Hospitality INC - Host Church Requirements

Host Churches open their doors to provide temporary overnight shelter and meals to the homeless of our community for a week at a time.

Partner Churches come along side a Host church and assist them by providing volunteers and food at the Host church location.

Working Together! There are plenty of opportunities for us, the church, to come together and be the hands and feet of Jesus. You will want to meet several weeks before the Host churches scheduled week to discuss the needs of the Host church. Volunteer, meal and snack schedules should be created and implemented by a team from each church.

Facility Needs: * Serving and dining area,
* Reading/Game/Relaxing area,
* Separate sleeping area for males/females,
* Separate restrooms for males/females,
* Designate a single entrance and clearly identify areas:
* Out of bounds,
* Sleeping areas, and
* Bathroom facilities.
* Designated outdoor smoking area (best if this in not at the main entrance.)

Action Items:
* Choose your week and announce to the church body,
* Appoint Coordinators:
* Volunteer Coordinator
* Food Coordinator
* Setup/Teardown Coordinator to organize your week,
* Find a Partner Church (if you need one) to assist with:
* Volunteers and Planning, and
* Meals and snacks.
* Publicize opening and closing times,
* Fire Drill/Exit Strategy, and
* Establish rules for the use of the church phone.

Hosting Church Supply List:
* Towels (if providing showers),
* Garbage bags,
* Toilet paper,
* Lysol,
* Games, puzzles, books,
* TV, DVD/VHS player,
* Blankets,
* Paper products for meals and snacks,
* Promote a "Blanket Blessing" and collect lightweight, washable blankets for use at your shelter. If you are blessed with an abundance of blankets and wish to bless other churches, let us know.

Traveling Items

* Please do not transport anything left behind, leftovers, open food items, unclaimed clothing or bedding.

* Items that will need to be transported from church to church:

* Cots,
* Sterilite container(s) for storing and transporting items,
* Personal Hygiene Items,
* Salvation Army applications,
* First Aid Kit,
* Guest Registration Logbook,
* Locked Box,
* Volunteer Registration Logbook,
* Ziplocs,
* Ventura Motel contact and phone number,
* Log Books,
* Three ring binder for Intake forms,
* Name Tags,
* "Out of Bounds" Signage,
* Hand Sanitizer (pump),
* Masking tape to label beds & bags,
* Pens & markers
* Sandwich board & front door sign,

Transporting Guests:
* For Host churches outside the city limits, transportation will have to be arranged for the guests.

* Guest pickup at the Ludington Public Library at 5:45pm,
* Guest drop off at the Ludington Public Library at 8:00am.
* If your church is outside the city limits will your church be able to provide transportation or will you need assistance?
* Driver must have a valid driver's license.

Hospitality INC -
Meal Suggestions
*           Licensed kitchens:  If you are preparing meals and snacks in a licensed kitchen, you may not bring in food that has been prepared off site and serve with food prepared on site.  Volunteers may bring in items such as baked goods, snacks and salads as long as they are served separately from the foods prepared on site. 
  

*           Non Licensed kitchens:  Potluck style meals prepared by volunteers in their home and transported to shelter is OK.
  

Keep meals and snacks simple and healthy.  Recruit individuals, ministry groups or small groups to plan a meal.  See menu suggestions below:
  

Dinner:
Served from 6:00pm – 8:00pm
            Drinks (water, decaf coffee, tea, milk, juice)
            Spaghetti w/meat sauce, salad, garlic bread
            Pancake Supper, sausage links, fruit
            Homemade Soup, salad, rolls
            Goulash, salad, rolls
            Meat Balls, rice, salad
            Lasagna, salad, garlic bread
            Sloppy Joes, potato salad, corn
  

Snacks:
Served from 8:30pm – 9:00pm
Drinks (milk, juice, decaf coffee, soda)
Granola Bars
Cookies
Pretzels
Chips
Party Mix
Fresh Fruit (no apples)
Brownies, Cookies
 

Breakfast:
Served from 6:30am – 7:30am
            Drinks (milk, juice, coffee)
            Fresh Fruit (no apples)
            Bread for toast
            Peanut Butter and Jelly
            Cold Cereal
            Hard Boiled Eggs
            Breakfast Bar
            Individual Oatmeal Packets
            Sliced Breads (banana, apple, etc)
            Breakfast Sandwiches
            No Bagels Please