1301 Oxford Street Berkeley, CA 94709
P. 510.843.4667 F. 510.843.4642
1301 Oxford Street Berkeley, CA 94709
P. 510.843.4667 F. 510.843.4642
• The shelter is located at 1931 Center Street between Milvia and Martin Luther King in the old Veteran’s Building. The entrance is via a driveway on the left side of the building. Parking is available in the back of the building.
• There is a doorbell right next to the door. If no one answers, knock on the front door and tell them you are there to cook dinner.
• After all volunteers are inside, shut the outside door, which will then lock. If people knock on the door, send them around to the front entrance where it says “Men’s Shelter”. (Not everyone who comes to the shelter can be admitted if they have previously broken a rule or overstayed their allotted days.)
• The shelter opens its doors to the men at 6, and dinner is served at 7:00 or 7:15. Depending on the length of the meal preparation, and how much you will be cooking at the shelter, volunteers should arrive between 5 and 5:30. (Volunteers are expected to set up the serving table if it is not already set up.)
• The shelter expects meals for 55-60 people, for both the men and the shelter volunteers and employees. In the summer, there may be fewer at dinner, but it’s pretty full in the winter.
• It’s up to you to decide what menu to make, although we have suggested some ideas below. Purchasing food at Costco or Smart and Final in large sizes generally works well.
• There is usually an abundance of donated bread. They often also have margarine and parmesan, so you can make sliced toasted bread.
• Bananas and grapes are always very much appreciated. Many men have bad teeth and bananas work best. Suggested amounts: 3 bags of grapes. Bring your own shears for cutting stems.
• Volunteers report that a good amount for salad is 9 heads of iceberg lettuce, 6 cucumbers, 1 red cabbage and 2 standard sized bottles of dressing. If your main dish has a lot of chicken or meat, make less salad because the men like the meat more.
• The people at the shelter suggest that we make punch or lemonade from powdered concentrate. However, some of the volunteers have asked that we serve something more nutritious, such as milk or juice. About 3 or 4 gallons of milk and about 1 or 2 gallons of punch or lemonade should be enough. (As of July, 2008 the large container to mix this in was broken.)
• In general, the men really appreciate meat. They also like sweets. (Another family should be dropping off cookies, so unless told to get sweets, please don’t.)
• Don’t make coffee.
• If you are planning the menu, try to find out if kashrut or vegetarianism is a need of any of the volunteers, so that you can plan accordingly. If you don’t get a chance to find out that information, you should assume several men are vegetarians, so make sure you prepare something for them.
• If it is your responsibility to plan and shop for the meal, you can either donate the amount you spent, or ask Midrasha for reimbursement. We do have contributions to cover this. Please send your receipts to Midrasha, 1301 Oxford Street, Berkeley, CA, 94709. Indicate if you choose to donate the amount you spent, or if you wish to receive reimbursement. We will send you a donation receipt for your tax returns if you would like. Also, you can just pay for the dinner yourself.
• You will walk into the main kitchen. Knives and cooking utensils are in the drawer under the butcher-block counter in the center of the room and on a shelf right next to the butcher-block counter. There is a pantry attached to the kitchen, straight ahead. The paper or plastic plates, cutlery, cups etc. are in a large gray cabinet straight ahead (along the east wall). However, the shelter sometime runs out of plates, cutlery, napkins, cups, etc., so have a volunteer be prepared to run to a grocery or drug store to pick some up.
• Feel free to look in the cabinets and drawers to find what you need. All the keys work in all the cabinets. It’s okay to use the food you find, unless it’s labeled for other use. (Some food is designated for the breakfast program.)
• There is a list on the wall in the kitchen regarding how to do the set up and clean up. Please clean up! No one will come in to clean up afterwards and the breakfast crew does not have to time to clean in the morning.
• There are two long tables that you can set up for serving.
• If you mix punch in the large orange container, wash it out afterwards with soap and water, and then run vinegar through the spout to get rid of the punch residue. (They use it for milk in the morning.)
• If the kitchen is too warm with the door closed, you may control the fan with the two large red buttons, labeled “start” and “stop” to the left of the stove.
• The residents clean up the dining area and we are responsible for the kitchen. However, it’s okay to ask residents for kitchen clean up help.
• The staff of the shelter can help also. If there are any problems, go to them immediately. The crowd is usually pretty mellow, but if anyone gets out of hand, go get a counselor. Let the counselors and the men work out the issue without our interference.
• Eat with the residents. Involve yourselves with them as much as possible. These men are very polite and you may find that the eating part of your time there is the most memorable.
• Leave all pots and cooking utensils WASHED. The people who come at 5 a.m. to make breakfast can’t clean up for us. Leave the kitchen spotless.
• The shelter provides plates/utensils/cups. However, they might be running low, or not have any. If that happens, you will have to make a run to get some. There is a Walgreens at 2187 Shattuck Ave at the corner of Allston way.
• Although it may go against your gut instincts, they don’t want us to leave food there. The staff should find you at some point (if not, go find them and ask) and tell you how many dinner plates to make for the men who have evening jobs and come in later. You make extra plates and cover them with tinfoil and leave in the kitchen to distribute to these men. Any left over food after that can be given to the people who sleep across the street in the park.
• Some people have donated their leftovers to The Center, at 5720 Shattuck, between 57th and 58th, on the east side of the street. They do day programs for people with HIV and AIDS, and will accept already cooked food (as opposed to ingredients). They are open 9-5, Monday-Friday and serve lunch to about 70 people.
If you are in a major time crunch, frozen pizza’s and/or chicken (from KFC or another similar place) and pre-made salads are a quick and easy alternative. But keep in mind that most men don’t usually have meals made from scratch, but most often eat fast food.
Here are some sample menus for the Homeless Meal. Don’t feel obliged to use them, but enjoy if they are helpful. They are all for meals serving 50 people. These are the main dishes. Also add salad (with dressing), powdered lemonade, and 50 pieces of fruit. Residents appreciate bananas, grapes and other soft, fresh fruit. Teeth are sometimes a problem. There are always bins full of fresh bread to serve, and tubs of butter.
• BLACK BEAN AND TORTILLA CASEROLE (4 pans)
o 3 lbs chopped onions
o 2 lbs chopped green peppers
o 2 quarts diced, canned tomatoes
o 1 quart picante sauce
o 6 cloves minced garlic
o 3 Tbsp ground cumin (optional)
o 64 corn tortillas
o 10 lbs black beans
o 3 lbs Monterey jack cheese, shredded
o 15 (or a few more) lbs ground meat for meat sauce
Combine onion, pepper, tomato, picante sauce and spices in pot, bring to boil and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Stir in 10 lbs black beans into mixture. Turn off heat and spread 2lbs 6 oz. of bean mixture in 12x10x2 inch pan. 64 corn tortillas- top each pan with 8 tortillas 3 lbs monterey jack cheese, shredded- sprinkle on each pan 6 oz cheese over tortillas. Spread 2lbs 6 oz bean mixture over cheese. Top with 8 more tortillas, overlapping as necessary. Sprinkle 6 oz cheese over tortillas. Cover and bake 350 for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle 4 oz tomatoes and 1 Tbsp sliced onions over each pan. Use picante sauce as a condiment.
* LASAGNA (2 pans 12x20x2):
o 5lb ground beef
o 12 oz finely chopped onions
o 2 garlic cloves, minced
Cook beef, onion, and garlic until meat is brown, drain off fat. 3qt. tomato sauce, with seasonings as desired, and add to meat Lasagna noodles- 2lb. 8 oz- cook noodles in 2 gallons water with salt and oil 2lb 8 oz mozzarella cheese 6 oz grated parmesan cheese 2lb 8 oz ricotta cheese Combine cheeses. Arrange in 2 greased pans and layer: meat, noodles, cheese and repeat. Bake at 350 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
* CHICKEN AND RICE (a favorite)
o 60 pieces – legs, breast, and thighs, Broil with seasoning
* SPAGHETTI WITH MEATBALLS
o 15 lbs ground beef
o 8 oz dry breadcrumbs
o 16 eggs
o 4 cups milk-add pepper, basil and garlic if desired
o 2 gallons tomato sauce
o 10-15 lb spaghetti
Mix meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, and milk, and shape into 150 balls. Brown in oven at 400° for 15-20 minutes. Cook pasta in 5 gallons water with oil and salt. Add sauce and meatballs.
If serving meat, keep some food meatless for vegetarians.
* MACARONI AND CHEESE (2 pans, 12x20x2)
o 3lb 8 oz macaroni
o cook in 4 gallons water with salt and oil
o 12 oz margarine
o 8 oz flour
o 2 Tbsp salt
o 1 Tbsp dry mustard
o ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
o 1 gallon milk
o Melt margarine, stir in flour and seasonings, and cook 5 minutes. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook until thickened.
o 4 lbs sharp cheddar cheese
o 1lb bread crumbs
o 6 oz melted margarine
o Add cheese to sauce, stir until cheese melts. Pour over macaroni and mix. Pour into 2 greased pans. Mix breadcrumbs and melted margarine. Sprinkle over macaroni and cheese. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes.
Thank you so much for volunteering, and feel free to contact us with any questions, problems, comments or concerns!
• Scheduling Questions: Lindsay Martien (student chair of the Homeless Committee) 510-225-8952 buygoopysoupy@yahoo.com
• Cynthia Colvin (parent supervisor) 549-3716, chaya100@comcast.net
