New Parents Meal Ministry

Whenever a baby is baptized at Saint Bernadette, our church family commits to supporting the parents as they raise a Godly child. What better way to show our support and God’s love than through food! Our ministry brings several meals to those parents who are welcoming a new baby into their home through birth, foster care, or adoption.
 
Time: As needed
 
Gifts and talents:  Volunteers are needed to make (or buy) and deliver meals. You will get all the details you need when the call goes out, and there is no pressure to sign up every time. We have a big group of volunteers to share the load and the love!  For More Details See Below.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering to provide meals for new parents in the Saint Bernadette church family!

Reality:  Even when everything goes well, bringing home a new baby is difficult. Between the physical exhaustion, emotional stress, and sleep deprivation, new parents can often feel overwhelmed. Finding food can seem impossible—but everybody’s got to eat! That’s where our church family comes in.  Together, our volunteers can provide so much more than a meal.  When we deliver a meal, we show God’s love to these new families, we remind them that they are not alone, and we assure them that this difficult time will pass.
 

MISSION & MINISTRY OVERVIEW

Our mission is to deliver meals to new parents in the Saint Bernadette church family during the difficult newborn baby phase. Any parishioner parents are eligible, including birth parents, foster parents, and adopting parents of an infant (under 1-year-old). The ministry applies to all children (first, second, third…etc.) While many parents want to receive meals as soon as they get home from the hospital, some choose instead to receive meals once family leaves, or they/their spouse return to work, etc. The ministry is flexible, but the setup is simple.
 

HOW IT WORKS

The ministry uses the convenient website, www.takethemameal.com, to arrange sign-ups. Using the site is very simple (no logins, no passwords), but if you have any trouble, the Ministry Coordinator will help you out! 

1. Receive The Call! The ministry coordinator will send out an e-mail asking for volunteers to each provide a meal to the new parents. The request will include a general sense of the recipient's house location and a link to the signup page.

2. Get The Details! Clicking the link, volunteers will be able to see all the information they need, including dietary restrictions/preferences, as well a way to contact the new parents. You will see open slots to sign up and can see who is already bringing what dishes. 

3. Sign Up! Click an open slot and fill out what you are going to make and bring.

4. Deliver The Meal! Volunteers will then be asked to coordinate details of food delivery with the new parents. The website even sends you reminders! It’s as simple as that!

 TIPS AND REMINDERS

• You do not have to sign up every time!  We have a lot of volunteers to spread the load and the love. 

• Please deliver your meal in disposable dishes. 

• Be safe when delivering meals. Use common sense and consider bringing somebody with you. New parents will typically prefer that you come to their home, but if you don't feel safe during a delivery, just contact the parents and arrange another location, like a coffee shop or grocery store entrance.  

• Please be considerate when delivering meals. This means to deliver, quickly wish them well, and go. If mom and dad were feeling up to hosting company, they’d be making their own meals!  Don’t worry, though! They’ll be forever grateful, and they’ll be bringing that little bundle of joy to church for you to see before you know it! 

• Some parents may be open to receiving frozen meals that can be reheated; check the signup details. 

• You don't have to cook the meal! Buying their favorite takeout or grabbing a rotisserie chicken, salad, and bread from the grocery store works well, too! 

• Want to go above and beyond? Bring some breakfast foods, too! (Muffins, bagels, etc.)