Template on a Request

To Whom It May Concern:

Thank you for your interest in Tree House.

Please review the enclosed documents. Once your group has reviewed the documents please fill out and fax back the application to Tree House. After the Application has been received a Tree House staff member will call you to step up your group’s orientation time and schedule your dinner, breakfast, or special event.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:
Heather Courtney, Tree House Coordinator [e-mail] or
253-403-8510

Tree House Family Meal Program

Families staying at Tree House often experience stress due to the illness or health status of their child. The Family Meal Program offers groups of volunteers the opportunity to extend needed support to these families by providing and preparing a meal.

Family dinners are served on selected evenings of the week at 5:30 PM. Groups should plan to serve 70-80 family members. A group size of 5-15 volunteers is appropriate. We ask our volunteers to understand that these numbers are strictly estimates. The actual number of people attending a given dinner varies greatly, even when the Tree House is at full capacity. This is due to a number of factors, none of which are predictable. We are therefore unable to provide a more accurate estimate. Bear in mind, that whether the food is eaten at mealtime or as leftovers, it will be very much appreciated.

Your group may choose to cook at the Tree House, cook at off-site, or as with most groups—do a combination of the two. Options also include ordering takeout. Feel free to be creative or bring your own family favorites! Anything that can be stored and reheated easily is best. In all cases, food must be packed and transported appropriately, with food safety in mind.

As you plan your menu, please keep in mind: • The number and cooking experience of those in your group • The size and layout of our kitchen, oven and refrigeration space, and time constraint • The logistics of getting the food to the Tree House in a safe manner (especially on a weekday) • The fact that you may be sharing the kitchen space with Tree House family members • Meals are served buffet style with families serving themselves

We ask that volunteers and volunteer groups not solicit donations on behalf of MultiCare Health System, Tacoma General, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and Tree House to support or fund their meal. It is acceptable to ask for a donation from someone you know with whom you have a personal relationship. The donation would be to your group for the purpose of providing a meal to the families staying at the Tree House.

Most groups arrive at the Tree House between 3:30 and 4:00 PM to begin food preparation, usually doing some prep work in advance. If you want to arrive earlier or later than this, please arrange in advance.

Our kitchen is equipped with four electric residential ovens and several cooking stove tops. We are equipped with basic equipment, pans, cooking and serving utensils, including large chafing pans or steam table for maintaining proper food temperatures. We ask that you bring paper plates and plastic utensils (we will provide cups and napkins). This makes clean up much easier on the Tree House and our families!

The final task of the evening is cleaning the kitchen. Family members will clear and clean their own tables. However, the volunteer group is responsible for everything else including; packaging leftovers, washing all dishes, cleaning counters, sweeping floors, and emptying the garbage. Most groups require at least an hour to clean up after dinner and are ready to leave the by 7:30 PM.

Scheduling Your Dinner

• Once you decide that you would like to host a dinner at the Tree House, contact Heather Courtney, Tree House Coordinator at [e-mail] or (253-403-8510) for available dates and to confirm the date that works for your group. • An on-site orientation (lasting about 45 minutes) at least two weeks prior to your first scheduled dinner is mandatory. We encourage all members of your group to attend however only the designated lead for the group is required to do so. The lead then has the responsibility of providing and reviewing our Meal Program Handbook with all group members not attending the on-site orientation. All members of your group must carefully read and be familiar with our Food Handling, Preparation, and Storage Guidelines prior to coming to the Tree House on your scheduled date. • A tour of the Tree House for interested members of your group may be arranged in advance, to take place at the House on the date of your dinner.

On Your Meal Day

• At least one Tree House Kitchen volunteer will be assigned to oversee and assist your group. • For the safety of our families, anyone with symptoms of illness or who have been recently exposed to chicken pox, measles, shingles, TB, hepatitis, influenza (flu), or E Coli may not volunteer for your event. • Children in your group must be a minimum of 14 years of age and have had chickenpox or been vaccinated for chickenpox. • When you arrive at the Tree House, check in at the front desk. Everyone in your group must sign in and wear a visitor’s badge. Carts for transporting food and supplies are available if needed just request when checking in at the reception desk. • If you require any assistance during the evening check with the Tree House Specialist on site. • Once the food is prepared, set the food out buffet style. Refill the buffet as needed, keeping the buffet table and nearby floor area clean. • Please sit down and eat with the families (this is the best part (). • You will start the clean up process by 6:30 p.m. (earlier if family members are no longer eating) • Hand-wash all equipment and utensils marked with “Meal Program” (using the posted protocol, which includes a disinfectant rinse). These items are stored on designated Meal Program shelves in the pantry.

• Also, hand-wash any trays, broiler pans, and cookie sheets, which are otherwise damaging to the dishwashers. Put all other dirty dishes and utensils in the dishwasher. Run dishwashers when full. If, during the course of the evening, you find a full, clean dishwasher, it would be greatly appreciated by the families if you empty it (wearing gloves). • All leftover food should be stored in plastic zip lock bags (provided by the House) or plastic containers, if available. ▪ Portion leftover food into individual or family serving sizes and place in separate bags/containers. ▪ Mark each bag/container using a permanent marker with the date, contents, and the word “House.” • No “potentially hazardous foods” (defined as foods in which bacteria are more likely to grow—see the “Food Handling, Preparation, and Storage Guidelines”)-- may remain on the buffet counter after dinner service is over. • Wipe down the counter tops with disinfectant spray. Sweep the floor. Empty full garbage cans, place new liners in the cans and break down all boxes. • Please return all equipment to its original location.
Special Reminders:

• If you need to cancel on the day of your dinner, please call 253-403-8511 and leave a message for the Tree House Coordinator. • Volunteers may not take responsibility for supervising or caring for children in the absence of a parent or guardian, either from the common areas or from the Tree House premises. • Volunteers should never enter a family’s sleep room for any reason. • You are welcome to take photos of group members and Tree House guests. • We appreciate your feedback. After your dinner date, please tell us about your evening at the Tree House and any suggestions you might have that would improve the experience for our volunteers. Please direct comments to:
Heather Courtney, Tree House Coordinator
[e-mail]
253-403-8511

Tree House Family Meal Program

Menu Planning

As a general guideline, please consider providing the following menu items:

• Main dish (it is not necessary to provide both a meat and vegetarian entrée) • Starch, if not included in the main dish • Fresh green or vegetable salad and/or vegetable • Fresh fruit • Bread/rolls with butter • Dessert • Beverages - Individually packaged drinks, including bottled water, soft drinks, and juice are easiest to serve. It is also fine to serve large containers of beverages that are poured into cups, which we provide. (We have coolers/ice.)

Prohibited foods are as follows: • Non-pasteurized juice and milk products • Raw seed sprouts, such as alfalfa sprouts • Undercooked meat, fish, or eggs • Alcohol: No alcohol may be brought to the House, including the use of it as an ingredient in on-site food preparation.

Know the ingredients in all foods that you serve. Ingredients do not need to be displayed, however be prepared to verbally offer a list of ingredients in case of food sensitivities/restrictions by out families.

Please provide paper plates and plastic utensils. We provide napkins, plastic cups, disposable gloves for food preparation, containers and zip lock bags for packaging leftovers, cooking and serving equipment, food warmers for buffet, cleaning supplies, coolers and ice for beverages.

Menu Suggestions:

Entrées

• Home-style/Comfort Foods (most popular) • Macaroni and Cheese • Casseroles • Hot Dogs & Hamburgers • Grilled Items ( we do not have access to a BBQ at Tree House) • Soup & salad bar • Stir-fry • Pasta Bar w/ various sauces • BBQ Ribs

Enchiladas

• Baked potato bar w/ all the toppings • Chili • Ethnic theme • Turkey, Ham, Chicken or Beef • Sandwich Makings (you can do lunchmeats or have hot fillings like meatball, philly, etc.) • Your favorite family recipe • Most often-served items: spaghetti, lasagna, tacos • Breakfast Menu

Sides

• Vegetables-cooked • Raw vegetable platters (two platters are usually sufficient) • Grilled vegetables • Rice, Potatoes, Beans, • Chips, Dip, Salsa • French Fries • Mashed Potatoes with Gravy (a favorite!)

Salads/Fruit

• Any salad or salad bar • Salads may be dressed or dressing may be served on the side. • Fresh fruit platters (popular with the children and adults)

Bread (if needed, remember butter)

• Rolls/Muffins • Loaves of Bread • Garlic Bread • Cornbread • Focacia • Pita Bread

Desserts (Families love desserts—especially homemade!)

• Cookies • Cakes • Cupcakes • Pies • Brownies • Crisps and Cobblers with Whipping Cream • Root beer floats • Ice Cream Sundaes • Ice Cream Bars

Beverages

Bottled Water

• Juice • Punch • Soda

*Catered Restaurant Dishes and take-out as well as purchased frozen entrées are possibilities.

Buffet Serving Guidelines*

|BUFFET Food Amounts for 20 - 50 people: or 100-150 people) |
| |20 - 25 Servings |50 Serving |
|Pre Dinner |*2 large bags tortilla chips, salsa, cheese etc. to go with |*3-4 lb. asstd. cheese with crackers, or veggies with 6 |
|Appetizers |these |cups dip 2-4 pieces per person, |
|(optional) |or veggies with 3 cups dip |(suggest 1 platter 18" of cheese -crackers and 1 of |
| |or individual appetizers, 2-3 per person, |veggies and dip) |
| |4-5 kinds |or individual appetizers, 2-3 per person 6-8 kinds |
|Salads |(Potato salad made with 5 -7 lb. potatoes (total 8 lb. potato |*Potato Salad, 12-15# potatoes |
| |salad) |(total 15 lb. potato salad) |
| |(Caesar salad, 3 heads Romaine |(Caesar, 7 Romaine |
| |(1 smaller salad, your choice |or 7 lb. tossed salad mix, |
| | |(1 med. salad, half the size of the potato salad or 2 |
| | |smaller salads. |
|Meats |(12 lb (raw weight) beef roast |(25 lb. (raw weight) beef roast boneless or 15 lb cooked |
| |boneless served hot, or large ham,bone in or 15-18 lb. whole |ham or equivalent or 20 lb. turkey and 3 casseroles |
| |turkey, or 6-7 lb. cooked boneless ham or equivalent. | |
| |(2 lb. extra sliced deli meats, optional | |
|Casseroles |or in place of meats: |or in place of meats: |
| |2 -9x13 casseroles |4 to 5 -9 x 13 casseroles |
| |~or 1 casserole and some meat.) |or 3 casseroles and some meat |
|Desserts |*3 desserts, cake, cheesecake |*7-8 pies, or 5 cakes, or 2 large trifles |
| |or fruit salad (one decadent, one |or an assortment of bars, tiny cream puffs, or small cheese|
| |chocolate, one low cal.) |cake squares (tiny 2-3 per person) |
| |or 2 x one dessert |or keep it simple, do only 2 desserts, each x3 regular |
| |or 1 -10 1/2 x 15 1/2 sheet cake |sized desserts. |
| |or assorted tiny bars, 2-3 per person | |
|Beverages |(1/2 c. punch per serving. |(punch, 1 gal. =24-32 punch cups, 3-4 drinks per person |
| |allow 2 1/2 gal. | |
| |~coffee, tea, flavored decaf | |

* www.angelfire.com/bc/incredible/Buffetchart.html

Kitchen/Food Handling Orientation Checklist

It is important that all volunteers participating in the Meal Program at the Tree House understand and follow the procedures as outlined in this orientation material. Please share this information with all members of your group prior to your scheduled meal. Thank you.

Your Volunteer Group

__Children must be a minimum of 14 years of age (9th grade and above) and if between 14-18 years old must either have had chicken pox or been immunized for chicken pox.
__Ideal group size is 5-15 people
__No volunteer may have any illness or symptoms of possible illness, no matter how minor
__Procedure for cancelling dinner

Designated Lead for Group

__Responsible for scheduling and attending orientation, providing and reviewing orientation materials with all group members, outlining team assignments on dinner night, ensuring that Tree House guidelines, as outlined in the handbook and orientation, are followed

Regular Tree House Kitchen Volunteer

__Has overall responsibility for the kitchen and implementation of food handling guidelines during meals

Menu Planning

__Menu selection
__Amounts of food
__Food restrictions
__Soliciting donations
__Bring paper plates, plastic utensils
__Display Menu

On Your Scheduled Date:

__Arrival time
__ Signing in
__ Name tags
__ In Kind Donation/Group Sign-in form
__ Transferring supplies to the kitchen
__ Parking cars
__General order of events during dinner
__Dinner guests
__Departure

Layout of Dining/Kitchen Areas

__ Pantry
__ Bathrooms
__ First aid kit
__ House phone (dial “0”)
__ Equipment to use
__ Dishwashers
__ Disposals
__ Garbage
__ Utility closet
__ Community freezer
__ Items used in cleaning
__Setting up buffet, dessert, drinks
__ Community refrigerators

Pantry

__ Meal Program supply shelves
__ Extra supplies

Cleaning

__ Sanitize surfaces, counters & tables (before, during, and after food prep)
__ Washing hands, using gloves
__ Items for the dishwasher
__ Hand washing dishes
__ Returning items to the appropriate location

Cooking

__ Monitor food temperatures
__ Thermometers
__ Warming trays, chafing/steam pans
__ Using ice to keep items cold

Food Storage

__ When to start clearing buffet counter
__ Individual/Family serving sizes for leftovers
__ Using plastic zip lock baggies
__ Marking leftovers
__ Amount of leftovers to save
__ Where to store leftovers
__ Leftover food on the buffet

Meal Day Kitchen Check list

o Turn on ovens o Locate Meal Program equipment shelves in pantry o Disinfect surfaces and sinks o Unload food and supplies onto sanitized surfaces o Set up chafing/steam pans, if needed o Set up hand washing dishes area o Display menu o Start food prep o Set up buffet line o Set up cooler/ice, if needed o Refill buffet, as necessary. Clean buffet counter and floor of spilled food throughout dinner

When families are finished eating (usually around 6:15 – 6:30):

o Turn off chafing/steam pans. Let cool, empty of water, wipe off, put away. o Clear food from buffet o Cool leftovers before packaging. Package leftovers, as directed o Hand wash and store Meal Program equipment o Run full dishwashers o Empty and reline kitchen garbage cans o Disinfect all surfaces that were used o Store hand washed equipment in pantry on Meal Program shelves o Lead check-out at front desk, return all visitor badges.

Food Handling, Preparation, and Storage Guidelines*

Please make sure each person in your group reads the following guidelines very carefully. Thank you.

Please stay at home if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: sore throat, runny nose, coughing or sneezing, watery eyes, fever, chills, unexplained rashes, general aches, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea or if you have recently been exposed to or have chicken pox, shingles, measles, tuberculosis, influenza, hepatitis, or any other communicable diseases. Only children over the age of 14 may accompany your group. They must also have had chickenpox or been vaccinated for chickenpox.

1. If preparing food off site, only do so if you are healthy.

2. Take special care in transporting food to the House: Cold food should be packed on ice and hot food should be packed in a thermal pack. Otherwise, your travel time to the Tree House should be no more than 20 – 30 minutes.

3. Wash hands often and well (see attached guide): Clean hands are the most important food safety tool.

4. Never touch ready-to-eat food with bare hands: • Use serving utensils to handle food • Wear gloves (provided by the Tree House), when doing food prep at the House Important Rules for Using Gloves ➢ Wash hands before using gloves ➢ Change gloves that get ripped ➢ Change gloves that might be contaminated ➢ Never wash or reuse gloves ➢ Change gloves between working with raw and ready-to-eat foods ➢ Throw gloves away after use ➢ Wash hands after taking gloves off

5. Clean and sanitize all food preparation surfaces: • Before using • In-between preparation of different food items • During final clean up

At home, use hot soapy water or disinfectant. At the Tree House, use the supplied disinfectant spray and paper towels to clean work surfaces, serving counters, and dining tables.

6. Keep potentially hazardous foods hot or cold: • These are defined as foods in which bacteria are more likely to grow. o These foods include: Animal products (includes eggs, dairy products) Cooked starches (rice, beans, pasta, potatoes) Fruits and vegetables as follows: cooked vegetables, tofu, cut melons. • Potentially hazardous food may be kept at room temperature for up to two hours while you are preparing it. • Keep potentially hazardous foods out of the Danger Zone (41-140 degrees F). Maintain the following temperatures of foods as they are being held and served: Hot food holding temperature= 140 degrees F or higher Cold food holding temperature= 41 degrees F or colder

7. Cook food to proper temperature • 165 degrees F: poultry, hot dogs, stuffed foods and stuffing, casseroles, canned foods, reheated food • 160 degrees F: beef, pork, veal, lamb (steaks, roasts, chops); ground beef (includes hamburgers and any dish that contains ground beef); egg dishes • 145 degrees F: fish • 140 degrees F: vegetables hot held • Ham: if precooked and in original package, heat to 140 degree. If not in original package or ham is a leftover being reheated, it must be heated to 165 degrees • Remember with thin pieces of meat you must insert the probe into the side of the meat so that the entire sensing area is in the food.

*Once cooked to the proper temperature, keep hot held food above 140 degrees. Thermometers provided.

8. Keep raw meat away from other food to prevent cross contamination. • Wash and sanitize surfaces that come in contact with raw meat. • Use a separate cutting board for raw meat then sanitize after using. • Wash hands after handling raw meat.

9. Prohibited foods are as follows: • Non-pasteurized juice and milk products • Raw seed sprouts, such as alfalfa sprouts • Undercooked meat, fish, or eggs • Alcohol: No alcohol may be brought to the House, including the use of it as an ingredient in on-site food preparation.

10. Know the ingredients of your dishes: • Some of our families may have questions or concerns of possible food allergies or sensitivities.

11. Cool hot food as quickly as possible before storing.

12. Leftover Food Storage: • All leftover food should be stored in plastic zip lock bags and or plastic containers (provided by the Tree House). • Leftover baked potatoes must be cut and cooled before storing. They may not be stored whole. • Portion leftover food into individual or family serving sizes and place in separate bags. • Mark each bag using a permanent marker with the date, contents, and the word “House.” • Place bags in refrigerators (or freezers, if appropriate). • All potentially hazardous foods should be properly stored and not left out on serving counters. Families arriving after dinner will help themselves to the food that has been stored in the refrigerator.

13. Washing dishes by hand (see attached guide): • Wash • Rinse • Sanitize • Air dry (may do final drying, if necessary, with paper towels)

*adapted from the Washington State Food and Beverage Workers’ Manual

Washing Dishes by Hand*

1. Clean sinks and sanitize with disinfectant spray. Rinse with clear water. 2. Wash dishes in hot, soapy running water. 3. Rinse dishes with hot, running water. 4. Sanitize by dipping dishes in the tub of sanitizing rinse (do not rinse after this step). 5. Air-dry for as long as possible on drying rack. 6. If needed, finish drying with paper towels before putting dishes away.

* Gloves must be worn while washing and handling clean dishes. * Only items from Meal Program shelves, and trays and broiler pans (which are damaging to the dishwashers) will be washed by hand. All other items are to be washed in the dishwasher.

* Adapted from the Washington State Food and Beverage Workers’ Manual

Hand-Washing Instructions

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Driving Directions to Tree House on MultiCare Health System campus:
Tree House, A Place for Families
402 S. I Street
Tacoma, WA 98405
253-403-8510

From I-5, take the City Center exit onto I-705. Follow directions to Schuster Parkway, exiting on Stadium Way. Turn right onto Stadium Way. Follow approximately 1/2 mile, turning left onto Division Avenue. Continue on Division for three blocks. Turn left at the stoplight on I Street.

There is 15 minute parking in front of the Tree House to unload and load your vehicles.

Parking
Street parking is often available on both I street and S. 4th Street. Free valet parking is also available at the emergency department entrance on J Street. Additional parking is available in the Fifth Street garage the entrance is located on J Street.

TREE HOUSE SPECIAL EVENT/MEAL PROGRAM APPLICATION

PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
|Today’s Date: |Date of Event: |
|Time of the event: |Preferred date or time for Orientation: |
| |(must be at least 2 weeks prior to your event) |

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION
|Name of your organization: |
|Number of people in your group: |
|Is anyone in your group between 14-18 years old? |
|Please tell us about your proposed event and / or meal menu: |
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Please list two contacts from your organization that are coordinating the event or meal program.

|Name: |Primary Phone: |
|Street Address: |Alternate Phone: |
|City: |Fax Number: |
|State/Zip Code: |Email Address: |

|Name: |Primary Phone |
|Street Address: |Alternate Phone: |
|City: |Fax Number: |
|State/Zip Code: |Email Address: |

Please fax the application back to 253-403-8516 and a Tree House Specialist will be in contact with your organization. If you need immediate assistance please call Heather Courtney at 253-403-8510 or e-mail at [e-mail]

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