:

• Prior to meal service:
  • Wipe down serving countertops, using spray bottle containing cleaning/sanitizing solution and towel, located on the table at the front of the dining room.
  • Inspect dining room tables and chairs, ensuring they are cleaned and sanitized.
• Prepare to serve the Women Guests:
  • Ensure all tables and chairs are cleaned/sanitized.
  • Prep tables, in anticipation of guests picking up their food.
• Serve the female guests:
  • Put napkins and drinks on the trays that have been “plated” (condiments, if available).
  • Guests with disabilities will seat themselves at a table. Serve guests with disabilities a tray of food at the table they are seated at.
  • Hand out trays of food and drinks to guests who are in line and who will bring their tray to a dining room table.
  • Once they’ve finished their meal, some guests will bring their used tray to the kitchen’s return window. Other guests may not. If needed, after guests have finished eating and leave the dining room, pick up leftover trays from tables and take to the kitchen’s return window.
• Prepare to serve the male guests:
  • Ensure all tables and chairs are clean/sanitized.
  • Prep drinks – if necessary 
• Serve the male guests:
  • Put napkins and drinks on the trays that have been “plated” (condiments, if available).
  • Guests with disabilities will seat themselves at a table. Serve guests with disabilities a tray of food at the table they are seated at.
  • Hand out trays of food and drinks to guests who are in line and who will bring their tray to a dining room table.
  • Once they’ve finished their meal, some guests will bring their used tray to the kitchen’s return window. Other guests may not. If needed, after guests have finished eating and leave the dining room, pick up leftover trays from tables and take to the kitchen’s return window.
  • Once a dining room table is clear of guests, wipe down the tops of the table and chairs with a towel and the available bottled cleaning/sanitizing solution, and slide chair under table.
• Closing the dining room:
  • Clean/sanitize tops of tables and chairs in the dining room.
  • Break down tables and roll/place them along the perimeter of the dining room walls (2 persons required, per table).
  • Stack dining room chairs along the perimeter of the dining room walls.
  • Sweep the floor, emptying the contents of the dustpan into the trash (Saturdays & Sundays).
• Closing the kitchen
  • Wipe down countertops
  • Help put food away
  • Sweep & mop
• Before you leave:
  • Put apron in the blue mesh bag in the back of the kitchen.
  • Wash your hands using soap and water.
  • Please clock out of your volunteer shift on the computer kiosk.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER ASSISTANCE!

If this schedule doesn't align with your availability, don't worry! You can still show your support for Siena Francis House during National Volunteer Week by participating in our $32 challenge. Every contribution makes a difference in the lives of those we serve. We appreciate your commitment to making a positive impact in our community, and we hope you'll join us in this meaningful endeavor. Thank you for your support!

Ways to join the $32 challenge:

1. Give Good through ShareOmaha 
2. Follow us on social media and join SFH $32 Challenge 
3. Go to our website and join the $32 challenge - www.sienafrancis.org