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WHAT TO EXPECT:

Provide a high-quality, restaurant-style dining experience, welcoming 100+ guests and serving them a hot meal and hospitality. This service experience is fast paced, high energy, with various roles. Participating in setup and cleanup is required. Help combat food insecurity in Cook and Lake Counties while also developing bonds and building community.

 

ONSITE SERVICE ROLES AVAILABLE:

Roles Service Description Level of Engagement 
Host

The host is the first point of contact with guests. The host's main role is to provide a warm welcome to all guests and to check them into the dining room. The host must keep track of how many guests are checking into the meal and end entry at capacity. The host is expected to have a high level of verbal engagement. Friendly, outgoing, and high energy individuals are desired. 

  • Greets & welcomes guests 
  • Checks-in guests & gives out wrist bands 
  • Closes entry at capacity
  • Assists with any service needs after all guests have entered.
 High
Table Server

Table servers are responsible for placing plates in front of seated guests. They direct food runners to specific tables where the server distributes meals. Table servers will interact with guests by answering questions, addressing requests, and assisting with any needs. A high level of mobility is required for this role as moving about the space and distributing full plates of food is needed. Friendly, outgoing, and high energy individuals are desired. 

  • Handles plates from food runners and distributes them to guests.
  • Directs food runners to tables 
  • Interacts with guests & responds to guests needs/requests 
  • Manages 3-5 tables of at least 10 guests each
 High
Food Server 

Food servers are responsible for unwrapping and portioning out meals. Stationed at the food assembly line, food servers must keep the food organized and provide fair distribution of the meals. Interaction with guests is low. Servers must communicate with food runners to efficiently get dishes out to guests.  

  • “Dishes out” portions of the meal to plates
  • Organizes assembly line & replenishes food
 Low
Food Runner

Food runners go through the assembly line to collect the meals for guests on plates and then deliver the plates to the table servers. High mobility is required for this position as walking through the assembly line, carrying plates of food on trays, and quickly delivering food around the room is required. Some interaction with guests may be needed to answer questions and to fulfill requests. 

  • Goes through assembly line to collect meals 
  • Takes plates to table servers 
  • Assists with fulfilling meal special requests 
 Medium
Beverage Server

Beverage servers are responsible for refilling guest cups and pouring coffee upon request. This role requires mobility around the dining room, ability to pour full pitchers of liquid, and responsiveness to guest questions or requests. Beverage servers are expected to have a high level of engagement. Friendly, outgoing, and high energy individuals are desired.

  • Ensures all tables have water before guests arrive
  • Rotates around the room to pour coffee and to refill water cups.
 High

 

 

BEFORE YOU ARRIVE:

All volunteers must adhere to health and safety requirements, including wearing gloves while serving or handling food. Free parking for volunteers is available depending on location. 

 

AGE RESTRICTIONS:

The minimum age is 13 years old with adult supervision, 15+ years old may volunteer alone.

 

LOCATIONS:

St. Vincent Center (downtown Chicago) - 721 N LaSalle, Chicago
Schreiber Center (Lake County) - 101 N Cedar Lake, Round Lake 
Christ Our Hope Parish (Lake County) - 140 North, Highwood 

 

GROUPS: 

Corporate and organizational groups, parishes and churches, and schools are welcome to serve at The Shared Table. To schedule your group, please contact us volunteer@catholiccharities.net.

 

 

 

 

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