Cooking FAQ Guide
Thank you for agreeing to cook for Presbyterian Campus Ministry (PCM) at Vanderbilt University. We so appreciate your ministry to the students and hope that this guide will prove helpful as you prepare a PCM dinner. Please fill out this additional In-kind form so that we can have this for our records of giving. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Julie Stone, home: 377-1329, cell: 218-3661.
Q. Where are PCM dinners held?
A. We now gather for worship in St. Augustine's Chapel, which is located on the Vanderbilt Campus. To get to St. Augustine's from West End Avenue, take 24th Ave. onto campus. St. Augustine's is on the LEFT before the stop sign at Vanderbilt Place. However, continue to the stop sign. Turn LEFT onto Vanderbilt Place and turn LEFT again in front of Sarratt Student Center. If a parking spot is not available, put on your hazards and enter the rear door. We will have a cart there to put your food on and roll it down the hall to the kitchen. At the end of this sheet are pictures of the kitchen at St. Augustine's. For an online map that indicates where St. Augustine's is located on the Vanderbilt campus click here.
Q. Where should I park?
A. There are two parking spots behind St. Augustine's. You can park there to unload your car. If these spots are filled, we will find a place for your car(s)after you unload. Meanwhile, please feel free to pull over best you can and put on your hazard lights. If you have a handicapped tag, you will more than likely have a guaranteed parking place. Since there are so few spaces near St. Augustine's, we recommend parking on West End at a metered spot (after unloading food) and walking up 24th Avenue. Again, please try to carpool.
Q. What time are PCM dinners scheduled?
A. We gather for worship on Tuesdays at 6:00 pm and dinner is served immediately after worship (typically 7:00 pm). A student or PCM Board member is typically on-site by 5:30 pm. If your schedule permits, we welcome you to worship with us and hope that you will be able to stay through dinner so the students can meet and thank you for your generosity.
Q. Does St. Augustine's have a kitchen?
A. YES! There is a stove/oven, refrigerator, microwave, icemaker and two dishwashers. You can cook in the kitchen or come with a cooked meal that only needs to be warmed upon arrival. We will supply pot holders, serving utensils and bowls, as well as plates, cups, silverware and napkins. We will also have all cleaning supplies available.
Q. How many students attend PCM dinners?
A. The number of students attending seems to fluctuate due to the fact that these are college students (depending on meetings, tests, etc.). However, we usually have between 30-35 students (sometimes less and sometimes more). We apologize for not being able to give you an exact number.
Q. What meals / courses should be provided?
A. If possible, please provide a main dish, a vegetable or salad, bread, and dessert. PCM provides the drinks, glasses, plates and cutlery.
Q. Are there any dietary restrictions?
A. We have a few vegetarians but they'll usually eat the salad, bread, and dessert.
Q. Who is responsible for clean-up?
A. If you would, please clean up what you bring; however, students will be on hand to clean-up after dinner.
Q. What do we do about leftovers?
A. We will have limited refrigerator and freezer space since we share the space with other groups. We cannot keep most leftovers. However, sometimes students will take some food home. In this case, we'll provide takeout containers/bags. We are sorry if this causes any inconvenience but for right now, there is limited storage.
Q. What does the kitchen look like?
A. It is a good working kitchen. We hope to post some pictures as soon as we are able.