Privacy Policy

Effective date: 2025-09-31
Who we are: Ripple Effects for Health & Wellness Society (“Ripple Effects”, “we”, “us”) is a non-profit society in British Columbia, Canada.
Contact: ripple.effects.society@gmail.com

1) Scope

This policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information of website visitors, donors, volunteers, and program participants who interact with [your domain] and related services (together, the “Services”).

We follow BC’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and, where applicable, PIPEDA.

2) What we collect

We collect only what we need to operate the Services.

  • Contact details: name, email, phone, city/province, messages submitted through forms.

  • Donations and fundraising: name, email, donation amount, and transaction metadata. Payment details are processed by Stripe; we do not receive or store full card numbers.

  • Program and event info (optional): RSVP details, availability, preferences, accessibility needs.

  • User content: testimonials, photos, stories you choose to submit (with consent).

  • Usage data and cookies: IP address, device/browser info, pages visited, referrers, via Squarespace and basic analytics/cookie tools.

  • Email preferences: subscription status and engagement with our emails.

Sensitive health information: We do not ask for medical records. If your message includes health details, we treat it as confidential and limit internal access.

3) How we use personal information

  • Provide and improve the website and Services.

  • Respond to inquiries and support requests.

  • Process and receipt donations; issue acknowledgements/tax receipts if applicable.

  • Run events and volunteer coordination.

  • Share updates, impact stories, and opportunities (you can unsubscribe anytime).

  • Keep our Services secure and detect abuse or fraud.

  • Meet legal, audit, and reporting obligations for a BC non-profit society.

We use information only for the purposes above, or as otherwise permitted by law and your consent.

4) Lawful basis / your consent

We rely on your consent (e.g., submitting a form, making a donation, opting into emails) and on legitimate interests such as operating a safe, effective non-profit website. You may withdraw consent at any time; this will not affect prior processing.

5) Sharing and service providers

We use trusted providers to run the Services. They process data on our behalf and only as instructed.

  • Squarespace (site hosting, forms, basic analytics)

  • Stripe (payments)

  • Email provider (e.g., Gmail/Google Workspace or Mailchimp)

  • Cloud storage (e.g., Google Drive)

Some providers may store data outside Canada (e.g., U.S.). We take steps to protect the information when transferred internationally.

We do not sell personal information. We disclose information if required by law or to protect our rights and users.

6) Cookies and analytics

We use cookies and similar technologies for site functionality, preferences, and aggregate analytics.

  • You can control cookies via your browser settings.

  • Optional/marketing cookies are disabled unless you opt in (where a banner is shown).

  • Do Not Track signals are not acted on due to lack of a common standard.

7) Children’s privacy

Our site is for a general audience. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If you believe a child provided information, contact us to delete it.

8) Retention

We keep information only as long as needed for the purposes above, including legal and financial record-keeping.

  • Inquiry emails and form submissions: typically up to 24 months.

  • Donation and financial records: 7 years (or longer if required by law).

  • Marketing preferences: until you unsubscribe or we delete inactive records.

9) Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the data, including access controls, encryption in transit (HTTPS), least-access practices, and provider due-diligence. No method is 100% secure; contact us if you suspect a breach.

10) Your choices and rights

Subject to BC PIPA and applicable laws, you can:

  • Access and request a copy of your personal information.

  • Ask for corrections.

  • Withdraw consent or object to certain uses.

  • Request deletion where legally permitted.

  • Opt out of marketing emails at any time via the unsubscribe link or by contacting us.

To make a request, email ripple.effects.society@gmail.com. We will verify identity and respond within a reasonable time.

If we cannot resolve a concern, you may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (OIPC).

11) User content, photos, and stories

If you submit testimonials, photos, or stories, you confirm you have the right to share them and grant us permission to use them on our site and materials. You can withdraw this permission for future use by contacting us; we will remove content where feasible.

12) Third-party links

Our site may link to external sites we do not control. Their privacy practices apply on those sites.

13) Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The “Effective date” shows when it was last revised. Significant changes will be highlighted on this page.

14) How to contact us

Questions or requests: ripple.effects.society@gmail.com
Mailing address: 1972 Szasz Drive, Nanaimo, BC, Canada, British Columbia, V9X1B9