Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2026

1. Information We Collect

When you create an account on Patterns of Peace, we collect:

  • Account information: Your name, email address, and password (stored securely using industry-standard hashing).
  • Profile information: Your location in Ohio, bio, and volunteer interests that you choose to provide.
  • Activity data: Volunteer hours, activities, and organizations you engage with through the platform.
  • Verification contact information: When you request verification of your volunteer hours, you provide the name and email address of an organization contact (such as a supervisor or volunteer coordinator) so we can email them a request to confirm those hours.
  • Donation information: If you make a donation, payment is processed by our payment provider (Stripe). We do not collect or store your full card details; we receive only a confirmation and limited transaction information.
  • Usage data: How you interact with the platform, including pages visited and features used.
  • Communications: Messages sent through our community chat and AI assistant.

Organization contacts: If a volunteer lists you as a verification contact, we receive your name and email address from that volunteer solely to send you a one-time request to confirm the volunteer’s hours. You are not required to create an account, and you may ignore the request. We do not use your address for marketing.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

  • Match you with relevant volunteer opportunities in Ohio.
  • Track and display your volunteer hours and impact.
  • Request and record verification of your volunteer hours from the organization contacts you provide.
  • Process donations you choose to make.
  • Provide personalized recommendations through our AI assistant.
  • Send you notifications about opportunities and platform updates (if opted in).
  • Improve and maintain the platform.

3. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share limited information with:

  • Volunteer organizations: When you express interest in an opportunity, the organization may receive your name and contact information.
  • Verification contacts: When you request hour verification, the organization contact you specify receives your name, the activity, and the hours you logged so they can confirm or dispute them.
  • Service providers: Third-party services that help us operate the platform — including hosting, email delivery (Resend), and payment processing (Stripe). Donations are handled by Stripe under their own privacy policy.
  • Legal requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights and safety.

4. Hour Verification & Public Portfolio

You may request that an organization confirm volunteer hours you logged. We email the contact you provide a secure, single-use link to confirm or dispute those hours; no account is created for them. Verified hours may be displayed with a “verified” indicator on your profile.

You can choose to share a public portfolio link that displays your name and your verified volunteer activities and hours (for example, for a résumé or scholarship application). Only verified activities are shown publicly, and the page is only accessible to people you share the link with. Unverified and private activity details are not included.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your personal information, including encrypted passwords, secure HTTPS connections, and access controls. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.

6. Your Rights

You can:

  • Access and update your profile information at any time through your dashboard settings.
  • Delete your account and all associated data.
  • Opt out of email notifications.
  • Request a copy of your data by contacting us.

7. Cookies

We use essential cookies to maintain your login session and preferences. We do not use third-party advertising or tracking cookies.

8. Children's Privacy

Patterns of Peace is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify registered users of any significant changes via email.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy, please contact us at hello@patternsofpeace.org.