< Privacy Policy - Spoken Heroes

Privacy Policy

Who we are

Suggested text: Our website address is: http://spokenheroes.org.

Comments

Suggested text: When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.

An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.

Media

Suggested text: If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.

Cookies

Suggested text: If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.

If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.

Embedded content from other websites

Suggested text: Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.

These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

Who we share your data with

Suggested text: If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.

How long we retain your data

Suggested text: If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.

What rights you have over your data

Suggested text: If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.

Where your data is sent

SMS Privacy Policy

Effective Date: December 26, 2025

At Spoken Heroes, your privacy is critically important to us. This SMS Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and protect your personal information when you opt in to receive text messages from us. By opting in to our SMS program, you agree to the practices outlined below. We follow the U.S. Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act, FCC regulations and CTIA Guidelines.

  1. Information We Collect

When you choose to receive text messages from Spoken Heroes, we may collect the following information:

  • Your mobile phone number and explicit consent to receive SMS messages.
  • Contact information you provide—such as your name, email address or mailing address—when you complete a form on our website, contact us by email or phone, or enroll in one of our programs.
  • Preferences or context you supply about the types of messages you would like to receive (e.g., program updates, volunteer opportunities, event reminders).

We do not collect unrelated personal information (such as social security numbers or financial information) through SMS.

  1. How We Use Your Information

We use your mobile number and interaction data only to:

  • Send you SMS messages based on the preferences you indicated when opting in—this may include updates about Spoken Heroes programs, workshops, events, volunteer opportunities, fundraising campaigns and timely notifications.
  • Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations (e.g., TCPA) and to maintain records of your consent.
  • Monitor and improve our SMS program by tracking engagement metrics (e.g., open rates and responses).

Your information is used only for the purposes specified at the time of opt‑in and will not be used to send unrelated messages.

  1. One‑to‑One Consent Requirement

Your SMS opt‑in applies exclusively to communications from Spoken Heroes. Consent to receive messages from us does not permit other organizations or third‑party affiliates to send you messages unless you separately and explicitly opt in to those communications. We do not share or sell your phone number to third parties for their marketing or promotional purposes.

  1. Message Frequency & Data Rates

Message frequency varies depending on your interaction with our programs but will typically be fewer than four messages per month unless there is an urgent notification (e.g., event reminder or schedule change). Standard message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier and plan. You are responsible for any charges or fees assessed by your carrier for SMS usage.

  1. Opt‑Out and Help Instructions

You can opt out of our SMS program at any time. To stop receiving messages, reply “STOP” to any Spoken Heroes text. We will confirm your opt‑out and will immediately stop sending messages to your number. For assistance or more information, reply “HELP” or contact us using the information in Section 10.

  1. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your mobile number and message data with trusted third‑party service providers only for the limited purpose of sending and managing our text messages (for example, SMS platform providers). These providers must adhere to strict confidentiality obligations and may not use your data for any other purpose. If you are registered on the National Do‑Not‑Call Registry, we will not send you promotional SMS messages unless you have given express consent.

  1. Security of Your Information

We take reasonable administrative, technical and physical measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure or misuse. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure; therefore we cannot guarantee absolute security.

  1. Record‑Keeping

In compliance with TCPA and CTIA guidelines, we maintain records of all opt‑ins and opt‑outs, including timestamps and methods of consent. These records may be used to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements.

  1. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this SMS Privacy Policy at any time. Significant changes will be communicated via SMS or posted on our website. Continued use of our SMS service after changes indicates your acceptance of the revised policy. Please review this policy periodically.

  1. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this SMS Privacy Policy, want to update your preferences, or need further assistance, please contact us:

  • Email: info@spokenheroes.org
  • Phone: (212) 381-6816
  • Mail: P.O. Box 7228, Newark, NJ 07107, United States

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