Meal Calendar

Join our hometown chef program!

Help make a difference in the lives of families that are facing a medical crisis by providing a home-cooked meal. Please click the “Sign Up Now” button to sign up for any of the available dates you see in the calendar below. Only your first name and initial of last name will be visible on the calendar.

We thank you for your generous support! If you need to make any changes to the date/s you selected, please email hailie@childrenshopefw.org or call 260-459-8550. You are also welcome to contact the House directly to schedule a meal.

Lutheran Meal Preparation / Drop off times – Please arrive between the hours below to begin preparing the meal or to drop it off. You are more than welcome to stay after staff hours to enjoy the meal with the families and clean up:
Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:00pm / Sat-Sun 12:00pm-4:30pm

Dupont Meal Preparation / Drop off times – Please arrive between the hours below to begin preparing the meal or to drop it off. You are more than welcome to stay after staff hours to enjoy the meal with the families and clean up:
Mon-Fri: 8:30am-10:30am or 4:00pm-7:30pm / Sat-Sun: 12:00pm-4:30pm

Call to make arrangements if you can not make it during these times.

For safety purposes, we require that all meals be either:

prepared in our kitchen
catered by a restaurant
prepared in a commercial kitchen
pre-made food from a grocery store (ex: Costco, Gordons)

(Please scroll down to meal calendar to view open dates before signing up.)

Sign-up for Lutheran Hospital Meal Calendar

Sign-up for Dupont Hospital Meal Calendar

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I/we have to prepare the meal at Children’s Hope House?

If the meal is not prepared in our kitchen, then it must be catered by a restaurant, come prepackage from a grocery store (i.e. Gordons, Costco, Kroger, etc), or prepared in a commercial kitchen. These are the guidelines from the Allen County Department of Health that we are required to follow.

We have a beautiful kitchen that is perfect for meal preparation. We have all the equipment needed to help you and your group prepare a wonderful meal. We also have a fully stocked pantry and we welcome the use of any of the items in our community pantry.

Can I utilize items in the Children’s Hope House pantry?

Yes! We welcome our Hometown Chef’s to get creative and utilize items we have on site. Often our Chef’s utilize a combination of items in our pantry and purchase the remaining items needed to prepare a complete meal. It’s basically like being an Iron Chef…well pretty much.

How many people do I need to cook for?

We recommend preparing a meal for at least 10 to 12 individuals. We have found that this amount of food is always enough and helps us reduce waste.

Can we eat with the families?

Absolutely! Sharing a meal with our families is the best part about our Hometown Chef program. Often the families we serve love sharing their journey with our staff and volunteers. It reinforces the need for mission and the need for our amazing volunteers like you. Remember, however, the families are all on different schedules, so we can not guarantee how many guests will be here at the House when you arrive.

What time should we arrive with the meal?

We have staff here until 4:30. If you can not arrive before 4:30, please contact us to make arrangements to receive a temporary code for the front door. Most guests will have dinner between 5:00-6:30, however, everyone is on their own schedule and come and go based on their circumstance.

What about dietary restrictions?

Don’t sweat it. Our families know their needs best, they will regulate their own dietary needs.

What if I arrive and the door is locked?

First, we are sorry we missed you. Second, call Melissa at 260-515-9224 or Marcie at 260-348-1552. We can give you a door code via phone to gain access. Technology, isn’t it great?

What about cleaning up?

It’s a messy job, but someone has to do it. If you cook in our kitchen, please clean utensils and other equipment needed during the cooking process. After that, your obligation has been met. You do not need to clean up after our families.

Is it OK to leave food out?

Yes. We have wonderful night managers at the Children’s Hope House. They will make sure your food is safely labeled and refrigerated after the meal time.