Privacy Policy

Effective Date: February 2, 2026

Introduction

The Rankin Ministerial Alliance (“RMA,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals who seek assistance, volunteer with us, donate to our organization, or use our website. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, protect, and share your personal information.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Contact Information: Name, mailing address, email address, phone number
• Client Information: Household size, income information, residency documentation, assistance needs, bill copies
• Volunteer Information: Name, contact information, availability, areas of interest
• Donor Information: Name, contact information, donation amount and date
• Website Usage: Pages visited, time on site, browser type (via Google Analytics)

2. How We Collect Information

We collect information through:

• Online forms (client assistance applications, volunteer sign-ups, donation forms)
• Email communications
• Phone calls
• In-person interactions at our Food Bank or events
• Google Analytics on our website

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Process and respond to requests for assistance
• Determine eligibility for programs (verifying Rankin ISD boundaries)
• Coordinate volunteer activities and opportunities
• Process donations and provide tax-deductible receipts
• Communicate about programs, services, and events
• Generate anonymized statistics for grant reporting and program improvement
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements

4. How We Protect Your Information

We take the security of your information seriously:

• Limited Access: Only the RMA Chairman (Mandy Stanford) and Treasurer (Bianca Gray) have access to personally identifiable client information
• Physical Security: Paper records are stored in a locked filing cabinet
• Digital Security: Electronic records are stored in secure Google Sheets with restricted access
• Confidentiality: All board members, volunteers, and staff are required to maintain confidentiality

5. Information Sharing

We respect your privacy and do not sell or rent your personal information. We may share information in the following limited circumstances:

• Anonymized Reporting: We report aggregated, anonymized statistics to partner organizations like West Texas Food Bank (e.g., “50 families served” – never individual names)
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or legal process
• Direct Payment: For client assistance, we may share necessary information with utility companies or other vendors to pay bills directly on your behalf
• With Your Consent: We may share your story or photo (with permission) to illustrate our impact to donors

We do NOT share client names, addresses, or other identifying information with our member churches, other organizations, or the public without explicit consent.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy and to comply with legal requirements. Specifically:

• Client Records: Retained for 7 years to meet IRS and nonprofit compliance requirements
• Donation Records: Retained for 7 years for tax and audit purposes
• Volunteer Records: Retained while you are an active volunteer, plus 3 years

After the retention period, records are securely destroyed.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we have about you
• Correction: Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your information (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from non-essential communications at any time

To exercise these rights, please contact us at rankinministerialalliance@gmail.com or (920) 851-7394.

8. Cookies and Website Tracking

Our website uses Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our site. Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit the site, what pages they visit, and what other sites they used prior to coming to our site. We use this information to improve our website and better serve our community. Google Analytics does not collect personally identifiable information, and we do not combine information collected through Google Analytics with personally identifiable information.

9. Third-Party Services

We use third-party services to help operate our organization:

• Google Forms: For collecting assistance applications and volunteer sign-ups
• PayPal/Stripe: For processing online donations (when available)
• Google Analytics: For website usage statistics

These services have their own privacy policies. We choose reputable providers and ensure they handle data responsibly.

10. External Websites

Our website may contain links to other websites (such as our partner churches or West Texas Food Bank). This Privacy Policy applies only to the Rankin Ministerial Alliance website. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of other websites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

11. Children’s Privacy

While we serve families with children through programs like Food2Kids and our School Pantry, our website is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through our website. If we learn we have collected such information, we will delete it immediately.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will post the updated policy on our website with a new effective date. Significant changes will be communicated via email to active clients, volunteers, and donors, or posted prominently on our website.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or concerns about how we handle your information, please contact us:

14. Consent

By using our website, submitting forms, or receiving services from the Rankin Ministerial Alliance, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described herein.

Rankin Ministerial Alliance

PO Box 503, Rankin, TX 79778

rankinministerialalliance@gmail.com | (920) 851-7394

501(c)(3) Nonprofit | EIN: 39-2269929