HopeWorks' Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide, including:

• Name
• Mailing address
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Donation amount and giving preferences
• Volunteer interests, availability, skills, and related information
• Church, employer, school, or organization affiliation
• Event registration information
• Requests for prayer, assistance, or information
• Household, eligibility, homeownership, or service-request information
• Photographs, documents, or other information you choose to submit
• Communications sent to HopeWorks

When you make an online donation, payment information is processed securely by third-party payment processors. HopeWorks does not intentionally receive or store your full credit card or bank account number.

2. Information Collected Automatically

Our website hosting service uses operational cookies to deliver the website and protect it from automated traffic. Requests to the website and external resources include technical information such as your Internet Protocol address and browser information.

The website does not currently include a HopeWorks-installed visitor analytics or advertising tracker. Linked forms, donation pages, and other outside websites may use their own cookies and technologies under their own privacy policies.

If you use the accessibility controls on this website, your display preferences are stored only in your own browser and are not sent to HopeWorks.

You may limit or disable cookies through your browser settings. Some website features may not function properly when cookies are disabled.

3. How We Use Information

HopeWorks may use personal information to:

• Process and acknowledge donations
• Issue donation receipts
• Maintain donor and contribution records
• Manage recurring gifts
• Respond to requests for assistance or information
• Assess eligibility for HopeWorks programs
• Coordinate home repairs and other services
• Recruit, screen, communicate with, and schedule volunteers
• Manage church, business, contractor, and community partnerships
• Register participants for events and programs
• Send newsletters, ministry updates, appeals, and other communications
• Maintain accurate organizational records
• Conduct program evaluation and impact reporting
• Protect the safety of clients, volunteers, staff, and visitors
• Prevent fraud, misuse, or security threats
• Comply with legal, accounting, reporting, and regulatory obligations

We may use aggregated or de-identified information for evaluation, reporting, grant applications, fundraising, and organizational planning. This information will not identify a specific individual.

4. Donor Privacy

HopeWorks values the trust of every donor.

We do not sell, rent, or trade donor names, addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers, giving history, or other personal information for marketing purposes.

Donor information may be shared only with employees, authorized representatives, professional advisers, and service providers who need the information to process donations, maintain records, provide receipts, support communications, or perform services on behalf of HopeWorks.

Donors may request that a gift remain anonymous in public acknowledgments. Legal, financial, and internal records may still identify the donor when required for proper recordkeeping.

5. How We Share Information

HopeWorks may share information with trusted service providers that support our operations, including providers of:

• Website hosting
• Online forms
• Donation processing
• Donor and constituent management
• Email and newsletter delivery
• Data storage
• Accounting and financial services
• Background checks, when applicable
• Information technology and security services

These providers may access information only as necessary to perform services for HopeWorks and are subject to their own privacy and security practices.

We may also disclose information:

• With your authorization
• To coordinate services you requested
• To comply with applicable law, court orders, subpoenas, or governmental requests
• To protect the rights, safety, property, or security of HopeWorks, its clients, volunteers, staff, donors, or others
• To investigate suspected fraud, misconduct, or security incidents
• In connection with a merger, restructuring, or transfer of organizational operations

HopeWorks does not share client information publicly without appropriate authorization.

6. Third-Party Platforms and Payment Services

HopeWorks uses third-party platforms to operate portions of its website and online services, including website hosting, online application and volunteer forms, donor management, payment processing, and email communications.

When you use a third-party form, donation platform, payment processor, or linked website, information may also be collected and processed under that provider's privacy policy and terms.

These providers may include Lovable (website hosting), Jotform (online application and volunteer forms), DonorDock (donation processing, donor management, and email communications), with online donations processed through Stripe and PayPal, and other vendors selected by HopeWorks.

Website fonts are supplied through Google Fonts, and the transparency seal is loaded from Candid. Your browser requests these resources from those services when displaying the website.

HopeWorks encourages users to review the privacy policies of third-party platforms before submitting sensitive or financial information.

7. Email and Other Communications

Information entered in the website mailing-list form is sent to the website server for validation. A subscription is confirmed only after successful enrollment in HopeWorks’ mailing list. An unsuccessful attempt does not add you to the list.

When you subscribe to a newsletter, donate, volunteer, attend an event, or otherwise provide contact information, HopeWorks may send communications related to our mission, programs, events, volunteer opportunities, prayer ministry, fundraising, and organizational updates.

You may unsubscribe from promotional emails by using the unsubscribe link included in the message or by contacting HopeWorks.

We may continue to send non-promotional communications when necessary, including donation receipts, service-related messages, volunteer instructions, and responses to requests.

8. Information About Clients and Assistance Applicants

Information submitted by individuals seeking assistance may include personal, financial, household, homeownership, or property-related information.

HopeWorks uses this information to review eligibility, evaluate service needs, coordinate approved work, communicate with applicants, satisfy funding requirements, and report program outcomes.

Information may be shared with authorized staff, funders, utility partners, contractors, volunteers, or other service partners when reasonably necessary to evaluate or provide assistance. HopeWorks will limit such sharing to information relevant to the service being provided.

9. Volunteer Information

HopeWorks may collect information from prospective and current volunteers to evaluate placement, communicate about opportunities, coordinate service assignments, maintain volunteer records, promote safety, and meet partner or program requirements.

Certain assignments may require orientation, safety training, references, screening, or a background check. Additional notice or authorization will be provided when required.

Submitting a volunteer form does not guarantee placement or create an employment relationship.

10. Photographs and Stories

HopeWorks may publish photographs, videos, testimonials, or stories only when appropriate permission has been obtained or when otherwise permitted by law.

Clients, volunteers, donors, and community members should not submit or publish confidential information, photographs, or stories about HopeWorks clients without authorization.

11. Data Security

HopeWorks uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, misuse, loss, alteration, or disclosure.

However, no website, electronic transmission, or information-storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Users should avoid sending highly sensitive information through ordinary email unless instructed to do so through a secure process.

12. Data Retention

HopeWorks retains personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Fulfill the purpose for which it was collected
• Maintain donation, volunteer, client, and program records
• Meet legal, tax, accounting, grant, audit, and reporting obligations
• Resolve disputes
• Protect HopeWorks and the people it serves

Information that is no longer reasonably required may be deleted, destroyed, or de-identified in accordance with HopeWorks' record-retention practices.

13. Your Choices and Requests

You may contact HopeWorks to:

• Update or correct your contact information
• Unsubscribe from newsletters or fundraising communications
• Request information about the personal information we maintain about you
• Request deletion of certain information, when legally and operationally permitted
• Update your donor-recognition preferences
• Ask questions about our privacy practices

HopeWorks may need to retain certain records even after a deletion request, including donation, tax, accounting, service, safety, and legal records.

14. Children's Privacy

The HopeWorks website is intended for a general audience and is not designed to collect personal information directly from children under 13.

We do not knowingly collect personal information online from children under 13 without appropriate authorization. A parent or legal guardian who believes a child has submitted personal information may contact HopeWorks to request review or removal.

15. Links to Other Websites

The HopeWorks website may contain links to websites operated by other organizations.

HopeWorks does not control and is not responsible for the content, security, or privacy practices of third-party websites. Visiting an external website is subject to that website's privacy policy and terms.

16. Changes to This Policy

HopeWorks may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our programs, website, technology, vendors, or legal obligations.

The revised policy will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the website after an update constitutes acknowledgment of the revised policy.

17. Contact HopeWorks

Questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy may be directed to:

404-872-0167

info@hopeworks4us.org