FAQs

General FAQ

  • If I volunteer, what is my time commitment?
  • We have 2 or 3-hour volunteer shifts that you can sign up for on Fridays and Saturdays. To find out more about shift responsibilities and time commitments, check out our volunteer page.

    We do not require you to volunteer for a certain number of weeks or months, or on any sort of timeline. We are flexible and you may come and go from Stone Soup as it fits with your schedule.

    We do require that you sign up in advance to guarantee a volunteer spot. Our shifts fill up and sometimes we have to turn volunteers away if they did not sign up ahead of time.

  • What do I need to do to arrive prepared?
  • On your volunteer day, please wear a hat (unless you prefer a hair net) and do not plan to leave valuables lying around. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes (no open-toed shoes or sandals!). We will provide gloves, apron, cutting board, knife, and any other tools you need to do you volunteer job successfully!

    Physical hygiene is incredibly important when working with food, so please arrive wearing clean clothes.

  • What happens to the leftover food after the meal?
  • Leftovers are packed up and shared with the Franklin County Community Meal program. They have a meal service on Tuesdays. Sometimes meals are donated to Baystate Hospital, and volunteers take extra food home to feed themselves and their neighbors.

  • What’s The Stone Soup Café All About?
  • If you haven't done so already, please take 5 minutes to watch this introductory video!

  • Where do I enter?
  • The Café is in the basement of All Souls Church at 399 Main Street in Greenfield. Use the side entrance on Hope Street. You'll enter through the red door.

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Community Guidelines

The Stone Soup Café board, staff, and volunteers strive to conduct ourselves in a responsible and ethical manner. By having guidelines we create a space that is safer for everyone. We collaborate to achieve the Café’s mission, uphold the Café’s values, and work to maintain a positive, respectful and constructive tone throughout the Café.

At the Café, we all agree to:

  • Treat everyone with dignity, respect, and kindness. Help the Café be a welcoming environment for everyone. Facilitate a climate of trust and mutual support through relationships focused on respect. Communicate with language that is inclusive and compassionate. Recognize that most people are doing the best they can.

  • Respect others’ boundaries. Avoid forcing personal values, beliefs, and behaviors on others. Instead, strive to exchange knowledge and build relationships. Stay curious and open to learning new things! Listen to understand.

  • Work with mindful intention and ask for clarification if confused. Asking for help is celebrated!

  • Use your good judgment in terms of your own physical condition, and do not come in if you are sick, or have any condition that could negatively impact on your ability to deliver quality services.

  • Remember that volunteers are not rule-enforcers or gatekeepers; Volunteers are helpers. At times, volunteers may have to clarify information or a policy, but try and do so with a smile. If a rule needs to be enforced, get a staff person.

  • Try to resolve conflicts with direct and respectful conversation.