Work with the Silver City Gospel Mission

Every weekday the Mission serves a hot lunch to anyone who comes. On Fridays, a church, business, club, school or family can take over the kitchen and serve it. It's one of the best ways for a group to serve together, and our guests love seeing new faces.

1. Arrive at 10:00 am at the Mission, 111 S. Texas St. (behind Jalisco's Restaurant). Our cook, Dan, runs the kitchen and will show you around.
2. Sign in on the volunteer tablet, so your hours count (and count for any service hours your members need).
3. Wash hands, put on gloves, tie back hair, and cook with Dan.
4. Serve lunch from 12:00 to 1:00.
5. Clean up together, then sign out on the tablet.

How much to cook: we serve about 50 neighbors on a typical Friday. Plan for about 75 servings. Leftovers never go to waste, and Dan knows what the Mission has on hand to fill in.

1. Cook the Mission's food. Dan will have ingredients from Roadrunner Food Bank ready. It costs your group nothing.
2. Bring your own ingredients and cook them in our kitchen.
3. Bring food made in a certified (licensed) kitchen, like a church or restaurant kitchen with a permit. Tell us which kitchen when you book.

You can mix these. No home-cooked food, please; that's a food-safety rule we can't bend. Tell us the ingredients and allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, sesame) so we can post them on the serving line.

Menu ideas that feed a crowd: chili and cornbread, spaghetti and meat sauce, enchilada casserole, tacos, sloppy joes, chicken and rice, soup and sandwiches, breakfast for lunch. Add a salad or vegetable, bread, and a dessert if you can. Fresh fruit is always a treat.

• 12 people at most; that's what the kitchen holds.
• Any age is welcome, as long as adults from your group supervise the children and teens. It's a great way for young people to serve.
• Wear closed-toe shoes and tie back long hair. Anyone who is sick, please stay home.
• Want a regular day? Many groups take the same Friday every month. Just ask.

• Our guests are neighbors and honored guests. A smile and a kind word mean a lot. Ask names and share yours.
• Photos: your team, the food and the kitchen are fine. Never photograph guests without their clear OK; many don't want to be online.
• Please don't give out money, rides, or your personal phone number or address. If a guest asks for help, send them to Mission staff.
• If there's a problem, get Dan or a staff member. In an emergency, call 911.

We'll send your group a thank-you letter with how many lunches you served and your team's hours. If your group donated food, the letter also works as your donation receipt. Groups that donate the food or ingredients can also see what else we need.