Don't shy away from this opportunity even if you don’t consider yourself a cook; store bought and pre-made items are also welcome.  As the women are as diverse as their palates, you choose what you would like to make; it is sure to be appreciated and enjoyed! To respect the privacy of our women, volunteers do not serve lunch at On The Rise. We set up family-style in our comfy kitchen and women help themselves.

Volunteer Lunch Guidelines:

• Contact Marisa Serrano to schedule your delivery date in advance
• Entrée should serve 12 – 15 women, sides and dessert are optional
• Fresh and nutritious fruit is encouraged with lunch donations
• Label ingredients so women can make a healthy choice
• Prepare items in disposable containers or label dishes with your name; we will clean and have ready for pick-up
• Refrain from cooking with alcohol
• Provide instructions if we need to reheat; kindly do not deliver raw or uncooked items
• Drop-off between 8am – 11am. If you need to deliver the day prior, please call to make an appointment.  In a hurry? Call ahead and we’ll meet you curbside to accept your lunch!

Need inspiration? We recently asked our women what food they miss while being homeless. Here’s a few ideas:

• Healthy options, like salads with meats and veggies.”
• I miss the parties my father held during sports games - tailgating foods.”
• Vegetarian meals, I didn’t eat meat growing up.”
• I miss the BBQ’s we had in our yard, I like BBQ all year round!”
• Seafood.”
• International flavors, like, Chinese, Indian and Mexican.”
• I like creating a wrap or sandwich that I can fill with meats, veggies and sauces of my choice.”

Click here to view our recipe box. These are menus shared by our lunch volunteers.

To sign-up for a day, contact Marisa at 617-497-7968 x 36 or marisa.serrano@ontherise.org.