Gleaners Food Bank is committed to excellence in serving all stakeholders (organizations it works with, donors, and volunteers) including people with disabilities.

At Gleaners Food Bank we strive to provide services and resources in a way that respects the dignity and independence of all members of our community at all times. We also commit to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our services and resources and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place, and in a similar way as other users.

This plan complies with applicable legislative requirements regarding accessibility including meeting the Ontario Regulation for Accessibility Standards for Customer Service. Gleaners Food Bank commits to include accessibility in our planning processes.

Assistive Devices - We will ensure that our staff is trained and familiar with various assistive devices, (that are on site or provided) that may be used by stakeholders with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

Communication - We will communicate with people in ways that take into account their disability. We offer a number of methods of communication which will promptly be provided to our stakeholders as requested.

Please feel free to ask us if there is a specific communication method you require and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Service Animals - We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals.

Support Persons - A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.

Notice of Temporary Disruption - In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to our business operations, we will make alternative arrangements where possible notifying anyone who it might affect.

Training - Gleaners Food Bank will provide training to employees, volunteers and others who work with our stakeholders. Training will include:

• An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
• Gleaners Food Bank’s plan related to the customer service standard
• How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
• How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
• How to use any equipment available on-site or otherwise that may help with providing goods or services to people with disabilities
• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Gleaners Food Bank’s information/meetings

Staff will also be provided with updated training when changes are made to Gleaners Food Bank’s accessible service plan.

Notice of Availability - Gleaners Food Bank will ensure that information in this accessibility plan is available upon request and on its website.

Provide accessible invoices and receipts - Gleaners Food Bank will ensure to answer questions donors may have about the content of the invoices, tax receipts and business receipts in person, or by telephone, or e-mail.

Any policy of Gleaners Food Bank that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Questions or Feedback - Those who wish to provide feedback on the way Gleaners Food Bank conducts its work with people with disabilities can be made:

• By e-mail: info@gleanersfoodbank.ca
• By telephone: 613-962-9043
• By mail:
  Gleaners Food Bank
  25 Wallbridge Crescent,
  Belleville, Ontario K8N 1Z3

Alternative methods of communication, including meeting in person, are also available on request.

All feedback, including complaints, will be handled within 5 business days by the appropriate staff person depending on the nature of the feedback. Please see Gleaners Food Bank’s complaints policy for more information on our response to complaints that we receive. If you would like to be contacted regarding your feedback, please include your name and contact information. We will do our best to respond to you as promptly as possible.