How we protect your data

Donor names. Email addresses. Payment details. IP addresses. Billing information. Newsletter preferences. These data points—which sound like standard administrative records—are the foundation of our relationship with you, and protecting them is our highest priority. The modern approach to nonprofit data privacy has moved far beyond the simple "we won't share your information" statement. Thanks to comprehensive privacy laws like the GDPR, CCPA, and various state-level regulations, organizations are adopting transparent, user-centric policies that prioritize consent, security, and individual rights. It's a "New Standard of Trust," and it's all about accountability.

Information we collect

We collect personal information only when you voluntarily provide it to us. This happens when you:

• Make a donation, either online or offline 

• Register for an event or program 

• Subscribe to our newsletter or communications 

• Contact us via our website, email, or phone 

• Create a fundraiser or register as a business supporter

Categories of Information

1. Contact Information

   Your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number

   
   

2. Donation and Payment Information

   Billing address, donation amount, and payment method. We do not store full credit card numbers—all payment transactions are processed securely by third-party vendors like PayPal, Razorpay, or Blackbaud

   
   

3. Automated Information

   When you visit our website, we may collect your IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed, and referring website through cookies and analytics tools like Google Analytics

   
   

4. Sensitive Information

   If you share health-related information or other sensitive data with us (for example, when requesting assistance), we handle it confidentially and only with your explicit consent

How we use your information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• Processing Donations: To complete your donation, send confirmations and tax receipts, and maintain accurate donor records .

• Communications: To send you newsletters, project updates, and information about our work—but only with your consent or where we are otherwise permitted to do so .

• Event Management: To register you for events, manage participation, and coordinate with event partners .

• Website Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, improve user experience, and ensure website security .

• Legal Compliance: To meet tax, audit, and regulatory requirements .

• We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information .

How we share your information

We may share your information with trusted third parties, but only as necessary to deliver our services:

• Service Providers: We work with payment processors, email delivery platforms, and analytics providers who are contractually bound to keep your data confidential and use it only for specified purposes .

• Event Partners: If you participate in our events, we may share necessary information with race organizers, timing vendors, or venue authorities .

• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, such as to tax authorities or in response to valid legal requests

Data security and retention

We implement technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information:

• Encryption: All web communication uses Transport Layer Security (TLS), and sensitive data is encrypted .

• Access Control: Personal information is accessible only to a limited number of relevant personnel .

• Secure Payment Processing: We use PCI DSS-compliant payment gateways and do not store credit card numbers on our servers 

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for operational, legal, and tax compliance purposes. For example, donation records are typically retained for 7 years to meet audit requirements . When information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it

Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without verifiable parental consent. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. When we make changes, we will revise the "Effective Date" at the top of this page. For significant changes, we may provide additional notice, such as an email or website banner.