Community dinners stop because of health department regulation
Goshen. For many years, the First Presbyterian Church in Goshen has held free once-a-month community dinners. But volunteer groups that were used to bringing prepared dishes from home have backed away because of a health department regulation that says food must be prepared onsite for diners who are not members of the church.
Goshen /
| 26 Feb 2020 | 01:48
Members of Cornerstone Theatre Arts prepared and served the monthly community dinner at the First Presbyterian Church in January 2019. Pictured from left: Ken Tschan, Ben Hudson, Sara Johnson, Sam Sherlock, Joe Betro, Drew Nardone, Mal Stewart, Al Snyder, Marianne Ciuffetelli, and Drew Smith. (
)
It has come to the attention of the First Presbyterian Church in Goshen that members of the congregation and community cannot bring food made at home to share with non-members of the church.
After learning about this State of New York regulation, the church’s Outreach Committee is unable to offer free monthly community dinners to the public, as it had been doing for many years.
When the Orange County Health Department notified the church that all food shared with the public has to be prepared in the church’s kitchen, volunteer groups who were used to bringing food from home to share backed away from continuing to sponsor community dinners.
It has became difficult to find groups be willing, on a Saturday, to carry food to the church, prepare it, and stay into the evening to serve dinner and clean up afterwards. In the past, volunteers cooked at home, with each member of the organization bringing a part of the meal to share with everyone who came to the church the first Saturday of the month to enjoy a home-cooked meal.
“Members of the congregation who want to enjoy a covered dish supper with food cooked in their homes are exempt from this regulation,” said John Pohja, Senior Public Health Sanitarian with the Orange County Health Department. However, all food for non-members has to be prepared in the church’s kitchen, which is inspected by the health department.
All non-commercial kitchens, like those in churches, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign War halls, and firehouses, are inspected by the health department once or twice a year.
A food service establishment permit issued by the Orange County Health Department is needed for a non-commercial kitchen. However, this permit is exempt from fees.
A temporary food service permit is necessary for a specific event that uses a non-commercial kitchen and is open to the public. The health department inspects the kitchen for the day of the event, and the permit is good for a maximum of 14-days.
The Outreach Committee sincerely regrets no longer being able to provide a free home-cooked meal to the public on a monthly basis.
For more information on this regulation, contact the Orange County Health Department, 124 Main St., Goshen, at 845-360-6600.