Privacy Policy

§1Who This Policy Applies To

This Policy applies to:

• Donors — businesses and organizations that register on the Platform to list surplus food products for donation;
• Recipients — registered nonprofit food banks, food pantries, and food assistance organizations that use the Platform to identify and accept donated food; and
• Visitors — individuals who visit foodalertgo.com or interact with the Platform without creating an account.

"Personal Information" as used in this Policy means any information that identifies, relates to, or could reasonably be linked to a specific individual or organization.

§2Personal Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of Personal Information depending on how you use the Platform:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account and Registration Data — organization name, contact person name, mailing address, phone number, email address, username, and password when you create an account.
• Organizational Credentials — tax-exempt status documentation, EIN or nonprofit registration numbers, Feeding America membership information, and other verification documents submitted during onboarding.
• Donation Listing Data — food product type, quantity, expiration or best-by dates, storage requirements, allergen information, and pickup availability submitted by Donors.
• Transaction Records — pickup confirmations, donation receipts, match acceptances, and cancellation notices submitted through the Platform.
• Communications — messages, feedback, support requests, and other communications you send to us or submit through the Platform.
• Survey and Research Participation — responses to voluntary surveys, user research sessions, or feedback forms.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you access the Platform, we and our service providers may automatically collect:

• Device and Technical Data — IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, and referring URLs.
• Usage and Activity Data — pages viewed, features accessed, search queries, listing views, match acceptance rates, login frequency, and session duration.
• Cookie and Tracking Data — data collected through cookies, pixel tags, web beacons, and similar technologies as described in Section 5 below.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive Personal Information about you from:

• Verification Services — third-party nonprofit verification providers or IRS databases used to confirm tax-exempt status.
• Analytics Providers — aggregated or de-identified information from analytics tools that help us understand Platform usage.
• Referral Sources — if another User or partner organization referred you to the Platform, we may receive your contact information from that source.

§3How We Use Personal Information

We use Personal Information for the following purposes:

3.1 Platform Operations

• To create and manage your account;
• To facilitate matches between Donors and Recipients through our Matching Algorithm;
• To calculate and adjust Recipient Risk Scores as described in the Terms of Service;
• To process, confirm, and document Donation Transactions;
• To send service-related notifications, including pickup reminders, confirmation requests, and account alerts;
• To provide customer support and respond to inquiries; and
• To enforce our Terms of Service and other policies.

3.2 Platform Improvement

• To analyze usage patterns and improve the features, design, and functionality of the Platform;
• To debug errors and identify technical issues;
• To train and refine our Matching Algorithm and other automated systems; and
• To develop new features, services, and capabilities.

3.3 Security and Fraud Prevention

• To detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent, abusive, or unauthorized activity;
• To verify the identity and credentials of Users; and
• To protect the safety and integrity of the Platform, our Users, and the food supply.

3.4 Legal and Compliance

• To comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations;
• To respond to valid legal process, court orders, subpoenas, or government requests;
• To protect the rights, property, and safety of FoodAlert, our Users, and others; and
• To enforce or defend legal claims.

3.5 Academic and Applied Research

As described more fully in Section 9 below and in our Terms of Service, we use de-identified and aggregated data derived from Platform activity for academic and applied research purposes, including studies on food waste, food insecurity, supply chain efficiency, and nonprofit operations. Individually identifiable Personal Information is not disclosed in published research without your explicit written consent.

3.6 Communications

• To send you operational communications regarding your account or Donation Transactions;
• To send you Platform updates, policy changes, and notices required under our Terms of Service; and
• To send you optional communications about Platform features, impact reports, or related topics, subject to your communication preferences.

§4How We Share Personal Information

We may share Personal Information in the following circumstances:

4.1 With Other Users (Limited, Transaction-Specific)

When a Donation Opportunity is matched, we share the minimum necessary contact and logistics information between the relevant Donor and Recipient to facilitate pickup and documentation of the donation. This sharing is limited to the transaction at hand and does not include full account profiles.

4.2 With Service Providers

We share Personal Information with third-party vendors and service providers that help us operate the Platform, including:

• Cloud hosting and data storage providers;
• Email and notification delivery services;
• Analytics and performance monitoring tools;
• Identity and credential verification services; and
• Customer support platforms.

All service providers are contractually required to use your Personal Information only as directed by FoodAlert and to maintain appropriate security measures.

4.3 With Academic Research Partners

We may share de-identified and aggregated data with academic researchers at universities or research institutions under data use agreements that prohibit re-identification and require IRB oversight where applicable. No individually identifiable Personal Information is shared for research purposes without your explicit written consent. See Section 9 for full details.

4.4 For Legal Compliance and Safety

We may disclose Personal Information when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with applicable law, regulation, or legal process;
• Respond to a valid subpoena, court order, or government request;
• Protect the safety of any person from threat of harm;
• Investigate or address fraud, security incidents, or violations of our Terms of Service; or
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of FoodAlert, our Users, or others.

4.5 Business Transfers

If FoodAlert is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, your Personal Information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will take reasonable steps to require the receiving entity to handle your Personal Information in accordance with this Privacy Policy, or provide you with notice and a choice before your Personal Information is used under a materially different privacy policy.

4.6 With Your Consent

We may share Personal Information for purposes not described in this Policy if we have obtained your prior written consent.

§5Cookies and Tracking Technologies

5.1 What We Use

We and our service providers use cookies, pixel tags, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to:

• Keep you logged in to your account;
• Remember your preferences and settings;
• Understand how the Platform is used and measure performance;
• Detect and prevent security incidents; and
• Improve the Platform based on usage patterns.

5.2 Types of Cookies

• Essential Cookies — Required for the Platform to function. These cannot be disabled without impairing Platform functionality.
• Analytical Cookies — Help us understand usage patterns and Platform performance (e.g., session length, pages visited, errors encountered). We use tools such as Google Analytics for these purposes.
• Functional Cookies — Store your preferences and settings to personalize your experience.

5.3 Your Choices

Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling essential cookies may impair your ability to log in or use certain Platform features. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

§6Data Retention

We retain Personal Information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, to maintain your account, to comply with applicable legal obligations, and to support longitudinal academic research as described in Section 9.

You may request deletion of your Personal Information as described in Section 8.

§7Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your Personal Information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include:

• Encrypted data transmission using industry-standard SSL/TLS protocols;
• Access controls limiting Personal Information to authorized personnel;
• Regular security assessments of our systems and infrastructure; and
• Incident response procedures to detect and respond to security events.

No method of Internet transmission or data storage is completely secure. While we work to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a security incident that materially affects your Personal Information, we will notify you as required by applicable law.

§8Your Privacy Rights and Choices

Depending on your state of residence, you may have the following rights regarding your Personal Information:

8.6 California Residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including:

• The right to know the specific pieces of Personal Information we have collected about you;
• The right to know the categories of third parties with whom we have shared your information;
• The right to opt out of the sale of your Personal Information (note: we do not sell Personal Information);
• The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights; and
• The right to limit the use of Sensitive Personal Information where applicable.

To exercise your California privacy rights, contact us at contact@foodalertgo.com.

8.7 Other State Residents

Residents of Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, Texas, and other states with comprehensive privacy legislation may have similar rights to access, correct, delete, and port their Personal Information, and to opt out of certain processing activities. To exercise these rights, contact us at contact@foodalertgo.com.

8.8 How to Submit a Request

To exercise any of the rights described above:

• Email — contact@foodalertgo.com
• Subject line — "Privacy Rights Request"

We will respond to verified requests within forty-five (45) days, or as otherwise required by applicable law. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request.

§9Academic and Applied Research

FoodAlert is committed to advancing knowledge about food insecurity, food waste, and nonprofit supply chains. With your consent — provided through your agreement to our Terms of Service — we may use de-identified and aggregated data derived from your Platform activity for academic and applied research.

9.1 What Data Is Used for Research

Research data is derived from Donation Transaction records, Platform activity logs, and organizational characteristics. All research data is de-identified and aggregated before use. No individual organization names, contact details, or personally identifying information are included in research datasets unless you have provided explicit written consent.

9.2 How Research Is Conducted

Research is conducted by FoodAlert or by academic researchers affiliated with universities or research institutions under formal data use agreements. All research involving human subjects data is conducted in compliance with applicable research ethics standards, including Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversight where required under 45 C.F.R. Part 46.

9.3 Research Outputs

Research findings may be published in peer-reviewed academic journals, conference proceedings, policy reports, and working papers. FoodAlert and its research partners take reasonable steps to ensure that published findings cannot be used to identify individual Users or organizations.

9.4 Opting Out

You may opt out of having your data used for research purposes at any time by contacting contact@foodalertgo.com. Opting out will not affect your access to the Platform, but it will prevent your data from being included in future research datasets. Data already incorporated into completed research projects may not be retroactively removed.

§10Children’s Privacy

The Platform is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under 13. Organizations registering as Donors or Recipients must represent that they are authorized to enter into binding agreements and are not acting on behalf of children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected Personal Information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. Contact us at contact@foodalertgo.com if you have concerns about a child's information.

§11Third-Party Links and Services

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites, resources, or services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through the Platform.

§12Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email or through a prominent notice on the Platform at least fourteen (14) days before the changes take effect. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this Policy reflects the most recent revision. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy.

§13Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us at: