Privacy Policy

This policy explains what information Securing Relief Inc. ("Securing Relief," "we," "us") collects through securingrelief.org and its fundraiser pages, how we use and share it, and the choices you have.

1. Information we collect

When you apply for assistance

Our application form asks for your name, city and country, email address, phone number, the type and amount of help you need, how long you need it, what led to your situation and when it began, your long-term plan, which documents you can provide, and which other organizations you have asked for help. This can include sensitive information about your finances, health or family. We also record that you agreed to the notice shown on the form.

When you donate

• Through Givebutter: Givebutter collects your name, email address, payment details, billing address and any optional details you choose to give, such as a phone number, a message or a dedication. Givebutter and its payment processors process your payment; we do not receive your full card or bank account number. Givebutter shares with us your name, contact details, the amount, date and campaign of your gift, and any message you write. Givebutter's handling of your information is governed by the Givebutter Privacy Policy.
• Through Zelle: we receive the information your bank sends with the payment (usually your name, and the email or phone number linked to your Zelle account) and anything you write in the memo.

When you email us

We receive your email address and whatever you write.

Automatically, when you visit the site

• Our hosting provider, Vercel, receives standard technical information with every page request, such as your IP address, browser type, the page requested and the time, and may keep it in server logs for security and operations.
• Google Fonts. Our pages load fonts from Google's servers, so your browser sends your IP address and browser information to Google. See Google's privacy policy.
• Givebutter widgets. Our pages load Givebutter's donation widget, and fundraiser pages embed Givebutter's giving form. Givebutter and its payment processor may set cookies or collect device information for the widget to work and to prevent fraud, under Givebutter's own privacy policy.
• We do not use analytics, advertising pixels or tracking cookies of our own, and our own code does not set cookies.

2. How we use information

• To review applications, verify need, contact applicants, provide assistance and keep the records the law requires of a private foundation that helps individuals.
• To process donations, send receipts and acknowledgments, keep accounting and tax records, and report to the IRS.
• To answer questions, communicate with donors about the fundraisers they supported, and send donors updates about our work.
• To publish anonymous descriptions of needs on fundraiser pages. Applicants agree to this when they apply, and we never include their name or contact details.
• To keep the site secure and working, and to prevent fraud and abuse.
• To comply with the law, including tax and record-keeping laws.

We do not sell, rent or trade personal information.

Emails to donors. We email donors a receipt when they give and may send a year-end summary of their giving for tax purposes. We may also email donors about our work, fundraisers and opportunities to give; every such email includes a way to unsubscribe, and we honor unsubscribe requests promptly. Unsubscribing does not stop receipts or year-end summaries. We never send fundraising emails to applicants.

3. How we share information

We share personal information only:

• With service providers who work for us: Vercel (website hosting); Google (email, and Google Sheets and Apps Script, where applications are stored); Givebutter and its payment processors (donations); Railway (which hosts our administrative system); and our accounting firm. They may use it only to provide services to us.
• With the providers we pay on an applicant's behalf (for example, a landlord or hospital), only as needed to make the payment.
• When the law requires it. Because we are a private foundation, federal tax law requires us to report the name and address of every donor who gives us $5,000 or more in a year on our annual Form 990-PF, and that return is open to public inspection.
• To protect the rights, safety and property of Securing Relief, applicants, donors or others, or to respond to valid legal process.
• In connection with a merger or a transfer of our assets to another charitable organization, which would be bound by this policy.

We never share an applicant's name or contact details with donors.

4. How long we keep information

We keep information for as long as we need it for the purposes described in this policy, including to document the assistance we provide and to meet our legal, tax and record-keeping obligations as a private foundation. Server logs are kept by our hosting provider under its own practices.

5. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), access to application data limited to the people who review applications, and two-step verification on the accounts that hold it. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. If a data breach affects your personal information, we will notify you as required by law.

6. Your choices and rights

• You can ask to see, correct or delete the personal information we hold about you by emailing hello@securingrelief.org. We may need to keep some information to comply with the law, such as tax and foundation record-keeping rules.
• You can ask Givebutter to manage the information it holds under its own policy.
• You can withdraw an application at any time.
• Some U.S. states give residents additional privacy rights; we will honor requests as required by applicable law.
• California residents: we do not track visitors across third-party sites, so we do not respond differently to "Do Not Track" browser signals.

7. Children

Our site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. Applications must be submitted by an adult (18 or older). If you believe a child has given us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

8. Visitors outside the United States

We are based in the United States and store information in the United States and wherever our service providers operate. If you contact us or apply from another country, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States.

9. Links to other sites

Our site links to other sites, such as Givebutter and ProPublica. Their privacy practices are their own.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy. We will post the new version here with a new effective date. If a change materially affects how we use information we already have, we will give notice on the site.

11. Contact us