SANDWICH CONTRIBUTIONS

Thank you for your interest and support. Your generous contributions serve by helping to feed the homeless and less fortunate in the Denver metro area.

Contributions from groups such as yours provide a change of pace or enhancement to the fare regularly provided by Holy Ghost. They also help by reducing the work load for other volunteers.

This document provides a check-list of things to think about as you make your contribution.

Pressing the highlighted links will provide more detailed information on the checklist items. Pressing this link will alternate between a fully expanded and compressed document.

Planning

• Call Ahead to Arrange a Delivery Date see more

  Holy Ghost frequently works with several groups such as yourselves. If many groups deliver at the same time, an overstock of food is the result. Conversely, by calling ahead, you may be able to arrange a time in which your contribution would be especially helpful - making up for a periodic shortage, or for lower production due to unavailability of other volunteers.

  The Assistance Office number is 303-297-3441.

• Procure Proper Containers see more

  Plan for a way to transport and store your sandwiches. Remember that the sandwiches you deliver may not be served for a day or two. Sandwiches in small weak boxes and garbage bags suffer from any handling and are likely to get crushed or otherwise deformed. Large containers allow for a larger number of sandwiches but if packed too deeply, the sandwiches at the bottom will be crushed.

  For infrequent, or one-time deliveries, paper boxes from the printer or copier at your office, school, or church are a good size for both transportation and storage. Apple boxes and boxes of similar size may also be available from the grocery store.

  If you will be making regular contributions, consider investing in some plastic containers. The 44 and 45 quart containers by major manufacturers are the right size to hold about 100 sandwiches snugly. Use a permanent marker to label both the lids and bodies of your containers to help identify them for your later pick up.

• Obtain Supplies

  • Bread see more

    A "standard" loaf of bread has 20 slices, allowing for 10 sandwiches. The number of slices in specialty loaves may vary. At this time, for Holy Ghost, a donation of between 100 and 400 sandwiches is most effective. Plan for somewhere between 10 and 40 loaves of bread.

  • Filling see more

    Think about your sandwich contents. Holy Ghost has regular groups who come in to make sandwiches, generally alternating between ham and cheese, and bologna and cheese. You can do the same, or you can provide a change of pace with something like turkey and cheese or peanut butter and jelly.

  • Condiments see more

    For meat sandwiches, mustard is recommended. Mayonnaise is NOT suggested as it may go bad in the time between making and distributing the sandwiches. Do not use anything which will go bad in a couple of days or make the sandwich soggy (i.e. tomatoes) after a few hours.

    Think about things you might do to make your sandwiches special. One group adds a piece of hard candy to each sandwich. Other groups make bag lunches with fresh fruit and chips.

  • Bags see more

    In addition to consumables, remember to get some sort of sandwich bags. Sandwiches should be individually wrapped or bagged to minimize contamination and reduce mess.

  • Tools see more

    Be sure to have any tools (knives, spoons, paint brushes, and spatulas) you might need available prior to preparation.

Preparation

• Use Clean Work Areas and Containers see more

  It should go without saying to keep your hands, tools, work area, and containers clean as you prepare and pack your sandwiches.

• Consider an Assembly Line see more

  For large and first time groups, making and bagging individual sandwiches may be the best option. For smaller groups (4-10) with some organization, an assembly-line-type process may be possible.

  Think about the tasks you are doing and break them up. One or two people can spread the peanut butter or do the meat. Others can do the jelly or the mustard, and so on.

• Hints see more

  Below is a number of hints and ideas that may be used to help produce a better product more quickly. If you have ideas that may be of further use, please contact the author of this page to add the information.

  • Pre-mix peanut butter and jelly? see more

    In addition to reducing production time, the premixed product may also avoid the soak-through effect sometimes experienced when jelly is used.

    If you don't have the facilities or time to mix your own, pre-mixed peanut butter and jelly is available at some stores off the shelf.

  • Think about alternate tools. see more

    Use a large spoon or spatula to spread peanut butter. Small plastic knives are not recommended.

    A three inch paint brush can be used effectively to spread mustard on several sandwiches at a time.

    Creative solutions can b.

  • Consider squeeze-bottle products. see more

    Using products from squeeze bottles (i.e. jelly, honey, mustard) may help reduce mess and may also speed production.

• Have Fun see more

  Remember, you are doing something valuable for your community and yourself. Get to know the people around you. Enjoy yourself.

Packing and Transportation

• Wrap and Pack With Care see more

  Remember that the people you are serving, while less fortunate than you, still have tastes and pride in themselves. Sandwiches which have been crushed, are dried out, leak jelly, or are stuck together because of over packing are just as unappetizing to those served as they would be to you.

  Be sure to individually wrap your sandwiches.

  Do not rebag the sandwiches in the bread sack.

  Pack sandwiches snugly (but not too tight) in your containers.

• Deliver Sandwiches see more

  Deliver sandwiches on the day you previously arranged. Be sure to label and arrange for pickup of containers you wish to re-use.

Follow Up

• Visit Us see more

  Consider a visit to make and distribute sandwiches at the parish.

  There's almost always room for an individual drop-in. There are also days available for your group of 4-10 people to do community service.

  The church has and is working with various office volunteer groups, honor societies, scouts, youth groups and student councils.

  Call us.

• Stay Active see more

  While your sandwich making activities may be infrequent or one-time, the spirit of sharing and giving back to others is something that you could consider daily.

  Be thinking about ways you can continue to serve, whether it be at home or in your community.

• Take Care of Yourself see more

  Sometimes a smile from you is the most important gift.

  Do what you need to do to stay healthy, and live happily.