Privacy Policy

Reading Opens Your World ("ROW," "we," "our," or "us") is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 92-1307297) based in Missoula, Montana. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our volunteers, donors, supporters, and website visitors. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website or interact with our programs.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you voluntarily provide to us, which may include:

• — Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address when you volunteer, donate, or contact us.
• — Newsletter Subscriptions: Name and email address when you sign up for our newsletter or communications.
• — Volunteer Information: Background check consent, availability, school preferences, and related program details.
• — Donation Information: Payment details processed securely through our third-party payment processor. We do not store credit card numbers.
• — Usage Data: IP addresses, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on our website, collected automatically via cookies and similar technologies.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• — To communicate with you about volunteer opportunities, literacy events, and program updates.
• — To send newsletters and email updates you have consented to receive.
• — To process volunteer applications and coordinate program logistics.
• — To acknowledge and process charitable donations and provide tax receipts.
• — To improve our website and services through aggregate usage analysis.
• — To comply with legal obligations and protect the safety of program participants.

3. Email Communications & Unsubscribe

When you sign up for our newsletter or communications, you consent to receive periodic emails from ROW about:

• — Program updates and impact reports
• — Volunteer opportunities and training events
• — Literacy resources and community events
• — Fundraising campaigns and donation appeals

You may unsubscribe from our email list at any time by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link in any email you receive from us, or by contacting us directly at info@rowreading.org. We will process your request promptly.

4. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to enhance your browsing experience. These may include:

• — Essential cookies: Required for basic website functionality, such as session management and security tokens.
• — Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site so we can improve it. Data is aggregated and anonymized.

Most browsers allow you to control cookie settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain features of our website.

5. Third-Party Services

We may use trusted third-party services to support our operations. These include:

• — Email service providers for newsletter delivery and transactional emails.
• — Payment processors for secure handling of charitable donations (we do not store payment card data).
• — Background check providers for volunteer screening in compliance with program safety requirements.
• — Analytics platforms that collect anonymized usage data to help us improve our website.

Each third-party service provider is bound by their own privacy policy. We share only the minimum necessary information to fulfill program operations.

6. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include:

• — Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS) for all web traffic.
• — Restricted access to personal data limited to authorized staff and volunteers with a legitimate need.
• — Secure hosting infrastructure and regular security practices.

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Children's Privacy

ROW serves children through our literacy programs. We take children's privacy with the utmost seriousness:

• — Student information is collected only through partnering schools and teachers, not directly from children.
• — Student identities are anonymized in our volunteer-matching system — volunteers never see student names until admin-approved.
• — We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 via our website.
• — Student data is used solely for program coordination and is not shared beyond authorized school and program staff.

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• — Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• — Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• — Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements).
• — Opt out of marketing and newsletter emails at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@rowreading.org.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. We will post the updated policy on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our website following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us: