Volunteer Recruitment & Training

How are volunteers found for the cook sessions?

We advertise the fun and fellowship of serving via the following formats:

We personally invite friends to join us.

How are volunteers found for the planning team?

We ask for people to join our team in our monthly newsletters.

We personally ask people who we feel will be a good fit for our team to join the team.
We ask regular volunteers at the cook sessions if they would like to be part of the planning team.
We have a sign-up sheet at the cook sessions for people interested to give us their contact information.

What are the skills needed to volunteer for the planning team?

What type of training is provided for your volunteers?

Our standardized recipe formats offers step by step instructions on how to shop, prep and

assemble each meal.

We have an overall leader for the entire cook session, a leader for each meal in the kitchen and a leader for each meal in the gym, where the assembly takes place.
We give clear directions at the beginning of each cook session.
“On the job” training by team members to volunteers takes place at every cook session.
Over time volunteers become regulars and take on leading an area of the cook session, like kitchen prep of one meal.

What type of Meal Prep and Assembly “Parties” have been used to encourage volunteers to join in the fun & fellowship?

Pizza, sandwiches, chips and sodas to encourage families with children to stay after church to make meals.
Potluck Appetizers with wine parties while prepping and assembling meals to encourage couples to volunteer as part of their date night and to encourage the 20’s & 30’s to join in the fun.
“Council Cooks” party where the council members get a hands on experience of a cook session. This could also be done with Board members or a Leadership Team.
“Build Your Own Salad Suppers” at small cook sessions in a team member’s home to encourage potential new team members to join the Planning Team.
“Service Sunday” is an event that our organization puts on where we have only one short service and no Sunday school or Bible study for the morning. After the service, members go to various events at our facility or away from our facility where they serve. “Meals Do Matter” is one of our on-site service events. It is very well attended by people of all ages. It also gives many a chance to serve in this ministry that had never served before since there are no conflicts with their time.
Youth Service Events with either our confirmation students or with middle school youth from other churches in the area. These events teach the youth about our ministry and that there is a place for them in the ministry. We encourage them to come alone and/or to bring their parents to the next larger cook session.

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