Anyone picking up donations at the St. Louis Bread Company in Winchester Plaza should make sure to arrive by 9:00 PM. Employees will lock the front door at that time and then pack up bags of bread as well as dessert boxes for you to take and load into your vehicle for transport back to Good Shepherd.

If you’re running late, please make sure to phone Winchester Plaza Bread Co. at 636-230-6644 or Bernie & Bobbie Widdis at 636-527-9684.

When you go in, let an employee know you are there from Good Shepherd to pick up the donations. You will be given a donation summary paper that shows the value of the products.

Donation Pick-Up

Since you will arrive before they generally start to pack the donations, please ask them to line any box containing desserts (there will usually be at least one) with one of their large plastic bags used to pack the other bread.

Also, we suggest that two people pick up the bread since the front door is locked at 9:00 PM and it helps if someone can open and close the door as the donations are taken out. The Corporate Office for Panera (aka St. Louis Bread Company) does not want the door wedged open by anything due to security - as some of the stores have been robbed at closing time and the door being wedged open leaves the employees and anyone else vulnerable.

So if you’re there alone, ask if one of the employees can assist in getting the bread out to your vehicle - even if they just move the bread to the vestibule and then open/close the exterior door for you as you load the donations into your vehicle.

As a suggestion, it is generally best to load bags of bread into the /back of your vehicle and put the dessert boxes on the passenger seats. Then transport the donations back to the kitchen at Good Shepherd and make sure you have the code to get in! (You can get it from Bernie & Bobbie if you don't have it.)

Donation Handling/Readiness

Once you arrive, please place all the bags of bread on the counter in the kitchen. If the dessert box has been lined with a plastic bag, just be sure to secure the bag over the box. If any dessert box hasn’t been lined with a plastic bag, please cover it with clear wrap that can be found in the church kitchen pantry and return the wrap to where you found it when you are done.

Once the desserts are covered, please place them in the refrigerator - usually on the shelves with signs for "Someone Cares" or "Otis". If there are additional bakery boxes, refrigerate them as well.

On Monday and Tuesday nights, please place signs on top of dessert boxes that designate them for Wednesday delivery.

On Friday nights, congregation members and others will already be in the kitchen packaging the delivery from Thursday night when you arrive. They will then take responsibility for handling of the bread and desserts for Saturday delivery, but you are more than welcome to stay and assist with Friday packaging if you desire.

Interested in Helping?

If you're interested in finding out more about helping with the GSLC Bread Ministry, please Contact Us or call the church office at 636-391-6685.