Purchases and Receipts
The purpose of this memo is to provide guidelines related to purchases
during events for the Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) of the
Salvation Army in Denver. Like most large organizations, the
Salvation Army has paperwork requirements and other rules related to
spending money.
In most cases, EDS members will be purchasing fuel, food, or ice.
Most purchases are for relatively small amounts of money, in the $10 to
$50 range. Gasoline and equipment purchases over $100 should
receive prior approval. For food and ice, the limit is $250
before needing prior approval. Purchases of personal drinks and snacks
are not reimbursable. If you file for reimbursement for a
restaurant meal, be prepared to explain why you did not eat from the
canteen. In some cases, if you are out of town and it is
impractical to return, or road conditions are hazardous, you may
receive reimbursement for inexpensive motel rooms or meals, ask first
if possible.
For the Wright Express gasoline cards, scan the vehicle specific card
at the pump. Inside the plastic card pouch is a fold out that shows
logos for places it is valid. Each card applies only to the
vehicle stamped on the card, and cannot be used on other vehicles.
The pump will ask for a driver ID number, use the number provided. It
will prompt the user for the odometer reading of that
specific vehicle.
When finished pumping fuel no receipt needs to be printed or turned
into me. We get a monthly print out that shows each vehicle
and purchases.
The Salvation Army has food vouchers that can be used at area Safeway
stores to purchase food, ice, and other needed items. Vouchers
have three copies, original (top), yellow and pink. When a
purchase is made we keep the pink copy and vendor keeps top two and
original receipt. Store may give us a duplicate register receipt.
If the store attempts to give you the original register receipt the
clerk or manager needs to be instructed that we can't pay the bill if
they don't submit the original receipt with their statement.
Duplicate receipt is not needed but may be helpful. Keep a copy of the
voucher and return the voucher and receipt to the head of EDS (Mike
Gelski).
Our food generally comes from US foods. Purchases from US foods
need to be processed through Mike Gelski or Jack Casados, head cook at
the Champa St. location. In most cases we have adequate food available
from the EDS warehouse or the adjacent Salvation Army warehouse.
Sometimes volunteers elect to purchase items such as ice from their own
pocket. If the volunteer wishes to be reimbursed for these
purchases, keep the receipt and give it to the head of EDS (Mike
Gelski). Reasonable expenses will be reimbursed by check, but it
will take some time.
Michael Gelski
January 31, 2009