Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Beacon of Compassion ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website www.beaconofcompassion.org (the "Site") or interact with us through other channels.

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting personally identifiable information you may provide us through the Site. We have adopted this Privacy Policy to explain what information may be collected on our Site, how we use this information, and under what circumstances we may disclose the information to third parties.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Make a donation: Name, email address, phone number, billing address, payment information
• Register as a volunteer: Contact information, skills, availability, background information
• Sign up for newsletters: Email address, name, preferences
• Contact us: Name, email address, message content
• Participate in surveys: Responses, feedback, demographic information
• Apply for programs: Personal information, financial information, supporting documents

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our Site, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing activities:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Usage Information: Pages visited, time spent, referring website, search terms
• Location Information: General geographic location based on IP address

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties, including:

• Payment processors (PayPal, Stripe, etc.)
• Social media platforms
• Partner organizations
• Fundraising platforms

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:

3.1 Primary Uses

• Process donations: To accept and process your charitable contributions
• Provide receipts: To issue tax-deductible donation receipts
• Communicate: To send updates about our work, impact reports, and newsletters
• Manage volunteers: To coordinate volunteer activities and communicate opportunities
• Improve services: To enhance our programs and website functionality
• Comply with laws: To meet legal and regulatory requirements

3.2 Marketing Communications

With your consent, we may use your information to:

• Send promotional materials about our campaigns and events
• Share success stories and impact reports
• Invite you to fundraising events
• Request support for specific initiatives

You can opt-out of marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in our emails or contacting us directly.

3.3 Legal Basis for Processing

We process your information based on:

• Consent: When you explicitly agree to our use of your information
• Contract: To fulfill our obligations to you (processing donations)
• Legal obligation: To comply with applicable laws and regulations
• Legitimate interests: To operate our organization effectively while respecting your rights

4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in:

• Payment processing
• Email marketing services
• Website hosting and analytics
• Database management
• Event registration

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and only use it for specified purposes.

4.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to:

• Court orders or legal processes
• Government requests
• To protect our rights, property, or safety
• To prevent fraud or illegal activities

4.3 Organizational Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or reorganization, your information may be transferred as part of the transaction. We will notify you of any such change and outline your choices.

4.4 Anonymized Data

We may share aggregated, anonymized data that does not identify any individual for research, reporting, or promotional purposes.

5. Data Protection & Security

5.1 Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including:

• SSL encryption for data transmission
• Secure servers with firewalls
• Regular security assessments
• Access controls and authentication
• Employee training on data protection

5.2 Data Retention

We retain your information only for as long as necessary to:

• Fulfill the purposes for which it was collected
• Comply with legal obligations (typically 7 years for financial records)
• Resolve disputes
• Enforce our agreements

5.3 Data Breach Procedures

In the event of a data breach, we will:

• Investigate immediately and take corrective action
• Notify affected individuals as required by law
• Report to appropriate authorities
• Implement measures to prevent recurrence

6. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

6.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit websites. We use cookies to:

• Remember your preferences
• Analyze website traffic
• Improve user experience
• Enable certain features

6.2 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for the website to function
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our Site
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
• Marketing Cookies: Track effectiveness of our outreach

6.3 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality. Most browsers allow you to:

• View cookies stored on your device
• Delete specific or all cookies
• Block cookies from specific sites
• Set preferences for different types of cookies

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

7.1 Access & Correction

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your information (subject to legal requirements)
• Obtain a copy of your data in a portable format

7.2 Opt-Out Rights

You may:

• Opt-out of marketing communications
• Withdraw consent for data processing
• Object to certain types of processing
• Request restriction of processing

7.3 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 12. We will respond within 30 days and may request additional information to verify your identity.

8. Children's Privacy

Our Site is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

For children's programs and services, we collect information only with parental consent and in compliance with applicable laws such as COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act).

9. Third-Party Websites

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites. This Privacy Policy applies only to our Site. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any websites you visit.

10. International Data Transfers

Beacon of Compassion is based in the United States. If you are located outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to and processed in the U.S. By using our Site, you consent to this transfer.

We take appropriate measures to ensure that your information receives adequate protection in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable laws.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of significant changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our Site
• Updating the "Last Updated" date
• Sending email notifications for major changes

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy regularly to stay informed about how we protect your information.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Complaints

If you have concerns about our data practices, you may also contact:

• Your local data protection authority
• Federal Trade Commission (for U.S. residents)