Caritas: Overnight
Overnight Volunteers: 10:00 pm to 6:00 am
Your primary function as a CARITAS overnight host is one of presence. You are to assist the CARITAS supervisor assigned to our guest group, who will also be spending the night. Assistance may come in the form of making a call in an emergency or other event deemed necessary by the group supervisor. Mostly, your presence is to insure any assistance or requirement that may arise is met. It is likely that nothing will arise; however, an overnight presence is required for the safety, security and comfort of our guests.
Your primary duties are as follows:
1. Intermittent walk through of the facility
2. Be available for the CARITAS Staff Representative
3. Set out breakfast food/clean up after breakfast
4. Hand out prepared bag lunches
5. Close/straighten up facility
You will sleep in one of the classrooms. Please bring whatever you want to sleep on (sleeping bag, air mattress, etc.), blankets, and pillows. You will also need to bring an alarm clock. Please do not leave valuables unattended in this room. Ladies, we recommend that you do not bring your purse. Please bring a cell phone, and have it with you at all times.
• All guests should be in the fellowship hall after 11:00PM. They are not allowed to wander around the church and must remain in the fellowship hall. Lights out is at 11:00. Guests will sleep in their clothes.
• If an emergency should arise, the CARITAS Staff Representative will take care of it. He/she will have a cot set up in the area. Before you lock up the kitchen for the night, the medical box needs to be given to the staff person to keep under his/her cot. They will handle any medical needs during the night.
• Find the church telephone, and be mindful of the emergency numbers to call. Please have a cell phone with you at all times.
• Before bed, check the smoking “butt can” in the designated smoking area to ensure no smoldering items.
• Before bed, check the bathrooms for toilet paper and paper towels so guests who use the facilities in the middle of the night have sufficient supplies.
• Before bed, lock the kitchen and take the keys with you to bed. You will need these keys in the morning to get back in the kitchen.
• Find out from the CARITAS Staff Representative if there are guests that need to leave early in the morning, prior to the CARITAS van arriving. If so, please make arrangements to have breakfast prepared before he leaves. Please also make sure you give him his lunch for the day.
• Please sign the CARITAS Volunteer Log. If there are any purchases we need to make the following day (i.e. coffee, toilet paper, etc.) make sure you mark that in the log.
• Please do as many loads of laundry as possible.
• The CARITAS Staff Representative will wake up the guests. Please do not do this.
• Breakfast should be available by 5:45AM on weekdays, and 6:15AM on weekends. You will need to get up 45 minutes prior. Guests will be picked up at 6:00 on weekdays and 6:30 on weekends.
• Make coffee per the instructions above the coffee maker. Make sure it is ready early! Make sure there is creamer and sugar out. Some guests wake up early, and go straight for the coffee and juice. Place juice, water, and ice on the designated table in the lobby.
• All CARITAS food will be labeled in the refrigerator. All other food will be on the counter next to the refrigerator. Please consult the menu for the morning that you are there and serve the designated food.
• If you need to use the stove, please double check that you turn if off before you leave.
• Place the breakfast foods on trays on the serving tables for the guests to serve themselves. Be sure that paper plates, cups, napkins, and plastic forks/knives/spoons are out.
• When breakfast is over, clean up. Don’t forget to put all juices back in the refrigerator and clean the coffee pot. Make sure all trash is picked up. If you need to sweep or mop, please do so. Place all leftovers back in the refrigerator, or on the counter.
• Make sure you eat also!
• As the guests leave, have the lunches ready to give to the CARITAS staff. Please DO NOT give the lunches to the guests!
• Please check the bathroom for any messes. You do not have to do a thorough cleaning, just check that all trash is in the proper place, wipe the counters, and take out the garbage.
• Please leave all keys in the kitchen.
• Contact the designated person (John and Kelly Dugan or Tracy Stewart) after 7:00AM to let him/her know how the evening went, and if there is anything we need to know.
• Make sure that all clean laundry is folded.