Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to NeighborSOS ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website neighborsos.org and use our services.

By using NeighborSOS, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

When you use our services, we may collect the following personal information:

• Donors: Name, email address, donation amounts, and delivery preferences
• Charities: Organization name, contact information, EIN/tax ID, physical address, and bank details for verification
• Families: Family size, needs, and contact information (provided by partnering charities)

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

We automatically collect certain information when you visit our website:

• IP address and location data
• Browser type and version
• Device information
• Pages visited and time spent on pages
• Referring website addresses

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To facilitate donations and match donors with urgent charity needs
• To communicate with donors and charities about donations, deliveries, and updates
• To verify the legitimacy of registered charities
• To process and fulfill family sponsorships
• To send email notifications about claimed needs, sponsorships, and platform updates
• To improve our website and services
• To analyze usage patterns and optimize user experience
• To comply with legal obligations
• To prevent fraud and ensure platform security

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 With Charities

When you commit to donating an item or sponsoring a family, we share your name and email address with the receiving charity so they can coordinate delivery and send you instructions.

4.2 With Other Donors (Split Sponsorships)

If you use our "Split with Friends" feature, we will send invitation emails to the email addresses you provide, including your name and a personal message if you include one.

4.3 Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our platform, including:

• Email service providers (for sending notifications)
• Database and hosting services (Supabase, Vercel)
• Analytics providers (Google Analytics)

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to valid legal requests, such as subpoenas, court orders, or government inquiries.

4.5 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption for data transmission
• Secure database storage with access controls
• Regular security audits and updates
• Limited employee access to personal data

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• 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 personal information (subject to legal obligations)
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email
• Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format

To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@neighborsos.org.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help us:

• Remember your preferences
• Analyze website traffic and usage patterns
• Improve website functionality

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

8. Third-Party Links

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

9. Children's Privacy

NeighborSOS is not intended for use by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected such information, we will take steps to delete it promptly.

10. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When your information is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

11. 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 is collected, used, shared, or sold
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, contact us at info@neighborsos.org.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on this page with a new "Effective Date." We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

13. Contact Us

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