Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen in need of new director/supervisor

The Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen is in dire need of a permanent director and is looking for someone in the community who can fill that role.

The soup kitchen, created, and still supported by, local churches more than 30 years ago, provides meals to people who need them six days a week free of charge.

“Seventy to 100 people get a meal every day who wouldn’t have one,” said Feed My Sheep Board Member Jody Hellegaard.

Hellegaard said, while local churches still provide many of their volunteers, the kitchen is, in essence, an organization that supports and is supported by Havre and larger community of the Hi-Line.

The position of director/supervisor is being temporarily held by Doris Hanson, who said the position involves, among other things, planning meals, cooking, serving food a couple days a week, keeping track of supplies, and making sure the freezer stays organized.

Hanson has worked at the soup kitchen for some time and took the position in late October because someone needed to supervise operations after the departure of their previous director/supervisor.

However, she said, she never wanted to take the position permanently.

“I will stay until someone is found,” she said. “My husband and I agreed that this is a critical thing that our community needs so I don’t want to jeopardize anything.”

She said she knows how important this service is to people in the area and it can’t go without a supervisor, but she is not looking to hold the position for any longer than she is needed.

“I have retired once,” she said jokingly.

Hellegaard said the position is par time and paid but mostly supervises volunteers, which she warned can be a somewhat different dynamic than supervising employees.

She said the position involves working with the weekly schedule, and has some physical demands involved with preparation of meals.

She said they’re looking for someone with organizational skills who can get along with volunteers and the people they serve.

Hellegaard said cooking skills are preferable, but that is among the skills they’d be willing to teach an otherwise qualified applicant.

Hanson said cooking for the kitchen is a bit different from cooking for oneself or even a family because they serve upwards of 60 people most days which means food must be prepared in abundance.

However, she said, those with a passion for cooking will likely find it a manageable job.

”It’s a simple job if you like to cook,” she said.

Hanson said the job usually requires someone to be in the building from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. but it can be a bit longer depending on the day.

COVID-19 changes operations

Hellegaard said the position of director/supervisor is no less important during the pandemic than it is any other time, but things are a bit different at soup kitchen since the arrival of COVID-19.

She said the number of people coming to them for meal hasn’t changed dramatically, but because their volunteers tend to be older, it is more difficult on their workforce.

“It’s been harder because we have less volunteers,” she said. “Our volunteer core is in that community that needs be careful right now.”

She said when people don’t feel well they need to stay home even when it’s a minor issue because of the pandemic, and that has caused coordination to become a bit harder.

Since the pandemic came to Havre the soup kitchen has been serving packaged meals from the door rather than having people in the building eating, but that will go back to normal after the pandemic ends.

Making a difference

Hellegaard said the director position is a unique opportunity and it’s never a boring.

“There are challenges every day, but when they go home they’re going to know that they made a difference in someone’s life.”

She said the kitchen also has a paid position open for some one to work on Saturdays, and a volunteer position for work during weekdays.

Hellegaard said anyone interested can call Board President Jerry Williams at 262-4980.