Volunteer Code of Conduct and Policies

Code of Conduct:

Statement of inclusivity while at UDFB:

We strive to make the food bank a place that is safe and welcoming for everyone. Having a space where everyone can contribute and be their full selves is essential to making the food bank run well and vital for us to be able to serve all those in our community who need support. We don’t want to make a space that is harder for anyone to participate or be in.

Behavior on site:

  • We ask that you not behave or use language that is racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, ageist, classist, or discriminatory in any way here. This includes comments or jokes that are dismissive or single out anyone based on their identity or background. Discrimination is contrary to our values and goes against the mission of this organization and will result in staff asking you to leave the food bank. Please also be receptive to learning how micro-aggressions and unconscious biases impact others and join us in growing from mistakes.
  • Be kind and respectful to others, volunteers, clients, and staff. Operate out of a place of mindfulness, seeking to understand those you interact with. Make space to affirm other identities, life experiences, and cultures different from your own.
  • We use pronouns that others request in our space. For more information on this please visit here: https://www.udistrictfoodbank.org/pronoun-usage-guide/

If you are unsure or are confused about something navigating this, we can help you understand how to become a better ally. Please ask staff for some support or ask for a meeting to talk about any questions you may have at volunteer@udistrictfoodbank.org

Other inappropriate behavior:

  • No violence or verbal or physical threats
  • No harassment or pressure for personal information, obligations, or dates from others
  • No soliciting or selling onsite

Volunteer work:

  • Please stay on task. Volunteers are here to serve the community and mission of the food bank! If staff have to continue to remind you to be productive and get you to stay on task, you may be asked to switch roles or ask you to not come back.
  • Please leave your workspace tidy and clean when you leave. Clean up any messes you’ve made and strive to leave spaces cleaner then when you found them.

Safety:

  • Please do not operate the pallet jack, unless trained by staff to do so.
  • Please listen to your body and do what feels safe for you. Practice safe lifting with a buddy for heavier weighted items. A training video on lifting can be found here: nonprofitsafetyhero.com/9-lifting
  • Practice safe food handling. Wash hands before your shift. Wear gloves if working with food and wash hands often and sanitize surfaces before and after tasks. More info about basic food safety can be found here: nonprofitsafetyhero.com/17-food-overview
  • Weapons are not allowed on site.
  • At the signs of any conflict, please call a floor manager.

Anyone creating an unsafe environment will be asked to leave and follow up with the floor manager before coming back, you may be suspended from volunteering.

Dress Code Policy:

  • Please wear close-toed shoes and clothing that is easy to move around in.
  • No dangly jewelry or other loose items that could get caught while working.

If you wear unsafe clothing, you’ll be asked not to work in the warehouse and may be asked to leave if no other tasks are available.

Drug/Alcohol use:

  • No drinking alcohol or drug use on site. Please be mindful of any prescribed medications that could make it unsafe for you to be in a warehouse environment.
  • Vaping and smoking must be done 20 feet from our building entrances.

If you show up under the influence, you will be asked to leave that shift and followed up with the volunteer manager. You may be suspended from coming in again.

Ethical treatment of customers  and confidentiality policy

  • Because we serve folks experiencing food insecurity and significant trauma who have few real support systems, the food bank has had to become an environment of care as well as a source of food. As we serve folks experiencing significant challenges, this requires greater than average patience, knowledge of trauma and greater customer service skills.

To provide a space where those experiencing these issues can use our services, we must keep a set of actions in mind:

  • While interactions with those experiencing significant challenges can be frustrating and stressful we must find ways to raise issues and communicate respectfully and calmly with others
  • Never speak about customers in the negative anywhere in the food bank, this includes describing client’ actions in the negative, (This can look like using phrases like ‘crazy’ or ‘greedy’).
  • If discussions become heated or there are any other issues, please call for a floor manager. If working with a client calmly validate them and tell them, you will call someone over to help and alert a floor manager. More info about some of the de-escalation tools we use can be found here: nonprofitsafetyhero.com/12-conflict

Please do not argue about enforcing anything with a customer on your own, but call over a floor manager.

  • Be mindful of your energy levels. We work in a small space with many people and if you feel yourself getting frustrated or escalated, please let your floor manager know you need a break and take care of yourself. If you have other stressors going on in your life, it can also affect your resiliency levels, and be good to notice that you may need to switch roles for the day.
  • Please respect client’s personal info and dignity while they shop with us. We ask that if you recognize someone shopping with us, here or out in the world, that you keep the knowledge of it private. Keep all personal information that you may see private.

If you are unable to do this, you will be asked to switch roles, meet with the volunteer manager for constructive training or leave volunteering in serious or repeated issues.

Volunteer Shopping Policy:

As we process donations for the community, we need to be sure we uphold equitable access to our resources. We also need to track where our donations go to report our work.

Volunteers are welcome to shop at the food bank, but must be done within the following rules:

  • Volunteers are allowed to hold a few donated items aside during their shifts. These items can be stored in crate storage in the walk-in cooler (pictured below). This is the ONLY place these items can be stored (no storage of items in lockers or in hiding spaces). Food stored elsewhere will be stocked onto shelves.
  • To take more than this and do a full shop you MUST do this at the end of your shift.

 

 To do a full shop:

  • Head to the front of the house to log your shop. You must log your shop either with the front of house or on the log shop clipboard near check-in (pictured below, ask a floor manager if you cannot find). Please shop within the limit guidelines that we ask of customers (family size, limits on items).

Stashing groceries and not following the food bank shopping policy will be corrected on the spot by floor managers, and you will be asked to put donations back. Repeated behavior will lead to a meeting with the volunteer manager.

Management of your volunteer schedule and portal:

If you are scheduling your shifts through our volunteer portal, please keep your online schedule up to date and accurate. You are amazingly important to keeping this food bank running. If you are on the schedule, we are expecting you and you will take the place of someone else who could sign up to volunteer! Common questions for managing your schedule can be found here:  https://udistrictfoodbank.galaxydigital.com/frequently-asked-questions-/

Attendance Policy:

For those scheduling shifts through the portal: We have a circle up at the beginning of every shift with information relevant set you up for success at the start of your shift. Please show up with enough time to settle in and attend these circle ups at the start of the shift.

It’s also important for us to have you log in/log out of your shifts when here.

Please unregister for any shifts you cannot make it to, and if you must call out of a shift you are registered for within 24 hours, please email volunteer@udistrictfoodbank.org, or call (206) 523-7060 Ext 705, so that we are sure to catch it! Please keep your schedule up to date.

If you have a shift that you have not logged in/out of for 3 or more times, (no-show) you will be removed from the schedule.

Reporting Feedback During Your Shift:

We strive to have an open channel of communication and feedback about your time volunteering with us. This helps us improve, and we welcome concerns or feedback. We also want to provide channels for reporting issues of violations of the code of conduct and the culture we are striving for.

We invite you to provide us with feedback at any time. There are a few ways you can do this.

Process for review of feedback:

We review these reports and take them through a review process with staff as received. We will deal with any serious issues and use your feedback as part of our planning process for the volunteer program and greater management of University District Food Bank. If you requested a follow up, we will go through the review process and update you how we proceeded with the feedback.