Privacy Policy
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Direct HOPE understands that privacy is important. We are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of all visitors to DirectHope.org (the “Website”). The following information is designed to help you better understand the information we gather from our Website and through our other services, how we protect the information once we gather it, and whether and how we disclose it.
We may, from time to time, make changes to this policy. By visiting this Website, you are accepting the practices described in the current version of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy, do not use the Website. Please note that this Privacy Policy applies only to this Website and Direct HOPE’s use of information, and not to other companies’ or organizations’ websites, including any websites to which we link. You are advised to consult the privacy policies of other websites that you visit.
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INFORMATION COLLECTION AND USE
Our primary goals in collecting personal information are to provide you with a smooth, efficient, and customized experience, to send you information upon your request, and to thank you for your generosity as a donor. Specifically, we may collect personal information if you register for and participate in programs, activities, and events and when you participate on Direct HOPE’s social networking sites.
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PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION
If you register to participate in programs, activities and events, we will request personally identifiable information about you including, but not limited to, your name, address, phone number, and email address. We seek such information primarily to communicate with you. In addition, we may use such information to improve our marketing and promotional efforts, analyze Website usage, improve our content, and customize our Website’s content, layout and services. If you opt in to communications from Direct HOPE when prompted, we may use personal information to contact you and send you information, such as email updates. In order to tailor our subsequent communications to you and continuously improve our services, we may also ask you to provide us with information regarding your personal or professional interests, demographics, experiences as a sponsor, and contact preferences. You may choose to opt out at any time, which will cease all communications from us.
Unless you specify that a gift be “anonymous,” or otherwise request that your name not be listed, we list the names of donors who give $1,000 and up in some brochures and benefit programs, so as to recognize their generosity publicly. We do not sell, share, or rent our donor lists to anyone, nor do we include donor names in any direct mail solicitations.
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OUTSIDE SERVICE PROVIDERS
If you opt to make a donation or any type of payment through the Website, your personally identifiable information, including your name, address, telephone number, email address and debit/credit card information, will be collected and stored by various third-party providers who process credit card payments on behalf of Direct HOPE. Please review these third-party providers’ individual terms and conditions and privacy policies for more information about collection and storage of your information. In addition, we may use outside service providers to facilitate Direct HOPE’s Website and overall operation, and to perform functions on our behalf, such as sending postal mail and email, removing repetitive information from donor lists, analyzing data, and providing customer service. These third parties may have access to your personal information as needed to perform their functions, but they may not use it for any other purpose.
SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES
Direct HOPE operates and maintains social networking pages and venues on websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google. Direct HOPE will, from time to time, import comments and posts from these third-party websites to this Website. If you post to any of Direct HOPE’s social networking pages on third-party websites, you are providing information to the public, and do so at your own risk. Further, Direct HOPE may use these postings on its Website without further notice or compensation to you. Please visit the privacy policies of any third-party websites before posting to Direct HOPE’s pages there.
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COOKIES
“Cookies” are small files placed on your hard drive; each website can send its own cookie to your browser if your browser preferences allow it. You can configure your browser to accept all cookies, reject all cookies, or notify you when a cookie is set. (Each browser is different, so check the “Help” menu of your browser to learn how to change your cookie preferences.) You are always free to decline our cookies if your browser permits, although in that case, you may not be able to interact with certain features on our Website, and you may be required to re-enter your password more frequently during a session. In addition, a number of companies offer utilities designed to help you visit websites anonymously.
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Cookies help us to provide customized services and information that is targeted to your interests. We use cookies on the Website to tell us how and when pages in our Website are visited, what our users’ technology preferences are (such as what type of video players they use) and whether our website is functioning properly. We also use cookies to temporarily retain the information you enter into a form.
Additionally, you may encounter cookies or other similar devices on our Website that are placed by third parties. We do not control the use of cookies by third parties.
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SECURITY
We care about the security of your transactions and use standard industry practices to safeguard your information. We use high-grade encryption and the secure https protocol to communicate with your browser software. We also employ several different security techniques to protect your personally identifiable information from unauthorized access or use. You should be aware, however, that “perfect security” does not exist on the Internet, and that third parties may be able to intercept private communications and/or access your personally identifiable information.
SHARING INFORMATION
In general, we will not sell, share, or rent information about you in ways different from what is disclosed in this statement. However, we may be forced to disclose information to the government or third parties under certain circumstances. We cooperate with governments and private parties to enforce laws such as those regarding intellectual property rights, fraud, data privacy, and security. We can (and you authorize us to) disclose any information about you to government officials and private parties as we, in our sole discretion, believe necessary or appropriate in connection with an investigation of fraud, intellectual property infringement, or other activity connected to this Website that is illegal or may expose us or you to liability.
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POLICY TOWARDS CHILDREN
We are concerned about the safety and privacy of children who use the Internet. Although we encourage children to learn more about our organization and opportunities to serve their communities, we encourage that this be done with parental supervision. Consistent with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (“COPPA”), we will never knowingly request personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13 without prior verifiable parental consent. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personally identifiable information without verifiable parental consent, we will use our best efforts to remove such information from our files. If a parent or guardian becomes aware that his or her child has provided us with personally identifiable information without verifiable parental consent, he or she should contact us at diredcthope15@gamil.com.
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Modifications
We may amend this privacy policy from time to time; please review it periodically. We maintain the option to modify this privacy at any time by electronic notice posted on this Website. Your continued use of this Website after the date that such notices are posted will be deemed to be your agreement to the changed terms.
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GOVERNING LAW
You agree that your use of this Website, this Privacy Policy, and any disputes relating thereto shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of Texas. Any dispute relating to this Privacy Policy shall be resolved solely in the state or federal courts located in Houston Texas.