Privacy Policy

Last Updated: December 2025

MercyTree International Foundation (“MercyTree,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is strongly committed to protecting the privacy of our donors, website visitors, volunteers, employment applicants, and all individuals who interact with us.

This Privacy Policy explains:

• What information we collect
• How we use and share that information
• How we protect your information
• Your choices and rights regarding your information

This Privacy Policy applies when you:

• Donate to MercyTree, online or offline
• Visit any of our websites, including but not limited to mercytreefoundation.org and mercytreeintf.org
• Communicate with us via phone, email, mail, or other channels
• Apply for employment, volunteer, or internship opportunities

By visiting our websites or providing information to us, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. We can provide a hard copy of this policy upon request.

If you have any questions or concerns about privacy or data use, please contact us at:
Phone: 916-224-3763
Email: contact@mercytreefoundation.org

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Donor Information

If you donate to MercyTree (online, by mail, by phone, or otherwise), we may collect personally identifiable information, including:

• Name
• Postal address
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Payment information (such as credit card details or bank account details, processed securely by third-party providers)
• Donation history and preferences

We use this information to:

• Process and acknowledge your donation
• Issue tax receipts and acknowledgments
• Communicate with you about your gifts and our work
• Improve our outreach, stewardship, and fundraising strategies
• Analyze donation trends and website usage
• Improve our content, services, and donor experience

We may also collect personal information about your contacts, for example:

• Name and address of a gift recipient, when you make a tribute or gift in someone else’s honor

We will use such information only for the specific purpose for which it is provided (e.g., sending a tribute notification).

If you believe someone has provided us with your personal information and you would like it removed from our records, please contact us at 916-224-3763 or contact@mercytreefoundation.org.

1.2 Information from Other Sources

We may receive information about you from:

• Publicly available databases
• Data providers and third parties from whom we purchase or obtain data

We may combine this information with data we already have. This helps us to:

• Update, correct, or validate our records
• Identify potential new donors
• Design more relevant campaigns and projects

Examples of such data include:

• Address updates from third-party sources, such as the U.S. Postal Service
• Demographic or philanthropic indicators used to tailor communication

We will only use this combined information for the purposes described in this Policy.

1.3 Non-Donation Communications

You may provide personally identifiable information to us for reasons other than donating, such as:

• Signing up for newsletters or email updates
• Registering for events
• Requesting information or materials

In such cases, we collect and store the information you provide (e.g., name, address, email address) and use it to:

• Fulfill your request (e.g., send newsletters, event information, or updates)
• Provide additional information about our work and related topics
• Communicate via channels such as email, postal mail, phone, SMS/text, or social media, where permitted by law

We do not share this information with third parties except as described in the “Sharing with Third Parties” section.

1.4 Employment, Volunteer, and Internship Applications

If you apply for a job, volunteer role, or internship with MercyTree, we may collect:

• Name, address, email, and phone number
• Resume/CV and cover letter
• Professional qualifications, references, and other information included in applications or forms

All such information is treated as confidential and is used exclusively for:

• Evaluating your qualifications
• Contacting you regarding opportunities or application status
• Internal human resources processes

We do not use this information for fundraising or marketing purposes.

2. Sharing with Third Parties

2.1 Service Providers and Business Partners

We may share your information with third-party service providers who perform functions on our behalf, such as:

• Hosting donor and contact databases
• Processing donations and credit card payments
• Sending postal mail and email communications
• Data modeling, analytics, and reporting
• Managing online donation forms and related platforms

These companies are given access to personal information only as needed to perform their services for us and are required to:

• Keep your information confidential
• Use your information only for the purposes of providing services to MercyTree

We may retain your information for as long as your account is active or as necessary to:

• Keep you informed about our campaigns and projects
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes
• Enforce our agreements

If you wish to have your contact information removed from our systems, contact us at 916-224-3763 or contact@mercytreefoundation.org.

2.2 Mailing List Exchanges

MercyTree does not sell or rent its mailing list to organizations that solicit donations or sell products.

However, to improve our fundraising efficiency and reduce costs, we may exchange portions of our mailing list with selected nonprofit organizations.

If you prefer not to have your personal information shared in this way, please contact our Donor Services Department at:
Email: contact@mercytreefoundation.org
Phone: 916-224-3763

2.3 Other Disclosures

We may disclose your personal information:

• As required by law, including in response to law enforcement requests, court orders, subpoenas, or similar legal processes
• When we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to:
  • Protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property
  • Protect the rights, safety, or property of others
  • Investigate fraud or respond to a government request

3. Security

We take the security of your information seriously and use industry-standard safeguards to protect it.

• When you submit personal information via forms on our sites, the transmission is protected using HTTPS and high-grade encryption.
• Third-party vendors that process online donations and credit card transactions must:
  • Use strong encryption and security protocols
  • Comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS)
  • Maintain appropriate independent audits or certifications

We store personal information in secure systems accessible only by authorized personnel trained in proper data-handling practices. Measures may include:

• Firewalls
• Encryption
• Intrusion detection
• Access controls and monitoring

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you have questions about the security of your personal information, contact us at 916-224-3763 or contact@mercytreefoundation.org.

We may retain your information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide you with information about our campaigns and projects
• Comply with legal requirements
• Resolve disputes
• Enforce our agreements

4. Normal Browsing

You may browse our websites without telling us who you are or revealing personal information.

During normal browsing, we may automatically collect:

• IP (Internet Protocol) address
• Domain name
• Browser type and operating system
• Device and mobile-related information
• Referring site (the website that linked you to us)
• Pages visited, files downloaded, and date/time of visits

We use this information in aggregate form to:

• Analyze trends
• Administer and improve the site
• Measure the reach and effectiveness of our online presence

We do not attempt to identify individual users through this information unless required for security or legal reasons.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

MercyTree and our partners use cookies and similar technologies (such as session replay/capture) to:

• Analyze website and donation form usage
• Administer the site and forms
• Track user movement and interactions
• Gather demographic and interest-based information

You can usually control cookies at the browser level. If cookies are disabled, some features or functions may not work properly.

5.1 How We Use Cookies

We may use cookies to:

• Remember your preferences during a session
• Analyze traffic patterns
• Improve site functionality and design
• Track conversions from campaigns
• Support “retargeting” in online advertising, so that third-party vendors (including Google) can show you MercyTree-related ads based on your past visits to our site

These cookies are typically anonymized and do not store personally identifiable information.

You can opt out of Google advertising cookies by visiting:
http://www.google.com/privacy/ads/#toc-edit

5.2 Interest-Based Advertising

We work with third-party partners to manage and display advertising on other websites. These partners may use cookies or similar technologies to provide ads based on:

• Your browsing activity
• Your interests
• Your approximate geographic location

To opt out of interest-based advertising, you can visit:

• Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA): http://www.aboutads.info/choices
• Network Advertising Initiative (NAI): http://www.networkadvertising.org

Please note: You may still see generic ads even if you opt out.

5.3 Social Media Features

Our website may include social media features, such as the Facebook “Like” button, and widgets, such as “Share This” tools. These features may:

• Collect your IP address
• Log which page you are visiting
• Set a cookie to function properly

These features may be hosted by a third party or directly on our site. Your interactions with them are governed by the privacy policies of the companies providing those features.

5.4 Data Matching and Targeted Outreach

We may work with data providers to target communications to you (online and offline) through email, display media, and direct mail. This may involve:

• Matching cookie or device data with de-identified identifiers (such as hashed email or postal address)
• Tailoring messaging to your interests or past engagement with MercyTree

To learn more about targeted advertising and your options, visit the DAA consumer choice page at:
http://www.aboutads.info/choices

6. External Links

Our sites may contain links to other websites. Unless explicitly stated, MercyTree:

• Does not control, endorse, or make representations about third-party sites
• Is not responsible for the content, policies, or practices of those sites

When you leave our domain, this Privacy Policy no longer applies. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.

7. Children’s Privacy

MercyTree welcomes children to learn about our organization and humanitarian issues, but we are especially committed to protecting their privacy.

In line with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA):

• We do not knowingly request or collect personally identifiable information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent.
• If we learn that a child under 13 has provided personal information without such consent, we will use reasonable efforts to delete it from our records.

Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided personal information to us should contact:
Phone: 916-224-3763
Email: contact@mercytreefoundation.org

We encourage parents to monitor their children’s internet use and instruct them never to provide personal information online without permission.

8. Accessing, Updating, or Deleting Your Information

Upon request, MercyTree will inform you whether we hold any of your personal information.

If you have donated to us or provided information and wish to:

• Access your personal data
• Correct or update your information
• Delete your personal data (subject to legal and operational requirements)
• Adjust your mail or communication preferences

Please contact us:

• Via our website contact form
• By phone at 916-224-3763
• By email at contact@mercytreefoundation.org

We will respond within a reasonable timeframe.

9. Email, Newsletters, and Opt-Out Preferences

You may subscribe to receive email newsletters, updates, and other communications from us.

If you wish to stop receiving these communications, you may:

• Click the “Unsubscribe” link in any email we send
• Adjust your preferences via your member profile (if applicable)
• Contact us at 916-224-3763 or contact@mercytreefoundation.org

We will process your opt-out request within a reasonable period, in compliance with applicable laws.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:

• Changes in our practices
• Legal or regulatory requirements
• Feedback from donors, visitors, or stakeholders

If we make material changes in how we use your personal information, we will post a prominent notice on our website. We encourage you to review this page periodically for the latest information.

11. Questions, Concerns, or Complaints

We value feedback from our donors and site visitors. If you have any:

• Questions about this Privacy Policy
• Concerns or complaints about our data practices
• Suggestions about our services or campaigns

Please contact us at:
Email: contact@mercytreefoundation.org
Phone: 916-224-3763

12. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

By using our websites or providing your personal information, you agree that:

• This Privacy Policy, and any disputes related to it, are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict of law principles.
• Any dispute relating to this Privacy Policy shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Sacramento, California.

MERCYTREE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION® and other marks used on this website are trademarks of MercyTree International Foundation, Inc. or its affiliates and may not be used without permission.