Thanks to everyone, we have achieved a great deal in our kitchen practices this year!  But for 2026 we must move forward with the next phase to maintain our kitchen license.

These changes are:  

Gloves are a must when handling food, clean or dirty dishes.  They should be changed between new tasks or if touching your body or other surface.

Hair coverings: Staff must wear hair always covered, whether a clean baseball cap, hairnet, or other cap.  Long hair must be tied back and hat worn. Hair nets are on order.  If you choose a cap, we can keep them at church in a zip lock bag with your name on it.  I will find a location for them.

Monthly manager inspection:   Each month I must observe and document hospitality conditions, practices, sanitation, and dishwasher temperature. Forms are filed in the kitchen and checked during a Health Department inspection. I’m not a ogre, please don’t be afraid of me!!

Illness Agreements are to be signed by volunteers and kept on file.  It indicates volunteers should not come to work if they are sick with a communicable illness, including flu, Covid, vomiting, diarrhea, and open sores.  If you have not completed one, they will be kept at the end of the food table.                                                                                       

I am communicating with UNH Cooperative Extension to hold a food safety and sanitation in-service for volunteers and other interested congregants. Hopefully it can be a Zoom presentation.  More to come with details.

Anyone new to doing hospitality can contact me for “on the job” training.

Thank you, Barbara Dagenais