Privacy Policy

Hand to Heart Village, Inc.

Effective Date: December 17, 2025

Last Updated: December 17, 2025

Hand to Heart Village, Inc. (“Hand to Heart Village,” “HTHV,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website www.hthv.org, interact with our services, or apply for assistance programs.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 39-2294389), we are dedicated to supporting families navigating pediatric medical journeys. We handle sensitive information about families and children with the utmost care and in compliance with applicable privacy laws.

By using our services or providing us with your information, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not access our website or use our services.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect several types of information from and about users of our services:

Personal Information

When you apply for assistance or interact with our services, we may collect:

Contact Information: Name, mailing address, email address, phone number
Family Information: Names and ages of family members, relationship to patient
Medical Information: Child’s diagnosis, treatment facility name and location, anticipated treatment duration, medical appointment information
Financial Information: Household income, insurance information, documentation of financial need
Travel Information: Distance from home to treatment facility, transportation needs, lodging requirements
Healthcare Provider Information: Referral letters, verification from social workers or patient navigators

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system
Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring website
Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address

Donor Information

If you make a donation, we collect:

Name, email, mailing address, phone number
Payment information (processed securely through third-party payment processors)
Donation amount and date
Gift preferences and acknowledgment preferences

Volunteer Information

If you volunteer with us, we may collect contact information, skills and qualifications, availability, and background check information as required.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

Program Services

To evaluate eligibility for assistance programs
To provide travel, lodging, meal, and advocacy support
To coordinate with healthcare providers and social workers
To arrange and manage assistance services
To track and measure program outcomes

Communications

To respond to inquiries and provide customer support
To send program updates and important information
To send newsletters and fundraising communications (with your consent)
To send donation receipts and acknowledgments

Operations and Compliance

To maintain records for tax, audit, and regulatory compliance
To prepare reports for our Board of Directors and funders
To improve our website and services
To prevent fraud and protect security

Fundraising and Outreach

To process donations and send tax receipts
To thank donors and acknowledge gifts
To share success stories (with explicit consent and de-identified when appropriate)
To invite participation in events and volunteer opportunities

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

Consent: When you provide explicit consent to receive assistance, communications, or participate in programs
Performance of a Contract: To provide the services you have requested
Legal Obligation: To comply with IRS regulations, state charity requirements, and other legal obligations
Legitimate Interests: To operate our nonprofit organization, improve our services, and further our charitable mission

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in:

Payment processing (donation processing)
Email and communication services
Website hosting and analytics
Database management and CRM services
Professional services (legal, accounting, consulting)

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and may only use it for the purposes we specify.

Healthcare Partners

With your consent, we may share necessary information with hospitals, healthcare providers, and social workers to coordinate your care and verify eligibility for assistance.

Funders and Grantors

We may share aggregated, de-identified data with funders and grantors to demonstrate program impact and outcomes. Individual identifying information is only shared when required by grant agreements and with appropriate safeguards.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law, including:

To comply with legal process (subpoenas, court orders)
To respond to government requests
To protect our rights, property, or safety
To report suspected child abuse or neglect as required by law

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or transfer of assets, your information may be transferred to the successor organization, which will continue to honor this Privacy Policy.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest
Secure servers and data storage systems
Access controls and authentication procedures
Regular security assessments and updates
Staff training on data protection and confidentiality
Confidentiality agreements with staff, volunteers, and service providers

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we continuously work to enhance our security measures.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to:

Provide services to you
Comply with legal, tax, and accounting requirements (typically 7 years)
Maintain records for grant compliance (as required by grant agreements)
Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements
Support our ongoing relationships with families and donors

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
Deletion: Request deletion of your information (subject to legal retention requirements)
Restriction: Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
Portability: Request transfer of your data to another organization
Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time

To exercise these rights, please contact us at HandtoHeartVillage@gmail.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

8. Children’s Privacy

Protecting children’s privacy is especially important to us. Our services are designed to help families with children undergoing medical treatment, but our website is not directed to children under 18.

We collect information about children only as necessary to provide assistance to their families
We require parental or guardian consent before collecting information about minors
Information about children is treated with enhanced security and confidentiality
We never knowingly share children’s personal information for marketing purposes
Photos or stories featuring children are only shared with explicit written parental consent

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to:

Remember your preferences and settings
Understand how you use our website
Improve website performance and user experience
Analyze traffic and usage patterns

Types of cookies we use:

Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality
Analytics Cookies: Help us understand website usage (e.g., Google Analytics)
Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of our website.

10. Third-Party Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, and we use third-party services for various functions:

Payment Processors: For secure donation processing (subject to their own privacy policies)
Social Media Platforms: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn (governed by their privacy policies)
Email Services: For newsletters and communications
Analytics Services: Google Analytics and similar tools

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites or services. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. Email Communications and Opt-Out

We respect your communication preferences:

Marketing Emails: You may opt out of marketing emails by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any email or contacting us directly
Service Emails: We may still send essential communications related to services you’ve requested (e.g., assistance confirmation, donation receipts)
Updates: If you’ve received assistance, we may periodically contact you for follow-up or program evaluation purposes

12. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Right to know what personal information we collect, use, and share
Right to delete personal information (subject to exceptions)
Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
Right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights

13. International Users

Our organization is based in the United States, specifically in South Carolina, and our services are primarily offered to families in the United States. If you are accessing our website from outside the U.S., please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located and our central database is operated. By using our services, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by:

Posting the updated policy on our website with a new “Last Updated” date
Sending an email notification to registered users
Displaying a prominent notice on our website

Your continued use of our services after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us: