We are here to help

It is in the interest of all parties that complaints are dealt with promptly and resolved as quickly as possible. Here are our guiding principles:

Review of complaints is fair, impartial and respectful to all parties.

You will be advised of your option to escalate your complaint to the 7 Hills Community Pantry Board members or the Food Banks Canada Customer Experience Hotline if you are not happy with treatment or outcome.

You will be provided clear and understandable reasons for decisions relating to complaints.

You will be updated about the complaint resolution as we receive information. When we know, you’ll know.

While no one likes a complaint, we do value them. Complaints are used to assist in improving services, policies and procedures.

What constitutes a Complaint?

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about the service, actions, or lack of action by the 7 Hills Community Food Pantry of Trent Hills as an organization or a volunteer acting on behalf of the Food Pantry.

Here are some examples:

Perceived failure to do something agreed upon;

Failure to observe policy or procedures;

Error made by a volunteer; or

Unfair or discourteous actions/statements by a volunteer.

Anyone personally affected can complain and their complaint will be reviewed in accordance with this procedure.

Procedures

Complaint Receipt and Handling

A complaint may be received verbally (by phone or in person) or in writing (by mail, email). A volunteer who receives a complaint will determine the proper person to handle it. This will generally be the person who has the primary relationship with the complainant or has the specific knowledge that is needed to resolve the problem. It is the responsibility of the person who receives the complaint to either resolve it or transfer it to another person who can resolve it. If the complaint is transferred, the recipient must acknowledge that he/she has received it and will act on it.

The person who initially receives the complaint should acknowledge to the complainant that the complaint has been received and will be acted on either by him/herself or another volunteer. If a timeframe for action can be determined, that should be included in the acknowledgement. Basic contact information including name, phone number and email address should immediately be recorded.

Resolving the Complaint

Every effort will be made to resolve complaints received in a timely fashion. When receiving a verbal complaint, volunteers will attempt to resolve it immediately. Complaints received in writing will be acknowledged within 2 business days and we will attempt to resolve the matter within 10 business days.

Where a complaint cannot be easily resolved, it should be escalated to the relevant Board Member. If they cannot resolve the complaint, it will be escalated to the Chair of the Board of Directors. Complainants will be kept informed of the status of their complaint. The Food Bank will make every attempt to resolve escalated complaints within an additional 10 business days so that all complaints are resolved within a month of having been received.

Documenting the Complaint

The Food Bank will keep a record of information on all complaints received. Information includes a description of the complaint, the person who handled it, what was done to resolve the complaint, timeframe, and a description of the resolution and any follow up required.

A summary of the complaints is provided annually to the Board of Directors for their awareness of the nature and number of complaints received by the 7 Hills Community Food Pantry of Trent Hills Region.

If you do not feel like your complaint or concern was handled appropriately, you may also contact the Food Banks Canada Customer Experience Hotline.

To share a concern or complaint please contact the

Food Banks Canada’s Customer Experience Hotline at 1.877. 280.0329

or complaints@foodbankscanada.ca.