Privacy Policy

Effective Date: June 1, 2026

Table of Contents

508 CHEERS Inc. ("508 C.H.E.E.R.S.," "we," "us," or "our") is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Worcester, Massachusetts (EIN: 99-3506646). We are committed to protecting the privacy of everyone who visits our website, supports our work, volunteers with our programs, or partners with our organization.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices you have. By using our website at www.508cheers.org, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us when you interact with our website or our organization. This includes:

  • Email newsletter signups. When you join our mailing list through the "Stay connected" form, we collect your email address.
  • Contact form submissions. When you reach out to us through our contact form, we collect your name, email address, and any other information you choose to share in your message.
  • Volunteer applications. When you apply to volunteer with us, we collect the information you provide in the application, which may include your name, contact information, availability, areas of interest, and any background information relevant to the volunteer role.
  • Event registrations. When you register for an event we host, we collect the information needed to confirm your registration, which typically includes your name and contact information.
  • Partnership inquiries. When a business, school, or organization reaches out about partnering with us, we collect the contact and organizational information shared in the inquiry.
  • Donations. When you make a donation, you provide payment and contact information directly to our payment processor (currently PayPal). 508 C.H.E.E.R.S. does not directly collect or store your full payment card information. We may receive limited information from the processor, such as your name, email address, and donation amount, to acknowledge your gift and maintain our records.

We also collect limited information automatically when you visit our site, including your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and referring website. This information is collected through cookies and analytics tools as described below.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Send you updates, newsletters, and communications you have signed up to receive
  • Respond to your inquiries, applications, and partnership requests
  • Process and acknowledge donations
  • Coordinate volunteer activities and events
  • Improve our website, programs, and communications
  • Comply with legal obligations, including tax reporting requirements for charitable contributions
  • Protect the safety, rights, and property of 508 C.H.E.E.R.S., our community, and the public

How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. Ever.

We share information only in the following limited circumstances:

  • Service providers. We share information with third-party services that help us operate our website and organization. These include our payment processor (PayPal), our email service provider (currently GoDaddy), our analytics provider (Google Analytics), our search optimization tool (Yoast SEO), and our website translation widget. These providers have access only to the information they need to perform their functions and are obligated to protect it.
  • Legal requirements. We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government request, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of 508 C.H.E.E.R.S., our community members, or the public.
  • Organizational changes. In the unlikely event of a merger, acquisition, dissolution, or transfer of organizational assets, your information may be transferred as part of that process. We would notify you before any such transfer that would materially change how your information is handled.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to function properly and to help us understand how visitors use the site. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website.

We use:

  • Necessary cookies that allow the website to function correctly
  • Analytics cookies (through Google Analytics) that help us understand how visitors find and use our site
  • Functional cookies that support features like the language translation widget

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some features of the site. When you first visit our site, you will see a cookie banner where you can manage your preferences.

Your Privacy Rights

Regardless of where you live, you have the following rights regarding your information:

  • Access. You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
  • Correction. You can ask us to correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
  • Deletion. You can ask us to delete your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions (for example, donation records that we must retain for tax purposes).
  • Opt out of communications. You can unsubscribe from our emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email we send, or by contacting us directly.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [CONTACT_EMAIL]. We will respond to verified requests within 30 days.

California Residents

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to delete personal information, the right to correct inaccurate information, and the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information.

508 C.H.E.E.R.S. does not sell your personal information. We do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. You do not need to opt out, because there is nothing to opt out of.

If you would like to exercise your other CCPA rights, contact us at [CONTACT_EMAIL]. We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your privacy rights.

Children's Privacy

508 C.H.E.E.R.S. serves youth in Worcester, but our website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the website. All information collection on this site is intended for adult volunteers, donors, partners, and community members.

When children under 18 participate in our programs, any information collected about them is gathered offline, directly from a parent or legal guardian, and is handled separately from website data under our internal program policies.

If you believe we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13 through our website, please contact us at [CONTACT_EMAIL] and we will delete it promptly.

Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. This includes using secure connections, limiting access to personal data within our organization, and working with reputable service providers who maintain their own security practices.

No system is completely secure, however, and we cannot guarantee the security of information transmitted over the internet. If we become aware of a security incident that affects your personal information, we will notify you and applicable authorities as required by law.

Data Retention

We keep your information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law. Donation records are retained for tax and accounting purposes. Email subscribers are kept on our list until they unsubscribe. Volunteer and partnership records are kept for as long as the relationship is active and for a reasonable period afterward.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites, including our social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before sharing any information with them.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this policy and, where appropriate, notify you by email or through a notice on our website. Your continued use of our website after changes take effect indicates your acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us:

508 CHEERS Inc.

[MAILING_ADDRESS]

Email: [CONTACT_EMAIL]

EIN: 99-3506646

This privacy policy is subject to change as our organization and website grows. We will do our best to announce changes to this policy via email and site notice 30 days before any change becomes effective, except where a policy needs to change immediately in order to comply with laws and regulations.