Volunteer Policies and Procedures

We appreciate your service to the Food Bank of Delaware and will do our utmost to ensure that your experience with us is rewarding, productive and safe.

Safety Policies and Procedures:

• No running, smoking, eating or drinking in the warehouse.
• Horseplay, climbing on the equipment, machinery or pallets is prohibited and may result in dismissal.
• All accidents and injuries must be reported immediately to the Volunteer Coordinator.
• Volunteers must wash their hands after handling food items and observe good housekeeping habits.
• Please report any safety hazards you see immediately to a staff member.
• Use proper lifting techniques: when lifting heavy objects, use your legs to push upwards, keep your back straight and your body balanced.  Don’t attempt to lift over 50 lbs without assistance.
• Only designated Food Bank staff may operate warehouse equipment (volunteers may use manual pallet jacks.)  Please stay out of the way of warehouse traffic.

Other Policies and Procedures:

• All volunteers must sign-in at the beginning of their shift and sign-out after completing their shift.
• No one under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol will be permitted to volunteer.
• Food and other products may not be consumed by staff or volunteers or removed from the warehouse.
• Sexual harassment, violence, harassing behavior, or offensive speech will not be tolerated.
• Volunteers are responsible for cleaning up their personal lunch area (outside picnic area, Bistro, or Cafe only.)
• Volunteers between the ages of 7 and 15 must be supervised by an adult at all times.  Children under the age of 7 are accepted only by special arrangement with the Volunteer Coordinator and must be supervised by an adult at all times.
• Proper clothing for work in the warehouse must be worn.

• Sneakers, work shoes or boots are required. No heels, open-toed shoes or sandals are permitted in the warehouse or Volunteer Room.
• Please leave purses, jewelry and other valuables at home or locked in your car.
• Necklaces and long earrings pose a safety concern in the warehouse.
• No headphones or cell phones are to be used in the warehouse
• The Food Bank of Delaware will not be responsible for any missing personal belongings.

Failure to comply with the above policies and procedures may result in serious injury or termination.

Volunteers who are doing hours for Community Service must keep their own time record!  Food Bank staff will not recreate your hours volunteered for you – you MUST keep your own time record.  For your convenience, we have timesheets available and a Food Bank representative will sign off on your hours worked each day.  We will not sign off on hours that have not been worked or hours that are scheduled for the future.

I understand that:

• The relationship between the Food Bank of Delaware and volunteers is an “at will” arrangement and may be terminated at any time without cause by either the volunteer or the Food Bank.
• My services are provided strictly on a volunteer basis, without pay or compensation of any kind, and without liability of any nature on behalf of the Food Bank of Delaware, all services to be performed at my own risk.
• In the course of volunteering with the Food Bank of Delaware, I may work with confidential information. I agree to keep such information in the strictest confidence.
• I must abide by the volunteer policies and procedures outlined on this application.
• Since public relations are an important aspect of volunteering at the Food Bank of Delaware, I allow the Food Bank of Delaware to use any photographs taken of me for use in the public relations office, including on displays, newsletters, and brochures.