Purpose:

To ensure that clients, participants, stake holders, volunteers, staff and general public have a process to make a complaint to the Colchester Food Network.

Colchester Food Network is committed to providing support with dignity and respect services to address food insecurity. We recognize that from time to time there may be inquiries, concerns or complaints and we believe that our stakeholders have the right to tell us about them.

Policy:

• A complaint may be received verbally (by phone or in person) or in writing (by using the mail, or email).
• If a volunteer who receives a complaint will forward the complaint to the Client Services Coordinator or staff in charge of volunteers for the day.
•  It is the responsibility of the staff who receives the complaint to either resolve or forward to the Executive Director.
•  When receiving a verbal complaint, staff should listen and seek to understand the complaint, and may attempt to resolve it immediately or escalate to the Executive Director.
• Complaints received in writing should be acknowledged within 2 business days and Executive Director should attempt to resolve the matter within 10 business days in writing.
• Where a complaint cannot be easily resolved, it should be forwarded to the Human Resource Committee.
• Complainants should be kept informed of the status of their complaint.
• Every attempt should be made to resolve escalated complaints within an additional 10 business days so that all complaints are resolved within a month of having been received.
• For unresolved complaints, please contact the Food Banks Canada’s Customer Experience Hotline at 1.877.280.0329 or complaints@foodbankscanada.ca.