Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
To help assist you in planning your volunteer time at St. Luke’s Mission as an individual or group meal
volunteer, we have prepared the following informational document for you. The dignity of our residents
is our top priority. We ask that you be mindful of this during your time at the Mission. Your kindness is
greatly appreciated!
What about child volunteers?
We love to encourage servant’s hearts in children, so we wholeheartedly welcome children on our campus! We require that anyone under 16 be supervised by an adult at all times, that they remain in the dining room, and that they be accompanied to the restroom.
Children over 12 are welcome to assist with food preparation in the kitchen, while there are lots of jobs for younger kids to do in the dining room
such as sweeping, wiping tables, etc.
Kitchen Information
How many volunteers are allowed?
To maintain safety in our kitchen and dining room as well as provide an exceptional experience for our volunteers by ensuring everyone is engaged and busy, we prefer that there be five to seven volunteers in our kitchen for meal prep, and ten in our dining room for our serving and post-meal clean up.
Can I reserve an entire meal exclusively for my group?
To reserve an entire meal exclusively for your group, you can agree to financially sponsor the meal ($250 for breakfast; $350 for lunch or dinner) and contact ------ with the date and meal you would like to reserve. The meal will then be reserved, allowing only members of your group to sign up.
When are meals served to the public?
Monday – Saturday lunch is served from noon to 1pm. Dinner is served Monday – Friday 4pm - 5 PM.
Will someone assist us with meal preparation and use of kitchen equipment?
Yes! You will have experienced assistants in the kitchen at all time! Part of our program embraces the dignity of work and being part of the community. Some of our residents and missionaries are assigned to the kitchen crew and will work alongside you.
What jobs will volunteers do while we are there?
Meal volunteers will assist with food preparation in the kitchen and serving the meal. Volunteers will also put out condiments, pre-fill cups with beverages and set out desserts on the dessert table prior to meal time. During meal time, volunteers will serve food on the serving line and serve desserts. Post-meal clean up is a critical part so please make time for that task. You will always have guidance from our kitchen crew regarding the division of tasks.
What is the format of the meal?
The public and residents enter the dining room and form a line. A missionary will say a blessing over the meal and then the public go through a buffet style serving line. If there is enough, then seconds will be called at the end of the meal.
What is the best way to interact with residents?
Be friendly and respectful. They love to chat about lots of things from sports to current events and everything in between. They long to be treated like "regular people."
Where are you located? Where do we park, and where do we go when we arrive?
We are located at 325 Walden Ave. Buffalo, NY, 14211. There is free parking in the St. Luke's lot and also on the street. When you arrive, go to the kitchen door which is located in the building to the right of the church building. The door to the kitchen has yellow waist-high columns. Knock loudly to be let in.
Other things to keep in mind:
Please wear close-toed shoes and comfortable and conservative clothing that you aren't concerned about getting dirty. Please be sure that children remain in the dining room and don't wander into other areas of the building. Please wash your hands, wear disposable gloves, a hat or a hairnet (available in the kitchen) if you are handling food. All personal belongings should be locked in your trunk for safe keeping. We encourage you to enjoy your serving time at the St. Luke's Mission. Feel free to photograph yourself and/or your group while you are here! Give us a shout out on social media! Just be sure to protect the privacy of our clients by not including them in your photos.
How do we financially sponsor a meal?
One of the biggest needs we always have at the Mission is for groups or individuals to financially sponsor meals. Many people are unaware that our entire operating budget is completely funded by private donations. We solicit no government funding so meal sponsorship is a HUGE blessing! To fully sponsor lunch or dinner meals is $350. Once your meal has been confirmed as a financially sponsored meal, we ask that you submit your payment within one week (unless other mutually agreed upon arrangements are made). Please make funds payable to: St. Luke's Mission PO Box 448 Buffalo, NY, 14215. Please put your name or your group's name on the memo line along with the date you are serving as well as which meal you are serving (lunch or dinner). You may also submit meal payments on our DONATE page. Designate your payment for "food" and include the same information as requested for the memo line of the check.
volunteer, we have prepared the following informational document for you. The dignity of our residents
is our top priority. We ask that you be mindful of this during your time at the Mission. Your kindness is
greatly appreciated!
What about child volunteers?
We love to encourage servant’s hearts in children, so we wholeheartedly welcome children on our campus! We require that anyone under 16 be supervised by an adult at all times, that they remain in the dining room, and that they be accompanied to the restroom.
Children over 12 are welcome to assist with food preparation in the kitchen, while there are lots of jobs for younger kids to do in the dining room
such as sweeping, wiping tables, etc.
Kitchen Information
How many volunteers are allowed?
To maintain safety in our kitchen and dining room as well as provide an exceptional experience for our volunteers by ensuring everyone is engaged and busy, we prefer that there be five to seven volunteers in our kitchen for meal prep, and ten in our dining room for our serving and post-meal clean up.
Can I reserve an entire meal exclusively for my group?
To reserve an entire meal exclusively for your group, you can agree to financially sponsor the meal ($250 for breakfast; $350 for lunch or dinner) and contact ------ with the date and meal you would like to reserve. The meal will then be reserved, allowing only members of your group to sign up.
When are meals served to the public?
Monday – Saturday lunch is served from noon to 1pm. Dinner is served Monday – Friday 4pm - 5 PM.
Will someone assist us with meal preparation and use of kitchen equipment?
Yes! You will have experienced assistants in the kitchen at all time! Part of our program embraces the dignity of work and being part of the community. Some of our residents and missionaries are assigned to the kitchen crew and will work alongside you.
What jobs will volunteers do while we are there?
Meal volunteers will assist with food preparation in the kitchen and serving the meal. Volunteers will also put out condiments, pre-fill cups with beverages and set out desserts on the dessert table prior to meal time. During meal time, volunteers will serve food on the serving line and serve desserts. Post-meal clean up is a critical part so please make time for that task. You will always have guidance from our kitchen crew regarding the division of tasks.
What is the format of the meal?
The public and residents enter the dining room and form a line. A missionary will say a blessing over the meal and then the public go through a buffet style serving line. If there is enough, then seconds will be called at the end of the meal.
What is the best way to interact with residents?
Be friendly and respectful. They love to chat about lots of things from sports to current events and everything in between. They long to be treated like "regular people."
Where are you located? Where do we park, and where do we go when we arrive?
We are located at 325 Walden Ave. Buffalo, NY, 14211. There is free parking in the St. Luke's lot and also on the street. When you arrive, go to the kitchen door which is located in the building to the right of the church building. The door to the kitchen has yellow waist-high columns. Knock loudly to be let in.
Other things to keep in mind:
Please wear close-toed shoes and comfortable and conservative clothing that you aren't concerned about getting dirty. Please be sure that children remain in the dining room and don't wander into other areas of the building. Please wash your hands, wear disposable gloves, a hat or a hairnet (available in the kitchen) if you are handling food. All personal belongings should be locked in your trunk for safe keeping. We encourage you to enjoy your serving time at the St. Luke's Mission. Feel free to photograph yourself and/or your group while you are here! Give us a shout out on social media! Just be sure to protect the privacy of our clients by not including them in your photos.
How do we financially sponsor a meal?
One of the biggest needs we always have at the Mission is for groups or individuals to financially sponsor meals. Many people are unaware that our entire operating budget is completely funded by private donations. We solicit no government funding so meal sponsorship is a HUGE blessing! To fully sponsor lunch or dinner meals is $350. Once your meal has been confirmed as a financially sponsored meal, we ask that you submit your payment within one week (unless other mutually agreed upon arrangements are made). Please make funds payable to: St. Luke's Mission PO Box 448 Buffalo, NY, 14215. Please put your name or your group's name on the memo line along with the date you are serving as well as which meal you are serving (lunch or dinner). You may also submit meal payments on our DONATE page. Designate your payment for "food" and include the same information as requested for the memo line of the check.
