Privacy Policy

Hope Chicago's website is primarily a public-facing site for donors, supporters, and anyone interested in our mission. Because of that, sensitive personal information about our program participants never passes through this site. For visitors and donors, we collect only what we need: your name, contact information, and data about how you use the site, so we can keep you updated and process your donations securely. We do not store your payment card numbers; that data is handled entirely by our third-party payment processor.

We will never sell your information. We share data only with trusted service providers, and only to the extent necessary to operate the site and process gifts. You can request a copy of your data, ask us to correct it, or ask us to delete it at any time. If you have any questions, reach us at givehope@hopechicago.org.

Full Privacy Policy

Introduction:
This Privacy Policy ("Policy") explains how Hope Chicago ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects personal data when you visit hopechicago.org or make a donation through our website. It applies to all visitors, donors, and others who interact with our site.

Our contact details:
Hope Chicago
303 East Wacker Drive, Suite 360
Chicago, IL 60601
givehope@hopechicago.org
312-477-3174

By using our website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Policy.

What We Collect:
We collect only information that is necessary for the purposes described below.

Information You Provide Directly

When you make a donation or contact us, we may collect:

  • Identifiers: Your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number.

  • Financial information: Billing address and payment card details. Payment card numbers are processed securely by our third-party payment processor and are never stored on Hope Chicago's servers.

  • Communications: Any information you share when contacting us, such as questions or feedback.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain usage data, including:

  • Device and browser information: IP address, browser type, operating system, and unique device identifiers.

  • Usage patterns: Pages visited, time spent on pages, referring site, and navigation paths.

  • General location: Derived from your IP address (city or region level only).

  • Cookies and tracking data: See "Tracking Technologies" below.

Sensitive Personal Information

Hope Chicago does not collect sensitive personal information (such as health data, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, or biometric data) through this website. Our program participants' personal data is managed through separate, internal systems that are not connected to hopechicago.org.

Tracking Technologies

We use the following technologies to understand how visitors use our site and to support our communications:

  • Cookies: Small text files stored on your device that help our website function and remember your preferences.

  • Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to collect aggregated data about how visitors navigate our site (pages viewed, session duration, traffic sources). This data helps us improve the site experience. Google Analytics may use cookies and similar technologies. You can opt out at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

  • Meta Pixel (Facebook Pixel): We use Meta Pixel to measure the effectiveness of our advertising and to understand how visitors interact with our site after viewing our ads on Facebook or Instagram. Meta Pixel may collect your IP address and browser information. You can manage your ad preferences at facebook.com/settings.

  • Web beacons: Tiny images embedded in emails that help us understand whether and when you open our messages.

You may adjust your browser settings to limit or disable cookies. Please note that some features of our site may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

How We Use Your Information:
We use the data we collect for the following purposes:

  • Processing donations: To complete and confirm your gift. Legal basis: performance of a contract.

  • Donor communications: To send gift acknowledgments, tax receipts, impact updates, and information about Hope Chicago. Legal basis: legitimate interests and/or consent.

  • Marketing communications: To share news and opportunities to support our mission, where you have opted in. Legal basis: consent. You may withdraw consent at any time.

  • Website improvement: To understand how visitors use our site and improve the experience. Legal basis: legitimate interests.

  • Advertising effectiveness: To measure the reach and impact of our digital advertising. Legal basis: legitimate interests and/or consent.

  • Security and fraud prevention: To detect and address unauthorized activity. Legal basis: legitimate interests and legal obligation.

  • Legal compliance: To meet regulatory and legal obligations, including tax and accounting requirements. Legal basis: legal obligation.

How We Share Your Information:
We do not sell your personal information. We may share data in the following limited circumstances:

Service Providers
We work with trusted third-party companies that help us operate our website and process donations, including our payment processor, email service provider, and analytics platforms. These providers access your data only to perform specific tasks on our behalf and are contractually required to keep it confidential.

Legal Requirements
We may disclose personal data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests from public authorities (such as a court or government agency), or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Hope Chicago, our donors, or the public.

Aggregated or De-identified Data
We may share aggregated or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify any individual.

With Your Consent
We may share your information for any other purpose with your explicit consent.

Data Security and Retention:
Security

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your personal data, including:

  • SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted through our website (HTTPS).

  • Access controls that limit data access to authorized personnel only.

  • Data minimization: we collect only what is necessary.

  • Periodic security reviews of our practices.

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is completely secure. We encourage you to contact us at givehope@hopechicago.org if you have concerns about the security of your data.

Retention

We retain your personal data only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, or as required by law (for example, for tax or accounting purposes). When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.

Your Data Protection Rights:
Depending on where you live, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 1.

Rights Available to All Users

  • Right to access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

  • Right to correction: Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.

  • Right to deletion: Ask us to delete your personal data, subject to certain legal exceptions.

  • Right to object: Object to processing based on our legitimate interests or for direct marketing.

  • Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

Additional Rights for California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

  • Right to know: Request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected, the sources, purposes for collection, and categories of third parties with whom we share it.

  • Right to opt out of sale or sharing: Hope Chicago does not sell personal information. We do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising in a manner that would require a "Do Not Sell or Share" link under CCPA/CPRA at this time.

  • Right to non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA/CPRA rights.

Additional Rights for EU/UK/EEA Residents (GDPR/UK GDPR)

  • Right to data portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.

  • Right to restrict processing: Request that we limit how we use your data under certain circumstances.

  • Right to lodge a complaint: Contact your local data protection authority. UK: ico.org.uk; EU: edpb.europa.eu.

We will respond to requests within the timeframes required by applicable law (generally 30 days under GDPR; 45 days under CCPA). We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.

Children's Privacy:
Our website is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data without parental consent, please contact us and we will promptly remove that information.

International Data Transfers:
Hope Chicago is based in the United States. If you are visiting our website from outside the U.S., please be aware that your information may be transferred to and processed on servers located in the U.S., where data protection laws may differ from those in your country.

Where required by applicable law (for example, for visitors from the EU/EEA or UK), we implement appropriate safeguards, such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission, to protect transferred data.

Links to Other Websites:
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before sharing any personal information.

Changes to This Policy:
We may update this Policy from time to time. When we do, we will post the revised Policy on this page and update the "Last Updated" date at the top. For significant changes, we will provide advance notice via email or a prominent notice on our website.

We encourage you to review this Policy periodically.

Contact Us:
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Policy or your personal data, please contact u:

Hope Chicago
303 East Wacker Drive, Suite 360
Chicago, IL 60601
givehope@hopechicago.org
312-477-3174