The Winter Shelter operated by Options for Helping Residents of Ashland (OHRA)  opens on November 1st, providing food and shelter at the Ashland Presbyterian Church. The Social Justice committee is asking RVUUF members who can assist in providing food for dinner or breakfast to sign up for a Friday night in November or later, by calling Jerry Nutter at (541) 890-4149 or Vida Taylor at (370) 904-4303.

This year the meals will need to be prepared in a commercial kitchen due the state’s health department new COVID-19 requirements. The Presbyterian Church has offered to have us cook meals in their kitchen and package them in to-go containers. The shelter hours are 6 pm to 9am, and we will need to have food boxed up by 6. This year we will not need to stay and serve, as there will be paid staff to do that.

Food purchased from Costco or other businesses with commercial kitchens will need to be heated and boxed at the church. Such things as lasagna, macaroni and cheese, or burritos are always popular, and easy to provide. We will be providing breakfast to go in paper bags, such as string cheese, hard boiled eggs and fruit. Anything that needs to be cooked, such as boiling eggs, needs to be done at the church.

In order to provide safety from Covid-19, masks will need to be worn, social distancing practiced, and safety precautions such as frequent hand washing will be taken. We will need to be out of the shelter before the guests come In for the night. Cold weather is now upon us, and we need you to consider how you can help, by providing dinner, breakfast, and/or helping prepare to-go food. Thank you for your generosity.-Vida Taylor