Meals Made With Love
Preparing and serving home-cooked meals for our guests makes them feel cared for and comfortable. As more families stay at The Doorways, we lean heavily on our volunteers to ensure that our guests have a warm meal at the end of each night.
Details for Service
This opportunity is best for groups of at least 4 people, but up to as many as 15.
You must prepare all food onsite, or purchase it from a commercial kitchen.
You will serve around 30-40 guests.
We serve Dinner weekdays at 6:30pm.
Dinner (6:30pm) and Breakfast/Lunch (11:00am) are options on the weekends (schedule directly with our Volunteer Manager).
You are responsible for the menu and the food.
We provide the kitchen and all other supplies.
Open to all ages of volunteers, though we recommend one adult chaperone for every six volunteers under the age of 18.
Download Our Menu Suggestions
Download Our Meal Service Guidelines
Sign Up for Meal Service
Read the above details carefully and make sure this opportunity works for your group.
Review the list of open dates below (scroll for more options!).
When you have your chosen date, use the portal to get signed up OR email our Volunteer Manager directly.
Our Volunteer Manager will reach out to confirm your date and send you more details.
Review our the FAQs below and reach out with any questions!
NOTE: All dates must be confirmed by The Doorways before opportunity is officially scheduled. Please allow at least 48 hours for a response. To ensure you get the date of your choice, we recommend reaching out no later than 7 days in advance. If you have questions, please email our Volunteer Manager.
Frequently Asked Questions
Volunteers are responsible for all the food you need for your meal. You are welcome to use what we have onsite to supplement your meal, but we can’t guarantee we’ll have any particular ingredient.
You are welcome to bring cooking utensils or cookware from home if you like.
We provide:
- 4 ovens, 4 stoves, 4 microwaves
- Pots, pans, baking sheets, cutting boards
- Aluminum foil, plastic wrap
- Cooking utensils (whisks, spoons, knives)
- Cooking oil, some spices
- Paper plates, plastic silverware, napkins
- Warming trays for food
While we provide these items, group are able to bring in their own if they prefer. We also accept donations of all the disposable supplies listed above.
Be creative! We don’t ask you to follow any specific diets or recipes when serving meals here, so the menu is up to you!
You should be able to make enough meals to serve 50 guests.
Check out our Menu Suggestions for some ideas for all budgets!
In general, no you can’t.
The menu is up to you but all food must either be prepared onsite, made in a commercial kitchen (grocery store, restaurant) or bought frozen and baked at The Doorways. Please ask if you have questions!
We do not allow volunteers to make a meal at home and reheat it onsite.
You can use a slow-cooker/ crockpot to bring in food as long as it remains at a safe temperature throughout the day.
Yes! Volunteers are responsible for the entire evening from prep to service to cleanup.
We ask that you clean anything you use. We have four dishwashers onsite which you are welcome to use. You do not need to unload the dishwasher, but please run it if it’s full.
In addition, all food must be put into individual containers, and placed in the walk-in fridge.
Food cannot be left out in the kitchen and cannot be left in catering style trays.
Have a Question?
To contact the Volunteer Manager, Alyssa Castronuovo, please email or call 804-828-6901, ext 150.
