1. Introduction
Welcome to the Jacksonville Council of the Blind. We value your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal information you provide us. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use and protect it, with whom we may share it, your rights regarding your data, and how to contact us.
This policy applies to information collected via our website (e.g. via contact forms, donation pages, email subscriptions) and through direct interactions (e.g. events, in-person meetings). By using our site or supplying us with information, you consent to the practices described here.
2. Information We Collect
We collect different types of information depending on how you interact with us. Below is an overview of categories and examples:
| Type of Information | Examples | Purpose / Use |
|---|---|---|
| Contact / Identifying Information | Name, address, phone, email address | To respond to inquiries, send newsletters or updates, process donations |
| Donor / Financial Information | Donation amounts, payment method, transaction IDs | To process donations, issue receipts, maintain giving history |
| Website / Technical Information | IP address, browser type, operating system, pages visited, cookies, timestamps | To analyze site usage, improve user experience, detect security issues |
| Communications | Feedback, comments, correspondence records | To provide support, respond to your messages or requests |
| Other Voluntarily Provided Data | Volunteer preferences, demographic or survey responses | To tailor services, volunteering matches, or programming |
We collect information in two main ways:
- Directly from you: when you fill out a form (contact, donation, newsletter), send us an email, register for an event, or otherwise volunteer information.
- Automatically: via cookies, analytics tools (e.g. Google Analytics), and server logs that record technical data when you browse our site.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected data for the following purposes:
- To provide services — respond to your inquiries, process donations, send newsletters or updates.
- To maintain relationships — record your engagement, preferences, and past contributions to personalize communications.
- To analyze and improve — understand how users interact with our site so we can optimize usability and content.
- To ensure security — monitor for fraud, abuse, or unauthorized use of our systems.
- To fulfill legal or regulatory obligations — including recordkeeping, reporting, or responding to lawful requests by authorities.
4. Data Sharing & Disclosure
Your personal information is generally kept confidential. However, there are limited circumstances in which we may share or disclose data:
- Service Providers / Contractors: We may share data with third-party vendors (e.g. payment processors, email marketing platforms, website hosting, analytics services) who help us run our operations. These parties are contractually required to protect your data and use it only for specified purposes.
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose data to comply with laws, court orders, or governmental authorities.
- Integrity & Security: To protect ourselves, you, or others from fraud, harm, or legal claims.
- Aggregation / De-identified data: We may share aggregated, anonymized information (that cannot personally identify you) for research, reporting, or marketing.
We will never sell your personal data to third parties for marketing or commercial purposes.
5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
We and our third-party service providers use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect data about how you interact with our site. This helps us:
- Remember your preferences
- Measure and analyze usage (e.g. via Google Analytics)
- Provide better, customized functionality & content
You can typically disable or delete cookies through your browser settings; however, doing so may limit certain features or usability on our site.
6. Your Rights & Choices
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights over your personal information. Some of the actions you can take:
- Request access to copies of the data we hold about you
- Request correction or deletion of your personal data
- Withdraw consent (for data processing you previously consented to)
- Opt-out of receiving communications (e.g., newsletters or marketing)
- Ask us to limit or object to certain processing
- Portability (in select regions)—receive data in a structured format
To exercise these rights, contact us via the contact details listed at the end of this policy.
Please note: in some cases, we may be legally obligated to retain information (e.g. tax/donation records) even if you request deletion.
7. Data Retention
We keep personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected (or as required by law). At minimum:
- Donation and financial records: Typically 7 years (as required for tax and accounting)
- Communications and newsletter lists: Until you unsubscribe or opt-out
- Technical logs / analytics: For as long as required for security, performance, and legal compliance
When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it.
8. Security Measures
We take reasonable and appropriate steps to protect your personal information, including:
- Encryption (SSL/TLS) for data in transit
- Secured servers and firewalls to protect data at rest
- Access controls and role-based permissions for staff/volunteers
- Regular software updates, patches, and security audits
- Vendor security reviews & data-use agreements
However, no system is 100% secure. If a breach occurs, we will take prompt steps to notify affected parties and relevant authorities (as required by law).
9. Children Under 13
Our website is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect or maintain personally identifiable information from children under 13 without parental consent. If we learn that we inadvertently collected such information, we will promptly delete it.
If you believe we may hold data from a child under 13, contact us immediately.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. We will post the revised policy on this page and update the “Last updated” date. Significant changes may also be announced via email or our homepage.
Your continued use of our site after the updated policy is posted constitutes acceptance of changes.