Members: The Wednesday Suppers volunteers are made up of parishioners, friends, neighbors, and people who just want to help in our mission. Volunteers set up tables, make bag lunches, shop for food, cook, serve, and clean up. It takes around 25-30 volunteers each Wednesday and we are always looking for new people to volunteer.

Description: Wednesday Suppers is a charitable outreach program of Most Holy Redeemer Church under the leadership of the Pastor who is assisted by the Wednesday Suppers Program Advisory Team. The Wednesday Suppers focus on fellowship, not food. Their purpose is to cultivate relationships with our homeless neighbors in the Castro, to affirm community with them and understand their needs, with a special emphasis on homeless youth.

Various Times:
•Sandwich Making from 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM in Ellard Hall
•Cooks from 1:00 PM onward in Ellard Hall
•Dinner Service Volunteers for Dinner from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Wednesday Evening

Activities: Every Wednesday evening, up to 100 of the neighborhoods homeless and near-homeless are invited into Ellard Hall and offered a four-course family style meal, a lunch to take away, donated toiletries, clothing.

The Wednesday Suppers started in 2001. They are a founding member of the Castro Youth Housing Initiative, and work closely with other community organizations and local police. They have been recognized by Catholic San Francisco, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in a video, St. Anthony’s Messenger, and the San Francisco Interfaith Council. The Wednesday Suppers are funded entirely by donations. They have no paid staff and receive no funds from the parish’s operating budget.

Volunteer Opportunities — Wednesday Suppers at MHR

Since we have no paid staff, we’re dependent on our big-hearted volunteers to make the Suppers happen. We’ve been blessed with dedicated support from our parishioners and neighbors, but especially during the summer we do experience volunteer shortages. Too, we have some perennial volunteer needs, for jobs we have a challenging time filling:

• Early cooks and kitchen prep: Our cooks routinely perform miracles, but most cannot arrive before 3:30 PM or so. We must begin prepping our meal by 1:00 PM on Wednesdays.
• Late volunteers: Volunteers who may not arrive till after their workday is done, but can stay till the evening is over, to help with clean-up, minding our gate, and generally keeping our guests company.
• Greeters: Responsible for welcoming our guests and for keeping our atmosphere safe and friendly.

We have jobs for volunteers who may not be able to be with us regularly on Wednesday evenings:

• Shoppers: Volunteers who have a free Wednesday morning or two each month.
• Fundraisers: There are funding opportunities available to us — all we need is someone with the expertise and dedication to take advantage of them.

Want to know more about the Suppers? Here are two excellent ways:

1. Just jump in and join us, any Wednesday — we’ll be grateful for any time you can give us. We’re a relaxed little outfit and can guarantee you an enjoyable time. Here is an overview of our Wednesday schedule:

• 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM: shopping
• 1:00 PM: early cooks and sandwich-makers arrive. Enter by the volunteer gate on the left side of the church away from Market Street.
• 4:30 PM: main gates open to our guests, and our greeting team launches into action. Our other volunteers may find a little lull between 3:30 and 5:30, while we wait for our guests to arrive and settle in. At around 5:00 p.m., our dining-room manager begins assigning our arriving volunteers as “hosts” and “runners” for dinner service.
• 5:30-5:45 PM: announcements and commencement of dinner service.
• 6:30 PM: distribution of blankets, shoes, or whatever else we’ve managed to beg or borrow that our guests need.
• 6:30 – 7:00 PM: clean-up and good night. Our guests are very faithful in helping us leave the hall spotless.

OR

2. Let us know how to reach you and somebody from the Suppers will be in touch.

Thanks for your interest in the Wednesday Suppers. Hope to see you some Wednesday soon!