Privacy Policy
How we collect, use, share, and protect your information
This Privacy Policy ("Policy") describes how The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA, together with its chapters and affiliates ("Akshaya Patra USA," "APUSA," "we," "us," or "our"), collects, uses, shares, and protects information about you.
Akshaya Patra USA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID 01-0574950) that raises funds in the United States to support school-meal and child-nutrition programs. This Policy applies to information collected through our website at apusa.org and related pages (collectively, the "Site"), as well as through our donation, fundraising, volunteer, event, and communication activities (collectively, the "Services").
By accessing or using the Site or Services, you agree to the practices described in this Policy. Protecting the privacy of our donors, volunteers, supporters, and visitors (collectively, "you" or "your") is important to us. From time to time we provide links to websites operated by others; we encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.
1Information We Collect
We collect information needed to process donations, communicate with you, coordinate volunteer and event participation, operate and improve the Site, and meet our legal and regulatory obligations. The categories of personal information we may collect include:
- Contact information, such as your name, postal address, email address, and telephone number, so that we can communicate with you and provide the Services.
- Donation and payment information, such as billing address, donation amount, gift designation, recurring-gift preferences, and payment card or bank account details processed through our secure payment providers.
- Account credentials, if you create an account on the Site or a connected donation or fundraising platform.
- Communication and marketing preferences, including newsletter and email subscriptions, and your history of interactions with our communications.
- Volunteer and event information, such as event registrations, chapter affiliation, availability, areas of interest, emergency contact details, and information provided when you apply to volunteer or become a Youth Ambassador.
- Employer and matching-gift information, where you request that your gift be matched by your employer.
- Website and device information, such as IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, pages visited, and other usage data collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies.
- Any other information you choose to provide, such as comments, survey responses, testimonials, or messages you send to us.
2How Information Is Collected
We collect personal information in the following ways:
- Directly from you when you make a donation, subscribe to our email list, register for an event, sign up to volunteer, complete a form, respond to a survey, or otherwise contact us.
- Automatically as you interact with the Site, through cookies, web beacons, analytics tools, and similar technologies.
- From our service providers, such as payment processors, donation and fundraising platforms, and email or marketing vendors that help us operate the Services.
- From publicly available sources and, where you enable it, from social media platforms when you interact with our pages or content.
3How We Use Your Information
We may use the information we collect to:
- Process donations and send receipts, tax acknowledgments, and confirmations.
- Administer recurring gifts, pledges, and matching-gift requests.
- Communicate with you about our mission, programs, impact, campaigns, and upcoming events, including by email and, where you have provided a mobile number for that purpose, by text message.
- Coordinate volunteer opportunities, chapter activities, event registration, and the Youth Ambassador program.
- Respond to your questions, requests, and feedback and provide donor and supporter support.
- Operate, maintain, personalize, and improve the Site and Services.
- Conduct research, analytics, and reporting to better understand our supporters and improve our outreach.
- Detect, prevent, and address fraud, security issues, and misuse.
- Comply with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, and our recordkeeping obligations as a nonprofit organization.
- Any other purpose disclosed at the time you provide the information or to which you consent.
4Donations & Payment Processing
We retain records of your gifts as needed to issue tax receipts, administer recurring donations, and meet our financial and legal recordkeeping obligations.
5Email & Marketing Communications
If you subscribe to our newsletter or otherwise provide your contact information, we may send you emails about our programs, impact, campaigns, and events. You can opt out of marketing emails at any time by using the "unsubscribe" link in any message or by contacting us at contact@apusa.org.
Please note that even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still send you transactional messages, such as donation receipts or responses to your inquiries.
6Volunteers & Events
When you register to volunteer, join a local chapter, participate in the Youth Ambassador program, or sign up for an event such as a walkathon, gala, concert, or golf outing, we collect the information needed to coordinate your participation. This may include your contact details, emergency contact information, areas of interest, and, for programs involving minors, information provided by a parent or guardian.
Photographs or video may be taken at public events; where required, we will seek appropriate consent before using images that identify participants.
7How We Share Information
We may share information in the following limited circumstances:
- With service providers and vendors that perform functions on our behalf, such as payment processing, donation and fundraising platforms, email and marketing delivery, analytics, cloud hosting, and event management.
- With our chapters and affiliates to coordinate programs, volunteer activities, and events.
- To comply with legal obligations, respond to lawful requests from public authorities, enforce our terms, or protect the rights, property, or safety of Akshaya Patra USA, our supporters, or others.
- In connection with a merger, reorganization, or transfer of our operations or assets, where information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this Policy.
- With your consent or at your direction, including when you ask us to share information with an employer for matching-gift purposes.
8Cookies & Analytics
Our Site uses cookies and similar technologies, such as web beacons and pixel tags, to enable Site functionality, remember your preferences, understand how visitors use the Site, and improve your experience. We use third-party analytics services, including Google Analytics, and advertising or tag-management tools that may collect information about your activity on our Site and elsewhere online.
You can control cookies through your browser settings; if you disable cookies, some features of the Site may not function properly.
Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) setting. Because there is not yet a common industry standard for responding to DNT signals, our Site does not currently respond to them.
9Third-Party Links & Platforms
The Site may contain links to, or be integrated with, third-party websites and platforms, including donation, fundraising, and social media services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site or platform you use.
10Data Retention
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, including administering donations and programs, maintaining financial and tax records, complying with our legal obligations, resolving disputes, and enforcing our agreements. When information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to securely delete or de-identify it.
11Security
No method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure, however, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. Protecting your information also depends in part on you, including keeping any account credentials confidential.
12Your Privacy Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights regarding your personal information, such as the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of the information we hold about you, and the right to opt out of certain communications.
Residents of California and certain other states may have additional rights under applicable law, including the right to know what personal information we collect and how we use it, and the right to request deletion, subject to legal exceptions. We do not sell personal information.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information below. We will respond consistent with applicable law and may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.
13Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. Revisions are effective when posted, and the "Last Updated" date above indicates when the Policy was last revised. Your continued use of the Site or Services after changes are posted indicates your acceptance of the updated Policy. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically.
14Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:
