Chinese Gospel Church
Out Of The Cold
Program
2010-2011 Orientation
December 2010
Agenda
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Mission statement
History of the program
Our guests
Program details
What to expect
Walk through the premises
Mission Statement
 To
provide a safe, secure and warm
environment where guests can eat,
sleep and hear the Good News of
Jesus Christ through our love in
action, attitude and words.
The History of OOTC
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Started in Toronto in 1987
By students of St. Michael‘s School, with the support
and guidance of Sister Susan Moran
CGC started with First Baptist Church in Jan 1997
We are now in our 14th season
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Major change in 2003 – Dixon Hall approached by
the City of Toronto to take on the management and
operations of the OOTC programs (www.ootc.ca)
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There are 20 sites for the 2009-2010 season
Who are our Guests?
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Homeless
Hungry
Cold
Unstable
Only Adults
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Men
Women (for dinner only)
People like you and me:
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1 Corinthians 15:10a – “But by the grace of God I am what I
am, and his grace to me was not without effect.”
Circumstances that bring them
to the street
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Financial losses (loss of employment, new
immigrants)
Personal losses (family/friends)
Rejection by family/friends
Chemical dependency
Mental health problems
Emotional instability
Loneliness
What do our Guests need?
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Respect
Acceptance
No judgement
No questions
Safety
Courtesy
Socialization
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Warmth
Good meal
Quiet place to sleep
Clothing
Cheerful and helpful
volunteers
Clean premises
Characteristics of an Effective
Program
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Warm
Welcoming
Quiet
Clean and safe from physical harm
Christ’s love has been demonstrated
Bottom-line: Guests have enjoyed the meal, have
felt safe, have been comfortable and have had the
opportunity to experience and hear of Christ’s love.
Challenges to Volunteers
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Accepting people who are very different
Being cheerful at all times
Working cooperatively with other volunteers
Awareness of hygiene issues
Coping with various behaviours
Identifying risks to self and to others
Maintaining a calm environment
Keeping your emotions suitable to the situation
Characteristics of Effective
Volunteers
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Caring
Polite
Sensitive to needs and surroundings
Enthusiastic
Considerate and punctual
Honouring promises
Aware of non-verbal communication
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Key: How do you treat guests within your own home?
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Security
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Support staff from Dixon Hall, trained in crisis/anger
management and violence de-escalation
Emergency phone numbers are available
Phones are kept at intake and within the kitchen
Division 52 is up the street!
Suggestion to stay safe
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Wash your hands frequently
Leave personal valuables at home
Always be seen by others
If in an uncomfortable situation, speak to your shift
manager immediately
Do not give money or medicine to Guests – speak to
the shift manager if First Aid is needed
Limit personal information given – remain on a first
name basis, and do not offer your phone number
Program Rules
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No smoking within the church
No alcohol or drugs
No weapons
No aggressive or disruptive behaviour
No insults: personal, racial or sexual
No swearing or foul language
No fighting
Rules are posted at the entrance, and new Guests
are asked to review and agree to comply with them
before admission
Details of Our Program
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This season – January 6, 2011 to March 31, 2011
(13 weeks)
Between 70-100 volunteers
Dinner and lunch preparation teams as well
Aim is to feed an average of 50-60 and provide
shelter for 15 Guests every Thursday night
Money comes from Chinese Gospel Church and
from individual donation
Supported by the City of Toronto, which provides
payment for the Dixon Hall support staff, and clean
blankets for overnight Guests
Shifts
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Set-Up
Intake
Dinner
Social
Breakfast
variable time
5:30 p.m. start
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
6:00 – 8:00 a.m Friday
A Typical Thursday – Set-up
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Set-up is done during the day:
 Setting up the foyer and intake areas
 Preparing the dining area and kitchen
 Preparing hot beverages and re-heating food
Isolate the rest of the church from the program by
ensuring that all doors are locked
Dixon Hall staff arrives by 5:00 p.m.
A Typical Thursday - Dinner
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Volunteers arrive and sign-in between 5:45 – 6:00
Preparation and prayer time in the kitchen
Guests are admitted whenever the dinner team is
ready (earlier if there is a “Cold Alert”)
Dinner is served promptly, and whenever new
Guests arrive
Social shift volunteers arrive at 7:00 p.m., and
begin interacting with Guests
Aim to complete dinner shift clean-up by 8:00 p.m.
A Typical Thursday - Social
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Volunteers arrive at 7:00 p.m.
Extra tables and chairs are cleaned and put away
Informal time of interacting, talking, and playing
card/board games
Food is set aside for latecomers during the social
shift, and is re-warmed when they arrive
Mattresses are laid out by around 9:00 p.m., for
overnight guests to prepare to sleep
Cleanliness is maintained in the kitchen, in
preparation for the breakfast team in the morning
Dixon Hall staff remain overnight
A Typical Friday - Breakfast
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Breakfast shift volunteers arrive at 6:00 a.m.
Breakfast is prepared in the kitchen
Guests are woken up by 6:30 a.m., and breakfast
is served
Mattresses are cleaned and stored away
Bagged lunches are given to guests as they leave,
usually by 7:30 a.m.
Final clean-up of the kitchen and sleeping/dining
area prior to leaving
Thank you
for volunteering
Any Questions?