Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization ("CACAO," "we," "our," or "us") is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Birmingham, Alabama. We are dedicated to celebrating Caribbean culture, supporting higher education through student scholarships, and fostering community connection across Central Alabama.

2. Information We Collect

We only collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when interacting with our website, programs, or events:

• Contact Inquiries: Name, email address, subject, and message content submitted through our contact form.
• Parade & Cultural Event Registration: First and last name, email address, telephone number, organization or band affiliation, and estimated group size.
• Membership Applications: Name, email address, phone number, and selected membership level (Individual, Family, Student, or Lifetime).
• Scholarship Applications: Academic, contact, and demographic details submitted via official scholarship forms solely for evaluation by our scholarship committee.
• Donations & Sponsorships: When you donate online via PayPal or Venmo, payment processing is handled directly by those secure third-party payment platforms. We do not store your credit card or bank account details on our servers.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information you provide solely to advance our nonprofit mission:

• Responding to your questions, feedback, or volunteer inquiries.
• Coordinating event logistics for the Marvel City Caribbean Food & Music Festival and parade.
• Processing and managing your CACAO membership.
• Reviewing student applications for the Pauline Ford Caesar Scholarship program.
• Sending periodic updates, meeting notices, or event announcements (you may opt out at any time).
• Complying with applicable legal, tax, and nonprofit reporting obligations.

4. Donor Privacy Policy

We deeply value our donors. CACAO maintains a strict donor privacy policy:

• We will not share or sell a donor's personal information with any other organization.
• We will not send donor mailings on behalf of other organizations.
• Donors may request to remain anonymous in any public acknowledgments or program listings.

5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website is designed to prioritize visitor privacy:

• No Tracking Cookies: We do not use third-party behavioral advertising cookies or marketing tracking pixels.
• Technical Logs: Like most websites, our hosting provider (Vercel) may generate standard server logs (such as IP addresses, browser types, and access timestamps) for security monitoring, DDoS prevention, and site performance.

6. Third-Party Services & External Links

Our site includes links to trusted third-party services that have their own privacy policies:

• Payment Processors: PayPal and Venmo for secure donations.
• Social Media: Facebook and Instagram community pages.
• Google Services: Embedded forms or sheets for committee administration.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

7. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

Our website is directed toward the general public and university students. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under the age of 13 without verified parental consent. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately and we will promptly delete it.

8. Data Security & Retention

We implement appropriate technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or to comply with legal requirements.

9. Your Rights & Choices

You have the right to:

• Review or request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate or outdated information.
• Request the deletion of your personal contact details from our records.
• Opt out of future communications from CACAO at any time.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please reach out to us: