Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Charlotte Afghans Community Association (CACA) is a nonprofit community organization based in Charlotte, North Carolina. We provide cultural, educational, and emergency support services to Afghan families in the Charlotte area. Our platform at cacafghan.org allows members, volunteers, and donors to connect with our programs and services.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly when you:

• Register as a member or volunteer
• Make a donation through our platform
• Subscribe to announcements or updates
• Contact us through the website
• Upload a profile photo

This information may include:

• Full name, email address, and phone number
• Home address and zip code
• Profile photo
• Family size and language preferences
• Payment information (processed securely through Stripe — we do not store card numbers)
• Volunteer availability and skills

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account on our platform
• Send you announcements, event notifications, and community updates
• Process donations and send donation receipts
• Coordinate volunteer activities and service delivery
• Display board member profiles on our public website (only if you consent)
• Improve our website and services
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Donations and Payment Processing

All donations are processed securely through Stripe, a PCI-compliant payment processor. CACA does not store your credit card number, CVV, or full billing details on our servers. Stripe's privacy policy is available at stripe.com/privacy. Donation records including your name, email, and amount are stored in our database for accounting and receipt purposes.

5. Cookies and Tracking

Our website uses session cookies to keep you logged in while you browse. These cookies are essential for the platform to function and are deleted when you log out or close your browser. We do not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or third-party analytics services that share data externally.

6. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on secure servers using MongoDB Atlas (cloud database) and Cloudinary (for images and files). All data is transmitted over HTTPS with SSL encryption. We implement industry-standard security measures including password hashing, session management, and access controls. However, no system is 100% secure and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Sharing Your Information

We only share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers: Stripe (payments), Cloudinary (file storage), MongoDB Atlas (database), Railway (hosting), and Twilio (SMS notifications)
• Board members: Your profile may be visible to CACA board members for coordination purposes
• Public profile: If you are a board member and have consented, your name, title, and bio may appear on the public website
• Legal requirements: If required by law, court order, or government authority

8. SMS Notifications

If you provide your phone number and opt in to SMS notifications, we may send you text messages about events, announcements, and fundraisers. Message and data rates may apply. You can opt out at any time by contacting us at cacaadmin@cacafghan.org or by replying STOP to any message.

9. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Opt out of email or SMS communications at any time
• Request a copy of your data in a portable format

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at cacaadmin@cacafghan.org. We will respond within 30 days.

10. Children's Privacy

Our platform is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately and we will delete it promptly.

11. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. If you delete your account, we will remove your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law (for example, donation records for tax purposes may be kept for 7 years).

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we will notify registered members by email. Continued use of our platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

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