Best Practices | Food Production |
Delivery & Packaging Submitted
by linda vogler on
01/25/2002 Our meals are delivered by an all volunteer force. Hot
meals are packed in Styrofoam coolers and cold are in bags which are
held in a customized cooler. Each bag is coded with the number of the
route. We like for drivers to bring their own coolers, but of course
we have some if they come without them. Drivers start arriving about
10:30 and pick up their cold and hot meals. Volunteer distributors
pack the meals for the drivers. These are packed in reverse order so
the meals will be in the correct order for delivery. Each driver has a
sheet with specific directions from house to house and with what each
recipient is to receive. We have emergency contact numbers and if a
driver encounters a situation where there is no response, they call
back to us and make the emergency contact or call police. We have 1800
volunteer drivers.
Submitted by
Karen Borchert on
10/25/2001 The Saint Louis University Campus Kitchen is currently
serving 60 senior families in a low-income housing complex
specifically for those over 65. We have found a lot of challenges, but
a lot more rewards in delivering meals to these wonderful men and
women. The logistics: 1. We currently deliver meals in Styrofoam
containers that have the dividers. We provide in these a main dish
(protein), a starch, a vegetable, and either a fruit or dessert. They
are perfectly sized for our clients. 2. We deliver our meals cold,
with heating instructions, to ensure greater food safety. 3. We are
currently following the Meals on Wheels model of individual volunteer
delivery. We do all of our meals on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays,
so we usually take 5-6 student volunteers, and each volunteer is
assigned a couple of floors. Students are encouraged to take the meal,
offer to heat it up, and be willing to stay and converse. 4. Our
student volunteers have opted to deliver meals to the same clients
each week, so that they become familiar with the student who brings
their meal. 5. Students are required to wear their Campus Kitchen
t-shirt to deliver. This associates the person with an organization
and lends credibility. 6. For transportation, we load the boxes into
coolers and then take the coolers to each floor. Residents are
REQUIRED to accept the meal themselves or have it placed in a
neighbor's refrigerator. We will not leave meals outside doors.
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