CODE OF CONDUCT

Centre Street Food Pantry (CSFP) strives to treat everyone with kindness and dignity. We are an inclusive community that welcomes the diverse experiences, perspectives and cultural backgrounds that each volunteer, staff member or client brings to our agency. We hope that everyone feels respected, valued and empowered to practice our values and code of conduct within our community.

Please:

  1. Treat all individuals respectfully and equitably.

  2. Greet others in a welcoming manner.

  3. Respect personal space boundaries and ask permission if there is a need to make physical contact or work closely with another person.

  4. Maintain the confidentiality of any client or volunteer’s personal information shared in any form.

Please refrain from:

  • Expressions of political viewpoints.

  • Use of profanity in language or gestures.

  • Hate speech, harassment, aggressive and/or threatening behavior.

  • Smoking, vaping, or volunteering while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

If code of conduct violations or concerns arise, they should be reported promptly to a staff member.

Centre Street Food Pantry does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.

We appreciate feedback to continually improve our services and ensure inclusivity in all aspects of our operations.

DRESS CODE

Please wear:

  • Shoes that are closed in front and suitable for the weather conditions.

  • Casual or athletic pants, shorts and shirts.

  • Clothes appropriate for the weather that allow you to move and work with ease.

Please do not wear:

  • Sandals or flip flops.

  • Low cut or mesh shirts, tube or skinny strap tops, or pajamas.

  • Any article of clothing that includes logos, images or slogans that promote violence, hate speech, political viewpoints or contain vulgar or inappropriate language or images.

  • Earbuds or headphones.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1. Take care of yourself.

Please bring what you need to be successful when you are volunteering. That might include reading or sun glasses, gloves, sunscreen, a hat, beverage or a snack. We always have bottled water and snacks available!

Volunteering can be tiring work, so please take a break whenever you need one.

We follow state guidelines for requirements to wear a mask or other face covering. You may wear a mask or ask us for a disposable one. We have disposable gloves and hand sanitizer if you wish to use them.

2. Sensitivity and Discretion 

If you wish to begin a conversation or someone approaches you and you do not recognize them as a volunteer or staff member, you may ask “How can I help you?” perhaps followed by,  “I will find someone to help you.”

Refrain from commenting about what you see when you are volunteering, such as the make of someone’s car, family size, clothing, or the amount of food they need. We serve anyone who asks for assistance. We try not to make assumptions or judgments about people based on their appearance. 

To protect the privacy of others, and for personal safety reasons, we ask that you do not take photographs or videos of anyone, or their vehicles, while you are volunteering. Please do not pose for photographs of yourself or with your friends during your volunteer shift.

Please do not use your cell phone while you are volunteering. If you need to do so, please inform a staff member or another volunteer, step aside from your role and take the call quickly and in a private area, if possible.

3. Flexibility and Patience

Please be flexible as our needs sometimes change before you start your shift or even during your shift for any number of reasons. If you are asked to do something different than you expected, you may decline but we hope you will agree to try something new!

Try to be considerate and patient with our staff and volunteers. They are often multi-tasking but do want you to feel welcome and contribute to have a positive volunteer experience.