Privacy and Data Policy

Effective Date: July 31, 2026

West Avenue Compassion (“West Avenue Compassion,” “WAC,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) respects the privacy of the people we serve, our donors, volunteers, partners, and website visitors.

Our work requires us to collect certain information so that we can provide services, coordinate assistance, understand community needs, manage donations and volunteers, and improve the programs we provide.

We believe that information entrusted to us should be treated responsibly and with care.

This Privacy & Data Policy explains the types of information we may collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and the technology platforms we use to help manage it.

The information we collect depends on how you interact with West Avenue Compassion.

When you contact us or submit information through our website, we may collect:

• Name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Contact information
• Information included in an inquiry or contact form
• Volunteer inquiries or information
• Other information you voluntarily provide

Our website and the services used to operate it may also automatically collect limited technical information, such as browser type, device type, IP address, pages visited, referring websites, and general website usage information.

When you donate to West Avenue Compassion or otherwise support our work, we may collect:

• Name
• Contact information
• Mailing address
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Donation amount and donation history
• Communication preferences
• Information necessary to process or acknowledge a donation
• Other information you voluntarily provide

West Avenue Compassion uses Bloomerang to help manage donor relationships, donations, fundraising activities, and certain organizational communications.

Payment information associated with online donations may be processed through Bloomerang and its payment-processing services. West Avenue Compassion does not sell or rent donor information.

When someone receives services from West Avenue Compassion, we may collect information necessary to provide those services, administer our programs, understand community needs, or meet program requirements. Depending on the program, this information may include:

• Name and contact information
• Household size and composition
• Demographic information
• ZIP code or general location
• Information about services requested
• Food-assistance information
• Program participation
• Services received
• Referral information
• Information needed to determine eligibility for particular programs
• Other information voluntarily provided while seeking assistance

We recognize that people sometimes come to West Avenue Compassion during difficult or vulnerable circumstances. We believe protecting the information they share with us is an important part of serving them with dignity.

West Avenue Compassion uses reputable third-party technology platforms to help collect, organize, process, and manage information.

We use Bloomerang for donor management, donations, fundraising activities, supporter records, and certain organizational communications.

Information submitted through donation forms or other Bloomerang services may be processed and maintained through Bloomerang and its associated payment-processing services.

We use KoboToolbox for certain program records, surveys, community needs assessments, service information, research, program evaluation, and other data-collection activities.

Information collected through these forms may be stored and processed through KoboToolbox on behalf of West Avenue Compassion.

West Avenue Compassion participates in the Feeding America network and may use Feeding America or affiliated food-bank technology systems to collect and maintain information associated with food assistance.

This may include information related to household participation, eligibility, food distribution, services provided, and information required for program administration and reporting.

These third-party technology providers maintain their own privacy and security practices. Information processed through their systems may also be subject to their applicable privacy policies, terms, and data-protection practices.

West Avenue Compassion may use collected information to:

• Provide requested assistance and services
• Coordinate community-resource referrals
• Determine program eligibility when required
• Document services provided
• Manage food-assistance programs
• Communicate with clients, volunteers, donors, supporters, and community partners
• Coordinate volunteer activities
• Process and acknowledge donations
• Maintain appropriate organizational and program records
• Understand community needs and service gaps
• Evaluate the effectiveness of our programs
• Improve our programs and operations
• Measure program participation and outcomes
• Prepare grant, funding, statistical, and program reports
• Meet requirements established by funders, food-assistance networks, government programs, or community partners
• Improve and maintain our website
• Protect the security and operation of our systems
• Comply with applicable legal requirements

One of the purposes of collecting program information is to better understand the needs of the community we serve. West Avenue Compassion may analyze program and community information to identify patterns, service gaps, emerging needs, and opportunities to improve community services. We may also use aggregated or de-identified information for:

• Program evaluation
• Community needs assessments
• Research
• Strategic planning
• Grant applications and reporting
• Community advocacy
• Presentations
• Reports and publications
• Improving services and developing new programs

Whenever practical, information used for these purposes will be aggregated or de-identified so that individual clients are not personally identifiable.

West Avenue Compassion does not sell client, donor, volunteer, or program-participant information.

We may share information with service providers, technology providers, program partners, funding organizations, government programs, or other organizations when reasonably necessary to operate our programs, provide requested services, meet legitimate reporting requirements, or comply with applicable law.

When possible, information shared for reporting, research, evaluation, or planning purposes will be aggregated or de-identified.

We may also disclose information when required by law or when reasonably necessary to protect the safety, rights, or property of West Avenue Compassion, the people we serve, or others.

West Avenue Compassion takes reasonable administrative and technical measures to protect information entrusted to us.

Access to identifiable client, donor, volunteer, and program information is limited to authorized staff members, volunteers, service providers, and partners who have a legitimate need for access.

We seek to collect only the information reasonably necessary to provide services, administer programs, understand community needs, maintain organizational operations, and meet applicable program requirements.

No electronic system, website, database, or method of transmitting information can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We therefore encourage people to avoid submitting highly sensitive information through ordinary email or general website contact forms.

West Avenue Compassion provides community-resource advocacy and may connect people with healthcare, behavioral health, housing, benefits, and social-service resources. People seeking assistance should avoid submitting Social Security numbers, detailed medical records, financial account information, immigration documents, or other highly sensitive information through general website contact forms or ordinary email unless specifically instructed to use an appropriate system. General website forms and ordinary WAC data-collection systems are not intended for the submission or storage of clinical records or protected health information. When healthcare services are provided through a healthcare partner, health information collected as part of that care will be handled according to the privacy practices and legal requirements applicable to the healthcare provider and the systems used to provide care. Healthcare providers and other organizations to which West Avenue Compassion refers clients maintain their own records and privacy practices.

Online donations may be processed using Bloomerang and associated payment-processing services.

Financial information necessary to complete a transaction may be transmitted directly to the applicable payment-processing provider.

West Avenue Compassion may maintain records of donations, donor contact information, donation history, and related communications for fundraising, acknowledgment, accounting, and organizational purposes.

Our website or services used to operate it may use cookies and similar technologies to provide website functionality, maintain security, understand website traffic, and improve the visitor experience.

Visitors can generally control cookies through their browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

The West Avenue Compassion website contains links to government agencies, nonprofit organizations, healthcare providers, community resources, social-service programs, donation services, and other third-party websites. These websites operate independently from West Avenue Compassion.

West Avenue Compassion is not responsible for the privacy practices, security, availability, or content of third-party websites. We encourage visitors to review the privacy policies of organizations before providing personal information directly to them.

Information provided by volunteers or prospective volunteers may be used to:

• Communicate about volunteer opportunities
• Coordinate schedules and activities
• Maintain volunteer records
• Provide training and program information
• Document volunteer participation
• Support the safe and effective operation of our programs

Additional information may be collected when required for particular volunteer roles.

West Avenue Compassion serves families, including families with children. Our general website is not designed to knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without appropriate involvement from a parent, guardian, or responsible adult. Some West Avenue Compassion programs may appropriately collect information about children as part of providing services to families. Such information should be collected and used only as reasonably necessary to administer those programs and provide services.

West Avenue Compassion may retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide services, maintain organizational and financial records, meet program and funding requirements, evaluate our work, comply with legal obligations, and fulfill the purposes described in this policy.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the requirements of the program or technology platform involved.

When information is no longer reasonably necessary, West Avenue Compassion may delete, anonymize, or securely dispose of it as appropriate.

You may contact West Avenue Compassion if you wish to:

• Ask how information you provided is being used
• Correct inaccurate contact information
• Update communication preferences
• Ask us to stop sending nonessential communications
• Request deletion of certain personal information when reasonably possible and when we are not required to retain it
• Raise a concern about how your information has been handled

Some information may need to be retained because of legal, financial, grant, food-assistance, program, or reporting requirements.

West Avenue Compassion may update this Privacy & Data Policy as our programs, technology, data practices, or legal obligations change. When significant changes are made, we will update the effective date shown at the top of this policy.

We encourage visitors to review this policy periodically.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how information submitted through our website is handled, please contact:

West Avenue Compassion
10715 West Avenue
San Antonio, Texas 78213
Phone: (210) 573-2847

resources@westavenuecompassion.org

Website: westavenuecompassion.org