Always be prepared to compromise - Running a foodbank

A difficult part of running a foodbank and managing volunteers is to not be bound by rules or structures.  As a foodbank in the Trussell Trust network we are obliged to provide a minimum level of quality service to our clients.  We are also instructed to follow volunteer and stock processes provided to us in the operating manual and by Trussell staff.  However in practice it is not always possible to do everything by the book.

This is particularly true when encountering clients who come through our doors.  It is important to not pre-judge anyone who comes to our foodbank and everyone should be given the benefit of the doubt.  So if there is something wrong with the voucher they provided or they are collecting on behalf of someone else it is important to not turn them away on technicalities.  A rule is that if someone comes through the door with a food voucher they are provided with a food parcel.  Issues with the voucher or the person should then be dealt through the referral agency they receieved the voucher from.  We at the foodbank are volunteers and not trained frontline care professionals.  We are therefore not in any position to assess or make judgements of clients.  This is why the voucher system is so important.  But as with all systems it will not always work perfectly every time.

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