Privacy Policy
Last Updated and Effective Date: November 3, 2025
Overview
This Privacy Policy describes how Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network (“we,” or “us”) collects, uses, discloses, and processes your Personal Information (“you” and “your”), as well as rights that you may have regarding that information. We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. If we change our Privacy Policy, we will post an updated version on this website. Please check back periodically to see if our Privacy Policy has been updated. Updates to the Privacy Policy will be referenced by the “Last Updated and Effective Date” date shown above. By visiting this website, you acknowledge and consent to the privacy practices described in this Privacy Policy, including any revisions to this Privacy Policy that we post.
1. Definitions
“Personal Information” means information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular person or household. “Personal Information” does not include: (i) publicly available information or lawfully obtained, truthful information that is a matter of public concern; or (ii) information that is deidentified or aggregate information.
“Sensitive Personal Information” means Personal Information that reveals more sensitive information, reflected in this Privacy Policy.
2. Information We Collect, the Categories of Source of Collection and the Purpose for Collection.
Set forth below are the categories of Personal Information we collect and that have collected in the preceding 12 months, the categories of sources from which the Personal Information was collected and the business or commercial purpose for such collection. Please note that we may not collect all of the information referenced below regarding you and we may not use your Personal Information for all purposes set forth in this Privacy Policy.
Personal information
| Category of personal information | What we collect | Categories of sources from which personal information collected | Business or commercial purposes for collection |
| Personal Identifiers | Real name Alias Postal address Email address Telephone number Signature Unique personal identifier Online identifier Internet protocol address Account name Social security number Driver’s license number Credit scores Financial information Medical information Health insurance information | Directly from you Automatically, such as when you visit our website (e.g., cookies and tracking technologies) Our service providers To provide you with our services | To provide you with information To process financial contributions To fill requests To share the impact of your work with us To administer or otherwise carry out our obligations To provide you with information about services we think may interest you To administer and improve our website, set default options, and provide you with a better experience To protect the security of our website and apps To detect and prevent fraud against you and/or us |
| Protected Characteristics | Race Sex/gender Pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and/or related medical conditions Marital status Medical Condition Military or veteran status Disability Age Request for family care leave Request for Pregnancy Disability Leave Retaliation for reporting patient abuse in tax-supported institutions | Directly from you | To provide you with our services For statistical reporting purposes For governmental reporting purposes |
| Commercial Information | Records of services obtained or considered Customer data Payment data | Directly from you | To provide you with our services To provide you with information To process financial contributions To fill requests To administer or otherwise carry out our obligations To provide you with information about services we think may interest you |
| Internet Information | Electronic network activity information Browsing history Search history Information regarding interaction with a website, application, or advertisement IP Address | Automatically, such as when you visit our website (e.g., cookies and tracking technologies) | To make it easier for you to log into our website To deliver services to you To provide you with appropriate information and updates To show you relevant ads To administer and improve our website, set default options, and provide you with a better experience To protect the security of our website and apps To detect and prevent fraud against you and/or us |
| Audiovisual Information | Personal description and/or photograph Thermal information Olfactory information | Directly from you | To provide you with our services for accessibility purposes To administer or otherwise carry out our services and obligations |
| Professional or Employment-Information | Professional history Employment history | Directly from you | To provide you with our services To administer or otherwise carry out our obligations |
| Education Information | Education history | Directly from you | To provide you with our services To administer or otherwise carry out our obligations |
Sensitive personal information
| Category of personal information | What we collect | Categories of sources from which personal information collected | Business or commercial purposes for collection |
| Sensitive Personal Identifiers | Social security number Driver’s license number | Directly from you | To provide you with our services To administer or otherwise carry out our obligations |
| Sensitive Characteristics | Racial origin Ethnic origin | Directly from you | To provide you with our services For statistical reporting purposes For governmental reporting purposes |
| Health Information | Personal Information collected and analyzed concerning your physical health or pregnancy | Directly from you | To provide you with our services To administer or otherwise carry out our obligations |
| Sex Life or Sexual Orientation | Personal Information collected and analyzed concerning your sex life or sexual orientation, including status as a trans or non-binary individual | Directly from you | For statistical reporting purposes For governmental |
| Status as a Crime Victim | Status as a Crime Victim | Directly from you | For statistical reporting purposes For governmental |
3. Cookies and Online Technologies.
Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your browser when you visit a website. We and certain third parties use cookies and similar tracking technologies to ensure the best possible experience for visitors to our website and for tracking and targeted advertising.
By continuing to use our website, you acknowledge and consent to our use of cookies. You may disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality and user experience of the website.
The following are the types of cookies that are on our website.
- Strictly Necessary Cookies. These cookies are essential for website functionality and cannot be turned off. They enable basic features like page navigation and secure access to parts of the site.
- Performance Cookies. These cookies collect information about how visitors use our website, such as pages visited and any errors encountered. This data helps us improve site performance and user experience.
- Functional Cookies. These remember choices you’ve made, such as your region or login details, to provide a more personalized experience.
- Targeting or Advertising Cookies. These may be set by third-party partners to build a profile of your interests and show relevant ads on other sites.
You may manage or disable cookies through your browser settings:
- Chrome: Manage cookies in Chrome
- Firefox: Manage cookies in Firefox
- Safari: Manage cookies in Safari
- Microsoft Edge: Manage cookies in Edge
Disabling certain cookies may limit some functionality of our website.
4. Personal Information We Disclose to Other Parties.
We do not sell your Personal Information in exchange for money. However, as noted above, we may use third-party cookies for targeted advertising.
We may also disclose your Personal Information with service providers in connection with the performance of any contract we enter into with them. For example, we may disclose your information to our service providers for purposes of recruiting, website analytics and marketing, customer service and taking patient calls, and interpretive services. Moreover, we may exchange donor information with hospitals and other partners. We also send personal information to our tissue processors, as well as government agencies and other agencies (for example in connection with reporting, audit, certification or quality control).
We may also disclose Personal Information, as necessary: (a) to comply with any legal process; (b) to respond to requests from public and government authorities; (c) to enforce our terms and conditions; (d) to
5. Our Retention Policy – How Long We Keep Your Personal Information.
We will retain each category of your Personal Information identified above for an amount of time that is reasonably necessary for us to use the information for the purposes disclosed herein and for any other permitted purposes, including retention of Personal Information pursuant to any applicable contract, law or regulation. To determine the appropriate retention period for Personal Information, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the Personal Information, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure of your Personal Information, the purposes for which we process your Personal Information and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal requirements.
6. Data Security
We implement technical, organizational, administrative and physical measures to help ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk to the Personal Information we collect, use, process and disclose. These measures are aimed at ensuring the on-going integrity and confidentiality of Personal Information. We evaluate these measures on a regular basis to help ensure the security of the processing. Please be aware that, despite our ongoing efforts, no security measures are perfect or impenetrable.
7. Children.
We do not direct our websites or applications to children under eighteen (18) years of age, unless it is for educational purposes. We do not knowingly collect information from persons under 18 years of age (unless they contact us) or provide any Personal Information from such persons to any third party without necessary consent. We do not allow persons known to be under 18 years of age to receive direct marketing communications from us. When appropriate, we may ask you to indicate your date of birth to verify compliance with the age requirements set forth herein.
8. Nevada Privacy Notice.
Nevada law provides that Nevada residents may opt-out of the “sale” of “covered information” to third parties, including but not limited to name, address, social security number, and online service activity. We do not and will not sell your personal information to third parties. Our uses of your personal information are not sales under Nevada law, so no opt-out right applies.
9. Third Party Services.
This Privacy Policy does not address, and we are not responsible for, the privacy, information or other practices of any third parties, including any third party operating any site or service to which the website links. The inclusion of a link on the Site does not imply endorsement of the linked site or service by us or by our affiliates.
10. How to Contact Us.
If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy policies and practices, please feel free to contact us by emailing us at [email protected].
SMS Terms of Service
Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network (hereinafter “Gift of Hope”, we, or us) is committed to protecting your privacy. Use of Gift of Hope text message-based services (the “Service”) is subject to the following terms of service. These terms constitute a legal agreement (the “Agreement”). Please read them carefully. This SMS privacy policy governs how we treat the personal information that we collect and receive from or about you in connection with your use of the SMS service, which we make available to you through a third-party service provider.
1. About the Service
You will receive phone calls and text or SMS messages (“SMS”) from Gift of Hope if you have been identified by a hospital, health care provider, coroner or other law enforcement entity as the legal next of kin or legal contact for a potential organ eye/tissue donor. We may contact you at the mobile phone number that is provided to us by way of direct dial calls, SMS and push notifications in connection with the Service. We may send SMS messages if we are not able to reach you via phone call or other methods of communication. You understand that you are not required to consent to the Service to receive initial text communications from Gift of Hope. You will receive recurring messages while we try to reach you. By continuing to communicate with Gift of Hope via SMS, you consent to our further communication via SMS. You can cancel text message communication at any time understanding that we are legally required to contact the legal next of kin for every individual medically eligible to donate, including those individuals who have authorized donation upon their death through registering as a donor in the state or national donor registry. See “Opting Out below for more on how to stop receiving SMS messages.
2. Carriers
Our third-party SMS message provider delivers messages to the following mobile phone carriers.
- Major carriers: AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, MetroPCS, U.S. Cellular, Alltel, Boost Mobile, Nextel, and Virgin Mobile.
- Minor carriers: Alaska Communications Systems (ACS), Appalachian Wireless (EKN), Bluegrass Cellular, Cellular One of East Central IL (ECIT), Cellular One of Northeast Pennsylvania, Cincinnati Bell Wireless, Cricket, Coral Wireless (Mobi PCS), COX, Cross, Element Mobile (Flat Wireless),m Epic Touch (Elkhart Telephone), GCI, GoldenbState, Hawkeye (Chat Mobility), Hawkeye (NW Missouri), Illinois Valley Cellular, Inland Cellular, iWireless (Iowa Wireless), Keystone Wireless (Immix Wireless/PC Man), Mosaic (Consolidated or CTC Telecom), Nex-Tech Wireless, NTelos, Panhandle Communications, Pioneer, Plateau (Texas RSA 3 Ltd), Revol, RINA, Simmetry (TMP Corporation), Thumb Cellular, Union Wireless, United Wireless, Viaero Wireless, and West Central (WCC or 5 Star Wireless).
If you use another carrier, you might not be able to receive text or SMS messages from Gift of Hope. Please note that Gift of Hope, our service providers and the carriers listed are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Standard message and data rates may apply for any messages sent between you and Gift of Hope. If you have any questions about your text plan or data plan, it is best to contact your wireless provider. For all questions about the Service provided by our SMS service provider, you can call 630-758-2600.
You understand that anyone with access to your mobile device may be able to view the messages you receive when using the Service, and you agree that Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network will not be liable to you if this occurs.
3. Opting in
There is no opt-in for the initial messages. You have been identified by a hospital, health care provider, coroner or other law enforcement entity as the next of kin or legal contact for a potential organ/eye/tissue donor. Your contact information is provided to Gift of Hope as required by law.
4. Opting out
You have the ability to opt out of SMS service for any reason. You can opt out by replying “STOP” to any text message.
SMS Privacy Policy
By using the SMS Service, you agree to the terms of this Policy. Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify or change this Policy at any time with or without prior notice to you. If we make material changes that would affect your rights, we may provide additional notice to you. The date of the last update will be posted at the top of this Policy for your convenience. This Policy, and any changes, are effective as soon as posted. Your continued use of the Service following the posting of any changes to the Policy constitutes your full acceptance of those changes.
1. Personal information
“Personal information” is information that individually identifies you, such as your mobile phone number, your name, as well as any personal information that you choose to include in messages you send through the Service.
2. What personal information is collected about you
Through the use of the Service, Gift of Hope will receive the following information from our third -party service provider: your mobile phone number when you send a text message to us, the text of messages that you send to other users of the Service, and any comments or feedback regarding the Service that you send to us.
3. How Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network uses personal information about you
We use personal information to (a) provide you with the Service, (b) process and respond to inquiries, (c) improve the Service, (d) if necessary, contact you with important announcements or messages, or (e) conduct our own research. Each message that you send through the Service (either to us or to other users of the Service) is stored on our servers. We retain these messages on our servers as required to comply with applicable laws. Gift of Hope utilizes servers and services owned by third parties. Your Personal Information is not used by any third party for any purpose other than to provide the Services.
4. Disclosure of your information
We do not, and do not permit our services providers, to use, rent, sell or share your personal information with others. Your information will not be shared with any third party or affiliate for marketing or promotional purposes. We may use or disclose such information in any of the following limited circumstances:
- We have your consent.
- We need to enforce our Terms of Service.
- We respond to subpoenas, court orders, or legal process, or to establish or exercise our legal rights, or the legal rights of others, or defend against legal claims.
5. Security
Gift of Hope takes precautions to ensure the security of your personal information, including ensuring that our third-party service providers protect the security of your personal information. However, we cannot guarantee that unauthorized personnel will not gain access to your personal information despite our efforts. You should note that in using the Service, your information will travel through third -party infrastructures which are not under our control (such as a third-party SMS delivery platform or your carrier network).
We cannot protect, nor does this Policy apply to, any information that you decide to share with other users. You should never transmit personal or identifying information to other users.
6. Intended Audience
Gift of Hope requires that users of this service be limited to US residents only.
Questions or concerns?
If you have additional questions about our use of information, please contact us at: [email protected].