Even though these events
are hosted at a church, we are not here to evangelize. These community services
are not a “church thing,” they are a “people thing.” Volunteers should show
respect for all faiths and religious practices. Grace is offered prior to
serving
meals, but participation is not required.
We are here to feed more
than hungry bellies; we are here to show love.
● Be welcoming. Smile! J
● Be flexible and teachable.
● Ask questions.
● Be willing to assist where asked or
needed.
● Get to know our guests.
We want to improve our
hospitality and are open to any suggestions.
● Ask for comments: “How was your meal
today?”
● Set an expectation that we want to hear comments
and suggestions for improvement. “Thank you for your suggestion. I will pass it
on to our group leaders.”
We
are not expected
to do the following:
● Drive or give rides to guests.
● Provide money.
● Place nutritional restrictions on people (for
example, commenting about the use of too much salt)
● Judge or pry.
All volunteers and
guests will treat each other with respect using appropriate behavior and
language. Each person will:
1.
Be
Safe
2.
Be
Responsible
3.
Be
Respectful
Well-behaved pets are
welcome. Food and water can be provided (check the pantry for dog
food).
● Owners must keep pets leashed, crated, or have
them in their control at all times.
● Service dogs MUST be leashed and under control
of handler at all times.
● Owners must clean up after their
pets.
Any minors in attendance
must be accompanied, at all times, by a parent or legal guardian.
Alcohol and substance
abuse in itself is not a reason to exclude a guest. Sobriety is not required
for our guests, but we do address bad behavior caused by drinking or substance
abuse.
● Consumption of alcohol, tobacco or drugs (except
prescriptions) is not allowed in the Church or on Church property.
● Drinking and use of marijuana and illegal
substances are not allowed on church property.
o Guests should leave the building and property if they intend to
use alcohol or marijuana.
● Guests may smoke tobacco outside and at least 10
feet from any door.
Shift/Team Leads and
chaperones can ask guests to leave if they cannot show respect to other guests,
volunteers, or themselves. Examples include the following:
● Excessive shouting or disruptive verbal
outbursts
● Behavior that creates an unsafe
environment
● Verbal or physical threats to themselves or
other people
Three-strike
rule. As of 12/17/18, there is a three-strike
rule for serious behavior issues that result in a guest being asked to
leave.
1.
For the 1st incident,
the guest can be asked to leave for that night.
2.
For the 2nd incident,
the guest can be asked to leave that night as well or for a serious of nights,
depending on the seriousness of the issue.
3.
For the 3rd incident,
the guest can be asked to not come back for the season.
Behavior related to
substance abuse can be a reason to ask a guest to leave.
● Bad language, disruptive arguments, and fighting
are not allowed on church property and may result in the guest being told to
leave.
● If a guest is suspected of having or leaving
inappropriate items, e.g., alcohol containers or drug paraphernalia, two people
(either the Team Lead and another volunteer or the volunteers on shift) should
talk to the guest privately and remind the individual about the policy of no
alcohol or drugs on church property.
● If the guest cannot give a verbal commitment to
compliance to any of the guidelines, the guest can be informed that s/he will
not be able to come to the shelter again.
Process
for When to Ask Guests to Leave
1. First and foremost, ensure the safety and
security of you, other volunteers, and all guests.
2. Directly address the behavior of the guest. If
appropriate, you can try to de-escalate the guest with clear instructions, such
as, “Please lower your voice.”
· For the Community Dinner, this would be the Lead
Cook, the Lead Server, or a designated person.
· For the Warm Shelter, this would be one or both
shift chaperones.
3. If time allows during the incident, the shift
lead or chaperone should contact the Team Lead.
· For the Community Dinner, this would be the Team
Lead list in the Community Dinner contacts
notebook.
· For the Warm Shelter, this would be the Team
Lead assigned to the night.
4. If the guest causing the disruption does not
comply with verbal instructions to change his/her behavior inside the building,
the guest can be asked to leave.
· For the Community Dinner, this would be the Lead
Cook, the Lead Server, or a designated person.
· For the Warm Shelter, this would be one or both
shift chaperones.
· For severely disruptive behavior, the police (911)
can be called.
5. If the guest refuses to leave:
· Call 911.
· Call the Team Lead
6. Follow up with the Team Lead after an incident
occurs.
· Immediately inform the Team Lead of unacceptable behavior
if this hasn’t already been done.
o For the Community Dinner, this would be
the Team Lead list in the Community Dinner
contacts notebook.
o For the Warm Shelter, this would be the Team
Lead assigned to the night.
7. Document the incident in the notes for the next
shift regarding what happened.