marmalady
Executive Chef
If you have some time, and have wanted to do something - anything - for the hurricane relief efforts -
The Salvation Army is estimating that they will need to provide continued 'canteen' services in the Gulf area, for victims of both Katrina and Rita, for the next 4 months.
If you have cooking/kitchen skills, they deploy folks in groups for 2 weeks or 1 week, depending on the commitment you can make. You may be riding in a smaller canteen panel truck that's fully equipped, or in a larger trailer type truck that sets up at a more or less permanent location (like a shelter, or church, or whatever). Lodging, at this point, is 'comfortable', usually at one of the shelters, tho they told us it may be an hour ride to get back and forth each day. There are always Salvation Army 'officers' with the volunteer groups, to handle any problems; and National Guardsmen also, as one of the SA's jobs is feeding the responders.
From what our local SA captain told us, as of last week there are still - unbelievably - small coastal towns that have not seen a Red Cross, FEMA or Salvation Army truck, and who are desparate for help.
They're not looking specifically for folks with pro kitchen experience; someone with good cooking skills and common sense in the kitchen - obviously, they're not cooking gourmet meals!
I'll be going soon - they're working out dates - I feel so good about doing this, as it's something I can actively participate in; I'm not much for writing a check and then forgetting about it.
If you feel it's something you'd like to be involved in, just contact your town's local Salvation Army, and tell them you want to volunteer for canteen duties.
The Salvation Army is estimating that they will need to provide continued 'canteen' services in the Gulf area, for victims of both Katrina and Rita, for the next 4 months.
If you have cooking/kitchen skills, they deploy folks in groups for 2 weeks or 1 week, depending on the commitment you can make. You may be riding in a smaller canteen panel truck that's fully equipped, or in a larger trailer type truck that sets up at a more or less permanent location (like a shelter, or church, or whatever). Lodging, at this point, is 'comfortable', usually at one of the shelters, tho they told us it may be an hour ride to get back and forth each day. There are always Salvation Army 'officers' with the volunteer groups, to handle any problems; and National Guardsmen also, as one of the SA's jobs is feeding the responders.
From what our local SA captain told us, as of last week there are still - unbelievably - small coastal towns that have not seen a Red Cross, FEMA or Salvation Army truck, and who are desparate for help.
They're not looking specifically for folks with pro kitchen experience; someone with good cooking skills and common sense in the kitchen - obviously, they're not cooking gourmet meals!
I'll be going soon - they're working out dates - I feel so good about doing this, as it's something I can actively participate in; I'm not much for writing a check and then forgetting about it.
If you feel it's something you'd like to be involved in, just contact your town's local Salvation Army, and tell them you want to volunteer for canteen duties.