Your privacy is extremely important to us. To protect your privacy - this Privacy Promise explains all our online information practices, the choices you can make regarding the use of your information, and how your information is kept confidential. Should you have questions about this Promise, please contact us using our online Contact Form.

Information Security

Strict electronic, physical, and managerial procedures have been employed to safeguard the security and integrity of information. Highly sensitive materials (such as credit card numbers) are encrypted whenever transmitted or received online. Access to information is limited to authorized individuals. Adequate training has been provided. All OHF Governors, staff, and volunteers are bound by this Promise. All other OHF policies are subject to this Promise.

Personal Data Collection

The OHF only uses obvious and affirmative methods of collecting personal data. You will always know when you are providing such information - either because you voluntarily fill out a form or decide to contact us electronically. We regularly delete outdated information, do not combine online information with outside sources, and do not collect or maintain any information beyond that necessary to offer the OHF sites and services.

Through our online forms and listed contacts, you may choose to send us your name and/or craft name, snail-mail address, email addresses, email content, phone numbers, photography, billing information, donation information, and gift/subscription choices. With Resource Guide submissions you can also enter descriptions about yourself, your organization, your event, or your Web sites. Nothing else collected by the OHF sites is personally identifiable.

Personal Data Sharing

With certain kinds of requests, your personal data may be shared with outside parties, but only to the extent necessary to fulfill that request. Personal data is never bartered, leased, or sold; and beyond these requests is never shared with outside parties.

Only you can initiate requests involving sharing. Such requests are expressly described and highlighted below. If you are uncomfortable with any particular sharing, please avoid those specific request forms or affirmative check boxes (which are all clearly labeled).

Personal Data Use

The following is a complete list of all the different ways your personal data may be used by the OHF.

When you make a donation, make an order; or become a sponsor or partner - we use your information to process your donation, order, sponsorship or partnership; address problems; and confirm delivery of any attached benefits or products.

When you make a donation online, your information is taken through a secure application provided by Groundspring.org (our online donation service). Groundspring processes donations and provides donor information (minus credit card numbers) back to the OHF as part of directed grants. Groundspring.org also maintains its own set of privacy and security policies.

When you contact us - we use your information to answer you. Contact information is never compiled or used beyond the purpose for which it was submitted.

When you submit a Resource Guide listing - we publish your listing and all the information you associate with that listing, and distribute it for free at stores, events, and gatherings in the greater DC region.

When you subscribe to our email Announcement List - your information is provided to Yahoo! Inc. (our list service provider). We use this list, and information about this list, to promote the site, maintain the list, and send occasional email announcements. You can also unsubscribe from this list at any time by sending a blank email to: openhearth-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com; or by following the directions on the Yahoo! OpenHearth Page, or the bottom of each email you receive. Yahoo! maintains its own set of privacy and security policies.

When you subscribe to our email Volunteer List your information is provided to Yahoo! Inc. (our list service provider). We use this list, and information about this list, to maintain the list and announce volunteer opportunities. You can unsubscribe from this list at any time by sending a blank email to: ohfvolunteer-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com or by following the directions on the Yahoo! OHFVolunteer Page. Yahoo! maintains its own set of privacy and security policies.

When you subscribe to the Flyer List - we use your information to snail-mail you occasional updates and flyers about our events, products, and services. You may remove yourself from the Flyer List at any time by writing to: flyer-remove@openhearth.org.

Identifiable photography is only posted with the subject's prior permission.

Reviewing & Correcting Personal Data

To review, correct, or delete any kind of maintained personal data, please use our online Contact Form.

United States Privacy Standards

The OHF subscribes to the Fair Information Practices of the United States Federal Trade Commission and strives to provide meaningful notice, choice, security, and access. The OHF also honors the FTC's Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 312) and neither collects or maintains information from those actually known to be under the age of 13; nor does anything to attract those under the age of 13.

International Privacy Standards

The OHF subscribes to the privacy provisions of the Canadian Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, the Australian National Privacy Principles, the OECD, and the Safe Harbor Privacy Principles negotiated between the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and the European Union (EU).

Recourse & Remedy

Should you have any unresolved concerns about our information practices, please contact our Privacy Coordinator, Shea Thomas, using our online Contact Form. If your concerns are not satisfied, you may also contact The Commonwealth of Virginia's Office of Consumer Affairs.

Promise Limits & Promise Changes

This Promise is otherwise only limited by acts of God or Goddess; where necessary to protect individual safety, where required by legal process, or where you grant express permission. Should our practices change, this Promise will be immediately updated. Regardless of later updates, we will never use the information you submit under this current Promise in a new way without first obtaining your consent.