Waunakee Neighborhood Connection

2009-2010 WNC Policies & Procedures

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Waunakee Neighborhood Connection (WNC) Mission:  To help improve and create a difference in the lives of our Greater Waunakee Area Neighbors by making connections to distribute resources to those in need in a manner which blesses and enhances our entire community.

To ensure we are able to accomplish this mission and serve all of you with respect, fairness, compassion, kindness, and confidentially, the following policies and procedures are in place, and need to be followed by all clients.

1) Residency
To receive services from WNC, clients must live in the Waunakee School District, which includes the surrounding communities of Westport, Dane, Springfield, Vienna and Windsor. From time to time, clients may be asked to provide proof of residency.

2) Frequency of Store Visits
Please limit your visits to the Store for the purposes of shopping to one visit per month. This ensures that every client has plenty of items to choose from every time they visit. It also ensures we have enough volunteers available to serve you during your visit.

3) Shop During Client Shopping Days Only
You can only shop for items at the store on specific “Client Shopping Days”. During the school year, client shopping days are typically, the first Monday evening (5-7pm), the third Wednesday (10am-1pm), and the last Monday (8am-Noon). However, these change due to holidays, school closing, and volunteer scheduling. Please read your calendar in your client newsletter (received every 2-3 months) or visit our website (listed below) to find shopping days for the current month. All client shopping days are marked in yellow on the calendar. Please do NOT come to shop on volunteer days.

4) Parking at Store
We need to keep parking close to the store reserved for our elderly and disabled clients. When coming to shop at the Store, please park at the east end of the building, nearest the child care center. You may drop-off family members, who need assistance at the door before parking. You may also pull back up next to the store when loading larger items from the store.
There are no exceptions. If not followed, you will be asked to move your vehicle.

5) Check-in At Every Store Visit
When you get to the store to shop, you must check-in with the volunteer at the desk so that they can update your information (below), and get you the appropriate store forms for shopping. Please remind the person checking you in if it is your birthday month. Even if there is a line, please wait your turn instead of starting to shop.

6) Keeping Information Current
It is critical that you keep your information current with WNC at all times. This ensures that we are able to operate effectively when trying to serve you. Please ensure that you update the following information as it changes and take time at check-in while shopping to verify the information we have for you is still accurate, this includes:

a. Contact Information - without accurate addresses, phone numbers and/or email addresses, we are unable to ensure we will be able to help you when you need it. Please contact us whenever this information changes.
b. Needs List - each month please review the list of special items you need that weren’t at the Store at the time of your visit (called your needs list). If you have already received the item, or no longer need it, please contact us or update your “needs list” at the Store. This is important because we work diligently with our donors to find the items on your needs list. It causes us extra work when you don’t keep your needs list updated.
c. Birth dates- we use the birth dates you provided for you and your family members to verify your eligibility to receive a birthday gift at a specific Store visit, and to send birthday cards. Please ensure we have accurate family information including each member’s date of birth.
d. Number of Children in Diapers - please let us know if you have more children, or your children no longer need diapers, so that we can ensure that we have diapers for everyone when you need them.

7) Limited Quantity Items
We will be returning to giving laundry soap and toiletries every other month only (i.e. August is Laundry Soap and September is Toiletries). You will no longer be able to get these items on months we are not giving it out, even if you were unable to come to the store the previous month. We will no longer be using punch cards (as in 2008); however we will be tracking your use of these limited quantity items via our client database. Please note the quantities you are limited to below. Remember that you must be at the store during the month they are given out. You cannot store up a credit or receive quantities for months missed. If you do miss a month, please note that the Waunakee Food Pantry also distributes these items monthly.

a. Toiletries - 1 item (ex: toilet paper, tooth paste, soap, shampoo) 6 times a year
b. Laundry Soap - 1 container 6 times a year
c. Diapers - 1 package per child per month - based on # of children in diapers living in your household at time of registration. When the number of children in diapers changes in your family, please provide updated information at the Store so appropriate quantities can be provided to you. You cannot receive diapers for children not living in your household (i.e. grandchildren who come to visit, etc.).
d. Bedding - 1 comforter/3 sheet sets per year per family.

8) Birthday Gifts
During the month of your or your family member’s birthday, stop by the Store to pick a birthday present from our supply of new donated items. Your birthday gift can only be picked up during your birthday month so be sure to watch the calendar for open Store hours that month.

9) Taking Items for Your Household Only
When shopping, please only take items for members of your household. If you have family or friends in need in the Waunakee area that are not in your household, please have them come in and register to get the items they need. This ensures that all clients get an opportunity to shop.

10) No Reselling or Redistribution of Items
Under no circumstance is reselling or redistribution of items received from WNC allowed. This is unfair to those who really need the items that you took and discourages our donors from continuing to help us. Anyone found abusing this policy will be immediately banned from using any WNC services.

11) Client Needs List Registration & Pickup
We maintain a client needs list (previously called wish list) for you, for items you need that are not at the store such as furniture or appliances. Please ensure your needs list is updated every time you check-in the store, and put any new needs on the back of your store form.

When WNC volunteers contact you about receiving an item from your needs list, please pick up your item at the store within two weeks of contact. You can pick-up your item during any open store hours, but may only do additional shopping during shopping days (currently held three times a month). If we do not hear from you within two weeks of us contacting you, we will pass the item along to the next person on the list or put it in the store for general shopping.

12) Checking-Out at the Store
The following things will be done at the end of your shopping visit each month.

a) Provide the volunteer with your store form and they will give your laundry soap or toiletry(ies) and diapers to you.
b) Remind the volunteer if it is your birthday this month and collect your gift.
c) Provide your store form to the volunteer at the desk who will review your form to make sure that we can read your needs list items, that you understood the form and found a place to mark all of your items, and finally that you provided us quantities of the items you took.

Please do not try to hide items, or skip out on filling quantities. We are NOT using this information to monitor you. This information is only seen by our data entry volunteer, and then is used without names to provide important statistics for donors and when we apply for grants to get funding to keep WNC going. We know this feels like “extra paperwork” and that you do not see the benefit directly, but let us assure you that for WNC to continue to serve you, we need your help in this area to get the funding we need to stay open.

13) Kindness & Courtesy at the Store
While at the Store, please treat everyone with kindness and respect. Also, please help us keep the aisles clean and easy to walk through, something especially critical for our elderly and handicapped clients. If your children want to play with the toys when they come, that is fine. However, we ask that you help your children pick up after themselves before you leave the store.

14) Volunteering Encouraged
Although we currently do not require you to volunteer in exchange for our services, we strongly encourage you and your family to spend some time volunteering for WNC throughout the year.

15) Client Newsletters & Email Addresses
The client newsletter is sent out every 2-3 months and contains critical information on changes to these policies, upcoming special programs, and current calendars. It is important that you take the time to read the entire newsletter each time it comes out to ensure you don’t miss out on important information, registration deadlines or program opportunities.

Starting this year, all clients who have email addresses will receive their newsletters via email only. This is to help in reducing printing and mailing costs. If you do not have an email address and would like to get one free, there are numerous free email provides such as yahoo, gmail, and others. You can also use the computers at the Waunakee Library to access the Internet.

We also use the client email list to notify clients of any special items that we receive.

16) Contacting Us and Respect of Volunteers
All of our volunteers love to serve and help you. In addition to volunteering at WNC, they need time for their own families, work and lives. We ask that you please recognize and respect their private time at home. Please do not use any personal email address or phone number you may have for WNC volunteers.

To contact us, please email us at info@waunakeenc.com or call us at (608) 849-5740. The WNC phone is located at the store and has voice mail capabilities. We promise to respond to your questions and requests as soon as we can. If you have general questions, such as Store hours, before you contact us, please review the store calendar in your current newsletter or can be found here on our website. 

If you are in need of services WNC does not provide, please use the WNC Resources Directory to find and reach the appropriate community, county or state service. If you have an emergency need for services, please dial 2-1-1 to reach the United Way Contact Program. The 2-1-1 operators have emergency contact information for many organizations including WNC.

We appreciate your cooperation in following these policies and procedures. Doing so will ensure that WNC is providing you and our community with the best possible service for years to come.

Waunakee Neighborhood Connection Board of Directors