Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

OnRamp To Independence is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Georgia, United States. Our mission is to equip and empower foster youth and young adults aging out of care with the life skills, mentorship, and tools needed for independent living. We are committed to maintaining the privacy and security of all individuals who interact with our organization.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in the following ways:

Information You Provide Directly:

• Contact information (name, phone number, email address, mailing address)
• Demographic information (date of birth, gender identity, race/ethnicity — provided voluntarily for grant reporting purposes only)
• Program application and intake information (housing status, education level, employment status, service needs)
• Communications you send to us (emails, form submissions, feedback)
• Donation and financial information (name, address, payment method — processed securely through Stripe; we do not store payment card data)
• Volunteer and partnership information (background check authorization, organizational details)

Information Collected Automatically (Website):

• Browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and time spent on our website (collected via standard server logs and analytics tools)
• IP address (used only for security and analytics purposes)
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 6 below)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: To connect you with appropriate programs, assign mentors, track progress, and provide support services.
• Communication: To respond to inquiries, provide program updates, schedule sessions, and send relevant resources.
• Program Improvement: To evaluate program effectiveness, generate aggregate (non-identifiable) reports, and improve our services.
• Grant Reporting: To satisfy reporting requirements from funders using de-identified or aggregate data.
• Fundraising: To process donations and, if you have opted in, communicate about fundraising campaigns and organizational news.
• Safety: To protect the safety of our participants, staff, and community, including mandatory reporting obligations under Georgia law.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes.

We will never sell your personal information to any third party.

4. Information Sharing

We share personal information only in limited circumstances:

• With Your Consent: We share information with other organizations or individuals only when you have authorized us to do so via a signed Release of Information (Form ORI-ROI-01).
• Service Providers: We work with trusted third-party vendors (e.g., email platforms, payment processors, database tools) who are contractually obligated to protect your information and may not use it for any other purpose.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of any person (including mandatory reporting obligations for suspected abuse or neglect).
• Aggregate Data: We may share non-identifiable, aggregated information (e.g., "we served X participants in 2024") for fundraising and public awareness purposes.

5. Special Protections for Youth and Former Foster Youth

We recognize that our participants include current and former foster youth, many of whom have heightened privacy interests due to their involvement in the child welfare system. We are committed to:

• Never publicly identifying any individual as a foster youth or program client without their explicit, written consent.
• Applying extra care to sensitive records related to housing instability, mental health, trauma history, and similar matters.
• Following all applicable Georgia laws governing the confidentiality of foster care and child welfare records.
• Providing participants full access to their own records upon request.

6. Cookies & Website Tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve your browsing experience and analyze site traffic. We use:

• Essential cookies: Required for the website to function (e.g., form submissions, session management).
• Analytics cookies: To understand how visitors use our site (e.g., Google Analytics with IP anonymization).

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though some site features may not function correctly as a result. We do not use cookies for advertising or tracking across third-party websites.

7. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include encrypted data transmission (HTTPS), access controls, and staff training on data privacy.

No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. In the unlikely event of a data breach affecting your information, we will notify affected individuals as required by applicable law.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, and in accordance with applicable legal requirements. Program records are typically retained for a minimum of 7 years following the close of a case. Donation records are retained for a minimum of 7 years for tax and compliance purposes. You may request deletion of your information subject to legal retention requirements (see Section 9).

9. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request deletion of your information (subject to legal retention obligations).
• Withdraw consent to any specific use of your information (e.g., opting out of marketing emails).
• Receive a copy of your program records.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@onramp-independence.org.

10. Children Under 13

Our programs serve youth as young as 14. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verified parental consent. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at info@onramp-independence.org.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top and, where appropriate, notify affected individuals by email. Continued participation in our programs or use of our website after a policy update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.