Privacy policy
<p><strong>Last updated October 1, 2026</strong></p>
<p>Uniform Families Foundation ("UFF," "we," "us") is a California nonprofit public charity recognized by the IRS under Section 501(c)(3), EIN 41-5063345. We serve firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement, medical staff, military, and their children. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through uniformfamiliesfoundation.com and our programs, how we use it, how we protect it, and the choices you have.</p>
<h2>1. Information You Give Us</h2>
<p>We collect information you choose to share with us when you:</p>
<ul>
<li>Sign up for our newsletter (email address)</li>
<li>Contact us through the site, by email, or by phone (name, email, phone, and your message)</li>
<li>Request help through one of our programs (name, contact information, household details related to the request, and proof of service as described below)</li>
<li>Volunteer, nominate a family, or register for an event</li>
<li>Post in one of our forums (your display name and anything you write)</li>
<li>Make a purchase in our shop (name, shipping address, email, phone, and order details)</li>
<li>Make a donation (see Section 3)</li>
</ul>
<h2>2. Verification Documents</h2>
<p>Our programs are for uniform families, so we may ask for proof of service before we provide help. Proof may include an agency identification card, a badge number, a pay stub, a military ID, or discharge papers. These documents are reviewed privately by UFF leadership, used only to confirm eligibility, never posted or published, never sold or shared with outside parties except as described in Section 5, and kept only as long as needed to process your request and meet our record keeping duties.</p>
<h2>3. Donations</h2>
<p>Online donations to UFF are processed by Zeffy, our donation platform. When you give, Zeffy collects your payment details and shares your name, email address, mailing address, gift amount, and any program or fund you designate with UFF so we can record your gift, thank you, and honor your designation. Zeffy issues your tax receipt. UFF does not receive or store full credit card or bank account numbers. Zeffy's own privacy policy, posted at <a href="https://www.zeffy.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">zeffy.com</a>, governs the information Zeffy collects.</p>
<h2>4. Shop Purchases and Information Collected Automatically</h2>
<p>Our website and shop run on Shopify. When you place an order, your payment is processed by Shopify's payment providers, and UFF does not store your full card number. Purchases of merchandise are not tax deductible donations.</p>
<p>Like most websites, our site automatically collects certain technical information when you visit, including your IP address, browser and device type, the pages you view, and how you arrived at the site. This is collected through cookies and similar technologies used by Shopify and our analytics tools. Shopify's privacy practices are described at <a href="https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shopify.com/legal/privacy</a>.</p>
<h2>5. How We Use and Share Information</h2>
<p>We use your information to:</p>
<ul>
<li>Review program requests and deliver help</li>
<li>Record donations, send thank you messages, and honor gift designations</li>
<li>Fulfill and ship shop orders</li>
<li>Send our newsletter and updates to people who signed up</li>
<li>Run our forums and events</li>
<li>Keep our site secure, prevent fraud, and meet our legal and tax obligations</li>
<li>Understand how our site is used so we can improve it</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>We do not sell your personal information.</strong> We do not rent, trade, or share our donor, newsletter, or program lists with other organizations for their own marketing.</p>
<p>We share information only in these situations:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Service providers.</strong> Companies that help us run the site and our programs, such as Shopify, Zeffy, email delivery services, and shipping carriers. They may use your information only to perform services for UFF.</li>
<li><strong>Partner organizations.</strong> When help you requested is delivered with or through a partner, we share only what that partner needs to deliver it, and only with your knowledge.</li>
<li><strong>Legal requirements.</strong> When required by law, subpoena, or court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of UFF, the families we serve, or others.</li>
<li><strong>Public recognition.</strong> We publish donor and partner names only with permission. We never identify a family or individual who received help without their written consent.</li>
</ul>
<h2>6. Cookies and Your Privacy Choices</h2>
<p>Cookies allow the site to remember your shopping cart, keep you signed in to the forums, and show us which pages are visited most. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings, though some parts of the site may not work as intended. To opt out of the sharing of your information for analytics or advertising, visit our <a href="https://www.uniformfamiliesfoundation.com/pages/data-sharing-opt-out">Your Privacy Choices</a> page.</p>
<h2>7. Email and Text Communications</h2>
<p>If you sign up for our newsletter, you can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email or by writing to <a href="mailto:info@uniformfamiliesfoundation.com">info@uniformfamiliesfoundation.com</a>. We may still send you messages needed to complete a donation, order, or program request. We send text messages only to people who have asked for them, and you can reply STOP at any time.</p>
<h2>8. Children</h2>
<p>Our Uniform Kids programs serve the children of uniform families, but our website is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 online. Information about a child in a program is provided by a parent or guardian. If you believe a child under 13 has given us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.</p>
<h2>9. Your Rights and Choices</h2>
<p>You may ask us at any time to show you the personal information we hold about you, correct it, or delete it, and you may withdraw consent for communications. We will honor your request unless we are required to keep certain records, such as donation records, for tax and legal purposes. Send requests to <a href="mailto:info@uniformfamiliesfoundation.com">info@uniformfamiliesfoundation.com</a>.</p>
<h2>10. How We Protect and Keep Information</h2>
<p>We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information, and payments are handled by processors that meet payment card industry standards. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot promise absolute security. We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy and as required by law.</p>
<h2>11. Links to Other Websites</h2>
<p>Our site links to other websites, including Zeffy, GuideStar, partner organizations, and retailers. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites, and we encourage you to read their policies.</p>
<h2>12. Changes to This Policy</h2>
<p>We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes take effect when posted on this page with a new date at the top.</p>
<h2>13. Contact Us</h2>
<p>Uniform Families Foundation<br>
269 South Beverly Drive #1255<br>
Beverly Hills, CA 90212<br>
<a href="mailto:info@uniformfamiliesfoundation.com">info@uniformfamiliesfoundation.com</a><br>
<a href="tel:+18003491888">(800) 349-1888</a><br>
Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Pacific</p>
