Privacy Policy

Operation Santa, Inc. (“Operation Santa,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy of our donors, sponsors, volunteers, event participants, community partners, website visitors, and the children and families our organization serves.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, protect, and share information obtained through operationsantainc.org, our online donation and registration forms, and other online services that link to this policy.

INFORMATION WE COLLECT

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Make a financial or in-kind donation
• Register for a fundraising event
• Purchase an event ticket or sponsorship
• Contact us through the website, email, phone, or text message
• Sign up to receive updates
• Volunteer with our organization
• Participate in a fundraiser, contest, drawing, or community program
• Submit information on behalf of a business, organization, or community partner

The information collected may include:

• Name
• Mailing address
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Business or organization name
• Donation or sponsorship amount
• Event registration information
• Team member or guest information
• Communication preferences
• Information included in messages or forms you submit
• Other information reasonably necessary to administer a donation, event, sponsorship, volunteer opportunity, or program

DONATIONS & PAYMENT INFORMATION

Online donations, event registrations, sponsorship payments, and certain other transactions may be processed through third-party fundraising or payment platforms, including Zeffy.

When you complete a transaction through a third-party platform, that provider may collect your payment card, bank account, billing, contact, and transaction information according to its own privacy policy and terms.

Operation Santa may receive information connected to the transaction, such as:

• Your name and contact information
• The amount and date of your donation or payment
• The event, campaign, sponsorship, or program supported
• The general payment method used, such as credit card, ACH, check, cash, or manual payment.
• Information needed to provide a confirmation, receipt, or acknowledgment

Operation Santa does not generally receive or store your complete credit card number, bank account number, or payment security code when a transaction is processed through an outside payment provider.

HOW WE USE INFORMATION

We may use the information we collect to:

• Process and document donations, registrations, sponsorships, and other transactions
• Provide donation confirmations, tax acknowledgments, and payment receipts
• Communicate about events, campaigns, volunteer opportunities, and organizational programs
• Manage event registration, attendance, teams, guests, sponsorship benefits, and check-in
• Respond to questions, requests, and messages
• Recognize donors and sponsors when appropriate
• Maintain donor and supporter records
• Coordinate volunteers and community partnerships
• Improve our website, fundraising activities, and community outreach
• Prevent fraud, misuse, or security incidents
• Maintain financial, accounting, tax, audit, and organizational records
• Comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements
• Carry out the charitable mission of Operation Santa

We will not use personal information in a manner that is materially inconsistent with the purpose for which it was collected without providing appropriate notice or obtaining permission when required.

DONOR PRIVACY

Operation Santa values the trust of every individual, family, business, and organization that supports our mission.

We do not sell, rent, or trade donor information. We do not provide donor lists to other organizations for their independent marketing or fundraising purposes.

Donor information is used primarily to:

• Process and document contributions
• Provide receipts and acknowledgments
• Communicate about the contribution or supported campaign
• Maintain required financial and tax records
• Share relevant Operation Santa news and fundraising opportunities when the donor has not opted out

We may publicly recognize donors or sponsors when:

• Recognition is included as part of a sponsorship or fundraising agreement
• The donor or sponsor has given permission
• The donor has made the contribution publicly
• Recognition is reasonably understood to be part of the event or campaign

A donor may request that a contribution remain anonymous or that the donor’s name not be included in public recognition materials. Requests may be sent to admin@operationsantainc.org.

Information may still be maintained privately when needed for accounting, tax reporting, auditing, fraud prevention, legal compliance, or internal organizational records.

HOW WE SHARE INFORMATION

We may share information with trusted service providers that assist us with activities such as:

• Donation and payment processing
• Event registration and ticketing
• Website hosting and maintenance
• Email and communication services
• Accounting and financial recordkeeping
• Data storage and organizational administration
• Website traffic and performance analytics

These providers may access information only as reasonably necessary to perform services for Operation Santa and are subject to their own privacy and security practices.

We may also disclose information:

• When required by law, subpoena, court order, or government request
• To protect the rights, safety, property, or security of Operation Santa, our supporters, program participants, or others
• To investigate suspected fraud, misuse, or illegal activity
• With the individual’s consent or at the individual’s direction
• To professional advisors, accountants, auditors, insurers, or legal counsel when reasonably necessary

We do not share mobile telephone numbers or text-message consent information with third parties for their independent marketing or promotional purposes

COOKIES & WEBSITE ANALYTICS

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Help the website operate properly
• Understand how visitors use the website
• Measure website traffic and performance
• Remember certain preferences
• Improve the website experience
• Support registration, fundraising, and embedded third-party features

Cookies are small files placed on your device by a website or service provider. Some information collected through cookies may include:

• Internet Protocol address
• Browser type
• Device type
• Pages visited
• Referring website
• Approximate location
• Date and time of website activity

You may manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain website features, registration forms, donation tools, or embedded content.

Where a cookie consent option is presented, visitors may use that option to manage applicable cookie preferences.

EMAIL & TEXT COMMUNICATIONS

We may send emails or text messages related to:

• Donations and receipts
• Event registrations
• Sponsorships
• Volunteer activities
• Fundraising campaigns
• Program updates
• Organizational announcements

You may unsubscribe from promotional emails by using the unsubscribe link provided in the message or by contacting us.

You may request that promotional text messages stop by replying STOP, when that option is available, or by contacting us directly. Transactional communications, such as registration confirmations or donation receipts, may still be sent when necessary to complete or document your request.

Operation Santa’s mission includes serving children and families. We take the privacy of program recipients seriously.

Our website is intended for a general audience and is not directed toward children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through the website without appropriate authorization.

Information concerning children or families that is received from schools, parents, guardians, community organizations, or program partners will be used only as reasonably necessary to administer Operation Santa programs, coordinate assistance, protect participants, and maintain appropriate organizational records.

We do not sell or use recipient information for commercial marketing purposes.

Operation Santa will not knowingly publish identifying information, personal circumstances, photographs, videos, or stories concerning a child or family receiving assistance without appropriate permission or authorization.

PHOTOGRAHS, VIDEOS & EVENET MEDIA

Operation Santa may take photographs or videos at public events and fundraising activities. These materials may be used to document the event, recognize community support, promote future activities, or communicate the organization’s charitable impact.

When photographs, names, testimonials, or stories involve identifiable children or families receiving assistance, we will seek appropriate permission before publication.

Anyone with concerns about an image published by Operation Santa may contact us to request that we review or remove it.

DATA SECURITY

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards intended to protect personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, disclosure, or alteration.

Access to personal information is limited to volunteers, board members, service providers, and other authorized individuals who reasonably need the information to perform organizational responsibilities.

No website, electronic transmission, or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. For that reason, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of information transmitted or stored electronically.

INFORMATION RETENTION

We retain personal information only as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Complete the purpose for which it was collected
• Maintain donation, accounting, tax, and audit records
• Administer events, programs, sponsorships, and volunteer activities
• Resolve disputes or respond to inquiries
• Prevent fraud or misuse
• Meet legal, insurance, and organizational requirements

Information that is no longer reasonably needed will be deleted, destroyed, anonymized, or securely archived when practical.

YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES

You may contact us to request that we:

• Provide information about the personal information we maintain about you
• Correct inaccurate or outdated information
• Update your contact or communication preferences
• Stop sending promotional communications
• Remove your name from public donor recognition
• Mark future donations as anonymous
• Delete certain personal information when it is no longer needed for legal, tax, accounting, security, or organizational purposes

We may need to verify your identity before completing a request. Some information may need to be retained when required for tax, accounting, legal, fraud-prevention, or recordkeeping purposes.

Operation Santa will not discriminate against an individual for making a reasonable privacy request.

THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES & SERVICES

Our website may contain links to or embedded content from third-party websites, social media platforms, fundraising services, registration systems, maps, videos, or other online services.

Operation Santa does not control the privacy, security, or data collection practices of third-party services. Visitors should review the privacy policies and terms of those services before submitting personal or payment information.

CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our website, programs, fundraising activities, service providers, or legal responsibilities.

The revised policy will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date. Continued use of the website after an update means that the revised policy will apply to information collected after the updated policy becomes effective.

CONTACT OPERATION SANTA, INC.

Questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy may be directed to:

Operation Santa, Inc.
18563 North Shore Drive
Hidden Valley Lake, CA 95467

Email: admin@operationsantainc.org

Phone or Text: 707-809-5785

Website: operationsantainc.org