Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

By using our Services, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please discontinue use of the Services. This policy applies to information we collect through the Site, our social media presence, email correspondence, event registrations, volunteer applications, and donations.

2. Information We Collect

a. Information You Provide to Us

• Contact information you submit by email, contact form, or social media (such as your name, email address, and the content of your message).
• Information provided when volunteering, registering for an event, or applying for a leadership role.
• Donation information. Once our online donation processing is live, payments will be handled by a third-party payment processor. We do not directly collect or store full payment card numbers; the processor's own privacy policy governs how that information is handled.
• Any other information you choose to share with us.

b. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the Site, we (or our hosting provider) may automatically collect standard technical information such as IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, referring URLs, and the date and time of access. We do not currently use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or third-party analytics services. If this changes in the future, we will update this Policy and, where required by law, obtain your consent before deploying such technologies.

c. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device. The Site currently uses only cookies strictly necessary for basic functionality, if any. We do not use cookies for advertising or cross-site tracking at this time.

3. How We Use Information

• To operate, maintain, and improve the Site and Services.
• To respond to inquiries, comments, and requests.
• To process and acknowledge donations.
• To send updates about our programs and events, but only if you have opted in to receive such communications.
• To comply with applicable legal obligations.
• To protect the rights, safety, and property of our organization, our volunteers, and the public.

4. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with:

• Service providers who perform services on our behalf (such as website hosting, email delivery, or payment processing), bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Government authorities or other third parties when required by law, subpoena, or legal process, or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of others.
• Other parties with your consent.
• A successor organization in the event of a merger, reorganization, or transfer of assets.

5. Children's Privacy

Given our mission to support youth, we take special care regarding children's information. The Site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent, in accordance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without proper consent, we will delete it promptly.

Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided personal information to us may contact us via our Contact page to request review or deletion.

For program participants who are minors (for example, students involved in our educational and outreach initiatives), we collect only the information reasonably necessary for program participation, and we coordinate with schools, parents, or guardians consistent with applicable student privacy laws where relevant.

6. Your Privacy Rights and Choices

Depending on your state or country of residence, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or restrict our processing of your personal information, and to opt out of certain disclosures. To exercise any of these rights, contact us via our Contact page. We will respond within the time required by applicable law.

If you have opted in to receive communications from us, you may opt out at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions in those communications or by contacting us directly.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, to comply with legal, accounting, or reporting requirements, or to resolve disputes.

8. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect the information we collect. However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Site may link to third-party services, including our social media accounts and, once live, our donation processor. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies directly.

10. Accessibility Statement (ADA / WCAG)

The Mental Wellness Project is committed to ensuring our Site is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA, to the extent reasonably feasible, and we treat accessibility as an ongoing effort rather than a one-time task.

If you encounter any accessibility barrier while using our Site, or need information in an alternate format, please let us know through our Contact page. We will make reasonable efforts to respond promptly and address the issue.

11. Do Not Track Signals

Because we do not currently deploy advertising or cross-site tracking technologies, our Site does not currently respond differently to browser “Do Not Track” signals. We will revisit this practice if our use of tracking technologies changes.

12. International Visitors

Our Services are operated from the United States. If you access the Services from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your jurisdiction. By using the Services, you consent to this transfer.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, The Mental Wellness Project and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents are not liable for any claim, loss, injury, or damage of any kind, including without limitation any physical, emotional, or psychological harm, arising out of or in any way related to your use of, or inability to use, the Services, whether or not the harm is alleged to be caused by the Services, by their content, or by any other person or circumstance, and whether the claim is based on contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, or any other legal theory, even if The Mental Wellness Project has been advised of the possibility of such harm.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for certain kinds of harm (including, in many places, liability arising from gross negligence or intentional misconduct, and liability owed to minors), so some or all of the limitations in this section may not apply to you, and you may have additional rights under your local law.

The Services and their content (including our website, blog posts, educational materials, event listings, and resource listings) are provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, or statutory, including any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement, or any warranty that the Services will be accurate, reliable, uninterrupted, or error-free.

14. Indemnification

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Mental Wellness Project and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents from any claim, demand, loss, or damage, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of your use of the Services or your violation of this Policy.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Effective Date” at the top of this page will reflect the most recent revision. Material changes will be highlighted on the Site. Your continued use of the Services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

16. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise any of the rights described above, please reach out via our Contact page.