Adopted by the Board of Directors: Month/Day/Year

CHILD AND YOUTH

ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM

THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

Adopted by the Board of Directors: Month/Day/Year

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CHILD AND YOUTH ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM

OFTHE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

Introduction

To help protect children, THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY has adopted the following Child and Youth Abuse Prevention Program. It is important that all THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY volunteers and paid staff understand and implement these guidelines to help prevent sexual, physical, verbal, mental, or emotional abuse against children. The following includes the Purpose and Definitions for these guidelines, the outlines of Protection and Prevention, and an Acknowledgement to be signed by those who may work with children.

Purpose

These procedures are designed to reduce the risk of child sexual, physical, verbal, mental, or emotional abuse in order to:

1. Provide a safe and secure environment for children, youth, adults, members, volunteers, visitors, and paid staff.

1. Assist THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY in evaluating a person's suitability to supervise, oversee, and/or exert control over the activities of children and youth.

1. Satisfy the concerns of parents and staff members by instituting a screening process for volunteers and paid staff.

1. Provide a system to respond to alleged victims of sexual, physical, verbal, mental, or emotional abuse and their families, as well as the alleged perpetrator.

1. Reduce the possibility of false accusations of sexual, physical, verbal, mental, or emotional abuse made against volunteers and paid staff.

Definitions

The following terms used herein and are defined as follows:

1. Children/Youth/Minor: Any person who has not reached his/her 18th birthday or the age of majority as defined by state law.

1. Adult: Any person who has reached his/her 18th birthday or as defined by state law.

1. Volunteer: Means any unpaid person engaged in or involved in activities and who is entrusted with the care and supervision of minors or a person who directly oversees and/or exerts control or oversight over minors or adults.

1. Paid Staff: Any person who has or is providing services for compensation to or for the HCFP and who is entrusted with the care and supervision of minors or a person who directly oversees and/or exerts control or oversight over minors or adults.

1. Sexual Abuse: The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any minor or adult to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct or any simulation of such conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct or rape, and in cases of caretaker or inter-familial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of minor or adult, or incest with a minor or adult, or as defined by federal and state law. This includes and is not limited to unwelcome sexual remarks, jokes, advances, leering, whistling, or sexual gestures; sexual touching, fondling, molestation, assault, or other intimate physical contact; compelling another person to engage in a sexual act by threats or fear or undue influence; and providing or displaying pornographic materials to another person.

1. Child Emotional Abuse: Verbal or nonverbal conduct including mental exploitation, degrading communication, or humiliating or threatening conduct that may or may not include bullying or as defined by state law.

Protection and Prevention

Volunteer and Paid Employee Screening Procedures

The following screening procedures are to be used with paid staff and volunteers who are entrusted with the care and supervision of minors or a person who directly oversees and/or exerts control or oversight over minors. All information collected shall be maintained in confidence.

1. Volunteer Application: Any volunteer who may work with a minor must complete the Hutto Community Food Pantry Volunteer Application. The release statement attached to the Application must be signed by the individual completing the Application in order to apply for and qualify for service.

Our Volunteer Application includes questionsregarding:

• Current address and contact information.
• Initialed agreement for volunteer procedures.
• Authorization for a criminal history background check.

Applications include a statement, which the applicant must acknowledge in writing, certifying that information provided in the application are true and complete, and any misrepresentation or omission may be grounds for rejection of the applicant. This statement authorizes THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY to contact any individual or organization listed in the application.

1. Conduct interviews with qualified applicants as necessary.

If information is uncovered that provides information of previous incidents, minor infractions, or other such actions that may have broken law, but the applicant remains desirable, discussion of this information with the applicantshall take place in and at a closed, confidential, and previously determined location and time. In the event the applicant is ultimately accepted as a volunteer, documentation will be kept with all personnel files noting the reasons for overriding the prior information.

Should a discussion need to take place with the applicant, no less than three Board of Directors of THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRYshallparticipate in the interview.

1. Criminal Background Check: THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY will conduct a criminal background check on all HCFP volunteers and paid staff who are entrusted with the care and supervision of minors or a person who may directly oversee and/or exert control or oversight over minors. All criminal background checks will be updated every three years. Background checks are performed through the Trusted Employees company, a recognized and trusted company through Church Mutual Insurance.

1. This document, “Called to be a Safe Place,” a child abuse prevention policy, adopted by the Board of Directors of the Hutto Community Food Pantry, is immediately being implemented in all Food Pantry related ministries and programs. All adults, those 18 years of age and older, must complete the necessary forms and background check authorization papers before they can volunteer. Forms are available at the front desk for reading and signing. The Personnel Committee of HLC oversees all background checks and files them away with the current HLC documentation in a safe and secure location

Confidentiality

Information obtained through the screening, application, interview, and criminal background check process will be kept in confidence, unless otherwise required by law. All information discovered or obtained through the abovereferenced means will be kept in a secure location, the vaulted, fire-proof safe of Hutto Lutheran Church, with Social Security numbers blacked out following the completion of background checks, and paperwork destroyed after 3 years and new paperwork filled out. Access to this information shall be restricted. These materials will be archived.

Supervision Procedures

The following changes and updates to the current model of the HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY, were instituted for immediate use and oversight of the program by the Board of Directors (DATE):

Effective immediately, every youth and child 15 years to 10 years of age that comes to the pantry to volunteer must be accompanied by one adult. (1 adult may not bring more than 1 minor child.) Children under 10 years of age are no longer allowed to volunteer in the Food Pantry, even with an adult/guardian present. The promotion of safety and security, for our families and individuals, clients, volunteers, and otherwise, is at the heart of this change.

Children that volunteer at HCFP safe, shall be monitored by their parent/guardian. With the number of clients passing through the pantry each Saturday, HCFP can’t risk any child being injured. Children under 13 will not be allowed to escort clients through the shopping experience. There are many responsibilities that come with taking the clients through the pantry and the HCFP cannot place that responsibility on the children under 13 years of age.

All volunteers should use Signup Genius to volunteer. This will allow you to see when help is most needed. It will also help us to know if we have enough volunteers any given Saturday or if we need to start making some phone calls.

In addition to the above age requirements for volunteering, the following points are also made:

1. HCFP will have adequate number of screened and trained volunteers, including members of the Board of Directors, at every day of distribution that might involve minors. Supervision will increase in proportion to the risk of the activity.

1. HCFP volunteers and paid staff shall monitor facilities during activities involving children.

1. HCFP paid staff shall screen all volunteers and approve those individuals in advance for any and all work and for the HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY.

1. HCFP volunteers and paid staff shall avoid all inappropriate touching with minors. All touching shall be based on the needs of the individual being touched, not on the needs of the volunteer or paid staff. In the event a minor initiates physical contact and/or inappropriate touching, it is appropriate to inform the minor that such touching is inappropriate.

1. HCFP volunteers and paid staff shall never engage in physical discipline of a minor. Volunteers shall not abuse minors in any way, including but not limited to physical abuse, verbal/mental abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse of any kind.

1. If you as a HCFP volunteer or paid staff recognize an inappropriate relationship, as previously described in the above definitions, developing between a minor and adult, maintain clear professional boundaries and refer the minor to another individual with HCFP supervisory authority.

1. HCFP volunteers and paid staff who observes abuse of a minor shall take the appropriate steps to immediately intervene. For example: talk to the adult to take their attention off the child, distract the child-if misbehaving-by talking to the child, look for chances to praise the parent or child, help a child who is in danger by bringing another adult with you and staying with them until help arrives if they are alone, and avoid saying anything critical or giving negative looks because that is likely to increase the parent’s anger and could make matters worse, and provide assistance. ( Report any inappropriate conduct to the proper authorities, i.e. the Hutto Police Department, Department of Family and Protective Services 1-800-252-5400, and officials of THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY for handling.

Disqualification

No person shall be entrusted with the care and supervision of minors or may directly oversee and/or exert control or oversight over minors who has been convicted of the offenses outlined below, been on a probated sentence or received deferred adjudication for any offense outlined below, or has presently pending any criminal charges for any offense outlined below until a determination of guilt or innocence has been made, including any person who is presently on deferred adjudication. The following offenses disqualify a person from care, supervision, control, or oversight of minors:

1. Any offense against minors as defined by state law.

1. A misdemeanor or felony offense as defined by state law that is classified as sexual assault, indecency with a minor or adult, assault of a minor or adult, injury to a minor or adult, abandoning or endangering a minor, sexual performance with a minor or adult, possession or promoting child pornography, enticing a minor, bigamy, incest, drugrelated offenses, or family violence.

1. A prior criminal history of an offense against minors.

Sexual Offender at THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY will not allow a person known to be a sexual offender to remain or become a volunteer at the HCFP.

Response to Sexual Abuse

THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRYshall respond promptly to and investigate any accusation of sexual abuse. All accusations of sexual abuse will be taken seriously and documented in writing. It is important to be appropriately respectful to the needs and feelings of those who allege sexual abuse and those who have been accused of sexual abuse.

When an allegation is made involving sexual abuse, the person reporting the complaint shall be informed by an HCFP Board of Directors member or staff member about the HCFP guidelines and the procedures to be followed. The Executive Director of the Hutto Community Food Pantry and the Vice-President of the Hutto Lutheran Congregation Council (until such a time as the HCFP is held under the 501 c 3 status of another organization or on its own) or an appointed person shall begin investigating the allegations and may use the assistance of legal counsel or other consultants. If Executive Director of the Hutto Community Food Pantry and the Vice-President of the Hutto Lutheran Congregation Council (until such a time with the HCFP is held under the 501 c 3 status of another organization or on its own) is the individual suspected of sexual abuse, then the On-Site and Off-Site Coordinators and the President of the Hutto Lutheran Congregation Council (until such a time with the HCFP is held under the 501 c 3 status of another organization or on its own) will conduct the investigation. The investigation will be conducted as follows:

1.Without delay, report the incident to appropriate authorities in accordance with the state mandatory reporting laws.

2.Report the matter to THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY's insurance carrier.

3.Cooperate with authorities and the insurance carrier.

4.THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRYshall suspend the alleged offender while a confidential investigation is being conducted.

5.An official of THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY (and legal counsel or other consultants) shall meet with the governing body of THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY and present a written report on their investigation, which may include findings and recommendations of actions.

6.Cooperate with criminal and civil legal counsel of THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY.

7.Hire a consultant or assign a spokesperson to respond to media or prepare a statement for the media if the need shall arise, subject to the approval of THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY's attorney.

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Child and Youth Abuse Prevention Program

Acknowledgment

These guidelines have been designed to guide and assist you when working with minors. The information establishes general practices and guidelines and should not be construed in any way as a contract of employment or continued employment. THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY reserves the right to make changes in the content or application of this program and to implement those changes with or without notice.

The terms defined herein are for the purposes of the program and do not support or establish a legal relationship. These terms are not defined for the purposes of creating a legal relationship with the THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY or any related or associated entity and instead are to be used with this document.

I have received a copy of the THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY's Child and Youth Abuse Prevention Program. I understand it is my responsibility to become familiar with and adhere to the information contained herein. I understand that these policies are the property of the THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY.

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Print Name

______

Signature

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Date

Hutto Community Food Pantry

Volunteer Application

Date of Application ______
Birthdate(MM/DD/YYYY) ______Age______
Last name ______First Name______
Address______
City/State/Zip ______
Phone # ______Home ______Cell
Email ______@______
Contact Preference – Circle ALL that apply
(Email) (Phone) (Text) (Snail Mail)
Emergency Contact Info: ______
Speaks Spanish ______(check if applies)
AGREEMENT – Please read the guidelines below before continuing.
I______have read and initialed the volunteer rules and guidelines below will do my very best to carry out my role within the guidelines. I have completed the application as accurately as possible and desire to be a volunteer with Hutto Community Food Pantry.
1. I will wear closed-toe shoes for safety reasons. _____
2. I will submit to authority appointed over me. _____
3. I will dress appropriately (clothing that is not too tight, too short or too revealing) and wear a HCFP Volunteer apron at all times. _____
4. I will be courteous to other volunteers and clients; trying to treat them better than myself. _____
5. I will be a team player and not insist on my way only. _____
6. I will distribute authorized items only and not take anything without permission. _____
7. I will speak in a pleasant tone of voice and not use profanity. _____
8. I will not smoke in or near the building. _____
9. I will respect the privacy of client’s personal information. _____
10. I will respect the privacy of staff and board members. _____
11. I will treat all clients and fellow volunteers with the utmost respect and dignity. _____
12. I will assist any client in need of assistance, to the best of my ability and knowledge. _____
13. I will leave my cellphone at the front desk or in my vehicle during the time that I am volunteering. If I need to make a call, I will step outside to do so. ______
14. I have read and will respect the Mission Statement. _____

Youth Volunteers – All volunteers under the age of 16 must have a parent/guardian present during their time as a volunteer.
THANK YOU

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SignatureDate

AUTHORIZATION AND REQUEST FOR CRIMINAL RECORDS VERIFICATION AND FINGERPRINT INFORMATION

I, ______, hereby authorize THE HUTTO COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY BOARD OF DIRECTORS to obtain and/or request information about my criminal history and fingerprints from any entity chosen specifically for conducting this search, to release information regarding any record of charges or convictions contained in its files, or in any criminal file maintained on me, whether said file is a local, state, or national file, and including but not limited to accusations and convictions for crimes committed against minors, to the fullest extent permitted by city, county, state, and federal law. I do release said entities from all liability that may result from any such disclosure made in response to this request. I may revoke this request at any time, but that revocation must be in writing and give 30 days' notice of same.