Privacy Policy

1 Overview

This Privacy Policy applies to the Royal Hands Initiative website located at royalhandsinitiative.com and all related services, including donation forms, volunteer applications, newsletter subscriptions, and contact forms.

By using our website or submitting information to us, you agree to the collection and use of your information as described in this policy.

2 Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us, including:

• Personal Identification: First name, last name, email address, and phone number.
• Donation Information: Donation amount, payment method, and billing details processed securely through Stripe.
• Item Donation Details: Item type, description, estimated value, and item location.
• Volunteer Application: Address, area of interest, availability, motivation statement, and background check consent.
• Newsletter Subscription: Email address and optional name.
• Contact Messages: Any messages or inquiries you submit through our contact form.

We also automatically collect certain technical information when you visit our website, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, and pages visited. This is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies.

3 How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process and confirm your financial or in-kind donations and issue tax receipts.
• Review and manage volunteer applications and coordinate onboarding.
• Send newsletters and program updates to subscribers who have opted in.
• Respond to inquiries, messages, and support requests.
• Send transactional emails such as donation confirmations and application acknowledgements.
• Improve our website functionality, content, and user experience.
• Comply with legal obligations, including IRS reporting requirements for 501(C) organizations.
• Detect and prevent fraud or unauthorized activity.

We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

4 Information Sharing

We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties except in the following limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: Trusted vendors such as Stripe (payment processing), Zoho (email delivery), and Cloudinary (media storage) who help us operate our services and are bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Legal Requirements: If required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect the rights and safety of our organization, staff, volunteers, or the public.
• Organizational Transfers: In the unlikely event of a merger or reorganization of our non-profit, your information may be transferred to the successor organization under the same privacy protections.

5 Cookies & Tracking

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to enhance your experience. We use:

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function, including session management and security tokens (CSRF protection).
• Analytical Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website so we can improve it.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of the website.

6 Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit, secure password hashing, and access controls that limit data access to authorized personnel only.

All payment transactions are processed securely through Stripe, a PCI DSS-compliant payment processor. We do not store your full card number or financial account details on our servers.

While we take all reasonable precautions, no method of electronic storage or transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

7 Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.
• Opt out of marketing and newsletter emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in our emails.
• Withdraw consent for specific data processing activities.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at royalhandsinitiative@gmail.com.

8 Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms, and partner organizations. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any website you visit.

9 Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately so we can delete it.

10 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.