Contra Costa County Environmental Health Services inspected our kitchen and stopped all food service except: prepackaged, pre-portioned meals that can be reheated in our microwave.
- No reheating of prepared meals in our oven as it is not a commercial oven.
- No food prep, or clean up as we do not have 3 separate sinks as required. 1 for hand washing, 1 for food prep and 1 for dishwashing and sanitizing.
- No home cooked or baked foods.
- No self-service items. Everything must be served by a certified food handler.
- Permitted food donations are allowed from a permitted facility if delivered and served immediately and all left overs are disposed of.
We are working with EHS and St. Paul’s to evaluate their kitchen for our food service. If the kitchen passes, we can resume Loaves and Fishes, donations from other permitted facilities, do food prep and cooking in St. Paul’s kitchen in order to serve our members. All staff and volunteers handling food must have a certificate for food handling.
The ban on home cooked/baked foods remains in place.
Our kitchen at our temporary site will be a commercial kitchen. We are working with EHS to ensure the proper equipment and permits.
In the meantime, we are accepting donations of cash or food gift cards to help us cover the cost of purchasing prepackaged foods. Several restaurants are donating meals for the evening program. Anything you can do is appreciated!