Each month we are spotlighting organizations that have received accreditation through the Standards of Excellence. This month, our spotlight is on Pictou County Food Bank East.
What inspired you to be an early accredited organization?
Our food bank was already in the process of implementing many of the criteria in the standards. We challenged ourselves to reach all standards by September.
Describe your approach to reaching accreditation.
One step at a time. Looking at the standards criteria, it can easily become overwhelming. We leveraged the provided Standards Tracker and worked our way through each section one line at a time.
What was your first step in the process?
Nobody likes to change, so communicating what and why around the standards and the pending changes to come was step 1. Once everyone was aware, we provided updates to both the board and volunteers. After all, if we wanted the standards to be implemented, we needed everyone on board.
Which standards were most manageable to meet? Why?
Governance and Food Safety were the most manageable. We were already revising our governance structure, so with a few tweaks, we were able to meet the standards criteria. Food Safety was also a manageable criterion as standards were already being met in most areas, and in the one area that did require adjustments, we were able to receive the Standards of Excellence Grant to implement.
What/which standards did you find daunting?
Insurances were the most daunting. Besides the never-ending questions and forms to fill out by the insurance companies, it was the financial spend that was difficult. Insurance is one of those must-haves that you tend not to see any benefits till you need it.
How did you overcome this?
Met with the insurance companies to understand the coverage and needs of our Foodbank. We also talked with other nonprofits to hear what coverage they had and why. Once we had the facts and understood the liabilities, we did not hesitate.
What surprised you through the process?
- Although there was lots of support and tools available and appreciated, a complete execution kit would make implementation more accessible. A kit that contained populated templates, etc., where Foodbanks could select what they needed and adjust to meet their specific needs.
- We can leverage several national vendor partnerships. One area of opportunity is to partner with an insurance company to leverage our scale and reduce our rates.
What advice would you offer to other organizations seeking accreditation?
Leverage what is already available and complete and adjust it to meet your specific foodbanks needs. We are more than willing to share what we have.
What value does reaching accreditation provide to your organization?
Provides us with a good foundation. From here, we can adjust and improve to meet and protect both our clients and volunteers’ needs.
To the food banking system?
The value is in consistency and alignment in the food we receive and provide, as well as how we operate the organization. This, in turn, will permit us to leverage and share best practices and learnings as a national group.