Privacy Policy for all Website Visitors

Give an Hour (“Give an Hour,” “GAH,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. 

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information when you visit giveanhour.org, communicate with us, request or participate in our programs or services, volunteer or provide services through Give an Hour, make a donation, attend an event or training, interact with us by email or text message, or otherwise engage with Give an Hour. 

Personal Information We Collect 

The information we collect depends on how you interact with Give an Hour. 

Information You Provide to Us 

We may collect information you voluntarily provide, including: 

• Contact information, such as your name, email address, telephone number, mailing address, organization, and professional title. 

• Service and program information, such as information you provide when requesting mental health support, participating in peer support, requesting assistance locating a provider, registering for a program, signing up for a training, or communicating with Give an Hour staff or volunteers. 

• Health and other sensitive information, including information you voluntarily provide about your mental health, health history, experiences, support needs, or other circumstances when seeking or participating in Give an Hour programs or services. 

• Provider and volunteer information, such as professional credentials, licensure information, areas of practice, availability, contact information, and information necessary to participate in Give an Hour’s provider, peer-support, volunteer, or other networks. 

• Donor information, such as your name, contact information, donation amount and history, communication preferences, and information necessary to process and acknowledge your donation. Payment card and other financial information may be collected and processed on our behalf by third-party payment processors. 

• Partner and professional information, such as information provided by representatives of organizations that work with Give an Hour, participate in our programs, or contract with us for services. 

• Registration and event information, such as information you provide when registering for trainings, events, webinars, programs, or other activities. 

• Communications, including information contained in emails, text messages, forms, surveys, feedback, inquiries, or other communications you send to us. 

• Communication preferences, including whether you have agreed to receive email or text communications from us. 

• Other information you choose to provide to Give an Hour. 

We encourage you to provide only the information necessary for us to assist you. 

Information Collected Automatically 

When you visit our website, certain information may be collected automatically through cookies, server logs, analytics tools, and similar technologies. This may include: 

• Internet Protocol (IP) address; 

• browser and device type; 

• operating system; 

• date and time of your visit; 

• pages viewed and actions taken on our website; 

• referring website or source; and 

• general information about how visitors use our website. 

We use this information to operate, secure, maintain, and improve our website and to better understand how visitors use it. 

Our website or service providers may use cookies or similar technologies necessary for website functionality, analytics, security, and user preferences. Your browser may allow you to block or delete cookies, although doing so may affect certain website functionality. 

How We Use Personal Information 

Give an Hour may use personal information to: 

• respond to inquiries and requests; 

• connect individuals with appropriate Give an Hour programs, resources, peer support, or participating providers; 

• administer and deliver our programs and services; 

• communicate with participants about programs, services, schedules, resources, and other relevant information; 

• administer our provider, volunteer, facilitator, and partner networks; 

• process and acknowledge donations; 

• manage registrations for trainings, events, webinars, and other activities; 

• communicate with donors, supporters, partners, providers, volunteers, and other members of the Give an Hour community; 

• send communications that you have requested or agreed to receive; 

• conduct surveys and evaluate the reach, effectiveness, and impact of our programs; 

• create aggregated or de-identified information for program evaluation, research, reporting, funding, and organizational improvement; 

• maintain and improve our website, technology, programs, and services; 

• protect the safety, security, rights, and property of Give an Hour, our participants, and others; 

• prevent fraud, misuse, or other unauthorized activity; 

• comply with contractual, grant, legal, regulatory, audit, and reporting obligations; and 

• carry out other purposes disclosed to you when information is collected or with your consent. 

Health and Sensitive Information 

Because of the nature of Give an Hour’s mission and programs, individuals may voluntarily provide information concerning their mental health, health history, experiences, treatment needs, or other sensitive circumstances. 

Give an Hour is not a health care provider or health plan covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”), and information you provide directly to Give an Hour is not necessarily subject to HIPAA. 

Nevertheless, we recognize the sensitive nature of health-related information and take steps designed to protect its confidentiality and security. We limit the use and disclosure of this information to purposes related to providing and administering our programs and services, operating our organization, meeting legal or contractual obligations, protecting health or safety when appropriate, or other purposes authorized by you or permitted by law. 

Licensed mental health professionals participating in the Give an Hour network may have separate legal, professional, and privacy obligations regarding information they receive directly from their clients. Their privacy practices may differ from Give an Hour’s practices. 

How We Share Personal Information 

Give an Hour does not sell personal information. 

We do not disclose personal information to third parties for their independent marketing or promotional purposes unless you specifically authorize us to do so. 

We may disclose personal information in limited circumstances, including: 

Service Providers 

We use trusted third-party service providers to help us operate our organization and deliver programs and services. These may include providers of: 

• website hosting and technology; 

• database and customer relationship management systems; 

• online forms; 

• email and text messaging; 

• survey and evaluation tools; 

• payment and donation processing; 

• video conferencing and communications; 

• data storage and security 

• artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technology used to support administrative, operational, communications, analytical, or other organizational functions; and

• other administrative or technology services. 

These providers may receive or process information as necessary to perform services for Give an Hour. We seek to use service providers that provide appropriate privacy and security protections and limit their access to information to the purposes for which they are providing services. 

When we use AI or AI-assisted technologies, we take steps designed to limit the disclosure of personal and sensitive information and to use such technologies in a manner consistent with this Privacy Policy. We do not rely solely on automated decision-making to make clinical decisions or determine an individual’s eligibility for mental health support or services. 

Programs and Services 

When necessary to fulfill a request you make or provide a service you request, we may disclose relevant information to participating providers, program partners, facilitators, or other organizations involved in delivering that service. 

Where appropriate, we will obtain permission before sharing personally identifiable information with an outside organization for this purpose. 

Legal, Safety, and Compliance Purposes 

We may disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to: 

• comply with applicable law, regulation, court order, subpoena, or other lawful process; 

• comply with contractual, grant, audit, or regulatory requirements; 

• investigate or prevent fraud, misuse, security incidents, or unlawful activity; 

• protect the rights or property of Give an Hour or others; or 

• address a situation involving a potential threat to the health or safety of an individual or others, when disclosure is appropriate or required by law. 

Organizational Transactions 

If Give an Hour undergoes a merger, restructuring, transfer of programs or assets, or similar organizational transaction, information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to applicable legal requirements. 

Aggregated and De-Identified Information 

Give an Hour may use information to evaluate our programs, understand community needs, measure outcomes, improve our services, report impact, and fulfill funding or grant requirements. 

Whenever appropriate, we use aggregated or de-identified information for these purposes so that individuals are not personally identified. 

We may share aggregated or de-identified information with funders, partners, researchers, evaluators, government agencies, or the public when it does not reasonably identify an individual. 

Text Message Communications 

If you provide your mobile telephone number and consent to receive text messages from Give an Hour, we may communicate with you by text regarding programs, services, appointments or scheduling, resources, events, administrative matters, or other communications for which you have provided consent. 

Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Mobile carriers are not responsible for delayed or undelivered messages. 

No mobile information will be sold or shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. SMS opt-in information and consent will not be shared with third parties for their independent marketing or promotional purposes. 

We may share mobile information, including your telephone number and SMS consent status, with service providers that help us deliver text messages, such as our messaging platform provider, telecommunications providers, and other vendors involved in providing the messaging service. These providers may use the information only as necessary to provide services on our behalf. 

You may opt out of receiving text messages from a particular Give an Hour number at any time by replying STOP. After opting out, you may receive a confirmation message. You may also contact us at info@giveanhour.org regarding your communication preferences. 

Opting out of text messages does not prevent Give an Hour from communicating with you through other methods when appropriate, such as email or telephone. 

Because standard SMS text messaging may not be a secure method of communication, please use care when sending sensitive personal or health information by text message. 

Email Communications 

If you receive marketing, fundraising, newsletter, or similar email communications from Give an Hour, you may unsubscribe using the link provided in the communication or by contacting us. 

Even if you opt out of promotional communications, we may continue to send non-promotional communications related to services you have requested, donations, registrations, transactions, safety, or other administrative matters. 

Donor Privacy 

Give an Hour respects the privacy of our donors. 

We use donor information to process and acknowledge contributions, maintain donation records, provide receipts, communicate with donors, fulfill legal and financial reporting obligations, and provide information about Give an Hour’s mission, programs, impact, and opportunities to support our work. 

We do not sell donor personal information. 

We may use third-party service providers to process donations, maintain donor records, or assist with communications. Those providers may receive information necessary to perform services on our behalf. 

Donors may contact us at info@giveanhour.org to request changes to their communication preferences. 

Data Security 

Give an Hour uses administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss, or misuse. 

However, no website, database, email system, text messaging system, or Internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee the absolute security of information transmitted to or maintained by Give an Hour. 

Because email and standard SMS text messaging may not provide secure or confidential transmission, we encourage individuals not to send highly sensitive information through those channels unless specifically instructed to do so. 

Data Retention 

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, administer our programs and services, meet contractual or grant requirements, maintain appropriate business and financial records, comply with applicable law, resolve disputes, and protect our legal rights. 

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the purpose for which it was collected. 

Your Choices and Requests 

You may contact Give an Hour to: 

• update or correct certain personal information; 

• change your communication preferences; 

• unsubscribe from promotional email communications; 

• opt out of text communications; or 

• ask questions about the personal information we maintain about you. 

Depending on where you live, applicable law may provide additional rights regarding your personal information. We will respond to requests as required by applicable law. 

Requests may be submitted to info@giveanhour.org. 

We may need to verify your identity before completing certain requests. 

Links to Other Websites and Services 

Our website may contain links to websites or services operated by other organizations. 

Give an Hour does not control the privacy practices of third-party websites and services. When you leave our website or interact directly with another organization’s services, that organization’s privacy policy and practices apply. 

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third-party websites and services before providing personal information. 

Children and Minors 

Give an Hour’s website and certain programs may provide information or resources relevant to families and young people. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through our general website in a manner prohibited by applicable law. 

Certain Give an Hour programs or services may involve minors. When a program involves the collection of personal information from or about a minor, Give an Hour will handle that information in accordance with applicable law and any additional consent or authorization requirements applicable to that program. 

Parents or legal guardians who have questions about information involving a minor may contact us at info@giveanhour.org. 

Changes to This Privacy Policy 

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our programs, technology, practices, or legal requirements. 

When we update the Policy, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. If changes materially affect how we use or disclose personal information, we may provide additional notice when appropriate or required by law. 

Contact Us 

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or personal information you have provided to Give an Hour, please contact us: 

Give an Hour
PO Box 1532
Clarksburg, MD 20871
Email: info@giveanhour.org