1. ABOUT VOLUNTEERING

By volunteering you are helping MBT bring an iconic summer festival to life that has been going strong for 70 years! Many families return each year and younger generations are starting new traditions of visiting Ginza. With your help Ginza continues to be our largest single fundraising event (beside Pledge). Thank you!

• As a volunteer you personally represent Ginza Holiday and MBT. Please help make Ginza a fun and positive experience for our many guests.
• Safety is everyone’s responsibility! It is up to each volunteer to work and act in a manner to minimize the risk of accidents and to follow sanitation guidelines.
• Below you will see the Roster of Jobs which describe each role and shifts needed (Friday has 1 shift and Saturday/Sunday each has 2 shifts).
• Some jobs have special requirements such as Food Handling Guidelines or Square App Training.
• Who Should Fill Out the Volunteer Form:
  • Anyone who does not have an assigned job at Ginza is encouraged to fill out the Volunteer Form.
  • If a volunteer is under 16, that must be noted (see instructions on the form).
  • If your availability does not match our schedules just let us know on the form (times you are available) and we’ll try and find a spot for you.
  • You do NOT need to fill out the form if (a) you work the same job every year and are in touch with the team leader; (b) you are a Dharma School family you can schedule directly with Kristin Park.

2. RULES FOR YOUR SHIFT

Please remember that as a volunteer you represent Ginza Holiday and MBT when you take your turn working a shift. Please be aware of and follow these rules for working during Ginza. Thanks again.

• Arrive for your Shift: Shifts are set up for volunteers to arrive 30 min before we open to customers (to allow for proper setup). Also, later shifts are set up for volunteers to remain a few min after closing to help with cleanup. If you will be late or are unable to come as planned, please contact us.
• Parking: You can obtain #142 zone parking stickers in advance or when you arrive. Parking restrictions start at 6pm so you will need a sticker for each day you volunteer past 6pm.
• Food and Drinks while working a shift:
  1. What is OK: It is acceptable and advisable to stay hydrated with water (or other non-alcoholic beverages). If you work in a Food Concession booth, sanitation rules prohibit eating where food is being handled (see “Sanitation rules for areas that handle food” below). If you work in a booth that does not serve food or drink, you may eat snacks that are easy to eat, like chips or popcorn. Please reserve eating full meals for breaks.
  2. What is NOT OK: Drinking alcohol or eating a meal while working a shift is not allowed. It’s not a good look for guests and their families so please reserve alcohol and meals for your break.
  3. Breaks: Please coordinate within your teams. Breaks are NOT allowed during program intermissions as that is the busiest times for all booths.
  4. Food: Snacks and drinks will be available in our volunteer break room located inside the Temple. Meals will be offered at specific times – the mealtime scheduled is to be determined. As a volunteer, you are welcome to purchase a meal and beverage and eat in the break room. Please note, the volunteer break room is for our working volunteers.
• Know where medical help and safety personnel are located: We have medical and safety personnel onsite when Ginza is open to the public. Please make yourself aware of where they are stationed so you may contact them in the case of an emergency.
• Sanitation rules for areas that handle food: There are strict City of Chicago regulations for festivals workers who handle food. For Ginza, this means volunteers who work in the food preparation areas, grill, par-boil, kitchen, and food distribution to guests. A copy of the guidelines can be downloaded here. Following are the current guidelines that must be followed:
  1. You MUST wear closed toed shoes. No one with open toed sandals or flip flops will be allowed to work, for both sanitation and safety reasons. THIS IS NOT NEGOTIABLE!
  2. Tops must have a short sleeve – NO SLEEVELESS TOPS
  3. You MUST wear a hair covering. You may wear your own cap or head covering, or use one of our head coverings or hair nets. Beards must be covered as well.
  4. You MUST wear gloves at all times when handling food. These should be changed frequently; these will be provided as well as aprons (you are welcome to bring your own). Both gloves and aprons need to be removed before entering and using the washroom.

HEALTH RULES:

• Masks are optional but encouraged
• Please do not come to the Temple if you are showing signs of illness or have tested positive for Covid-19
• Wash your hands frequently

If you have questions about volunteering, contact us at

ginza.volunteers@mbtchicago.org

3. SIGNUP FOR VOLUNTEERING IS NOW OPEN

1. Review the Roster of Jobs and make a list of your preferences – make note of the AREA and JOB you are interested in.
2. Fill out the Volunteer Form – you can volunteer for as many job/shifts as you like and even volunteer family members – and remember to note on the form when a volunteer is under 16.
3. Submit your form as soon as possible but not later than June 30th. We will take your information and get back to you via email. Please note: we’ll make every effort to assign the job you requested however sometimes we may have to ask you to take a job in a different area based on staffing needs – thank you in advance for your understanding.