5.5. Food Vouchers

POLICY

The only time a food voucher is issued is for new Grants, and only under emergency circumstances where there is no other community resources available and we cannot get a cheque to the client today (i.e. it is 4pm on a Friday afternoon and the Mother with two children lives in Shining Tree). Please refer your clients to local food banks and charities within your area first. Once a client has been granted and is in receipt of his/her entitlement, food vouchers should not be given.

If an ongoing OW client runs out of food before the end of the month, direct them to local charities and food banks within your area. Do not issue a food voucher with the intent of posting them, or decreasing the amount from their next entitlement. It is the responsibility of the client to manage their monthly entitlement, not Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB’s. 

PROCEDURE

1. Where possible, a purchase order will be requested and given to client. 
    
2. If a purchase order is not possible, the Ontario Works Supervisor will call the merchant and approve a food voucher over the telephone, paying via credit card. 
    
3. The voucher will be on the prescribed DSB Purchase Order form or verbally over the telephone to the merchant.
    
4. The amount of the voucher will be noted in Social Assistance Computer System.
    
5. The amount of any voucher is a type of financial assistance and must be deducted from the applicant/participant’s next OW cheque or DBD.