Privacy Policy
This website is owned and operated on behalf of Hand to Hold, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas. Hand to Hold is committed to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity and security of the information that is shared with us. We recognize that visitors to our site may be concerned about the information they provide to us and how we treat that information. This policy addresses those concerns. (See also our editorial and sponsorship policy below)
If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or would like to be removed from any of our contact lists, you may reach us in the following ways:
You may opt-out of receiving email correspondence by clicking on the opt-out link within the email you received. You have the choice to opt-out of this communication or all communications from Hand to Hold. For all other inquiries, contact info@handtohold.org, 512-293-0165 or toll-free 1-855-424-6428.
Personal Information
You can visit www.handtohold.org without sharing your personal identity. However, you may have to give us personal information such as your name, address and email if you want to volunteer, donate, participate in our programs or request information or assistance for yourself or a family member.
Hand to Hold may collect personal information from you when you send email, send an online form, visit a social media outlet or access one of our transaction programs. Hand to Hold also may ask you for personal information at other times, such as when you ask a question or report a problem with this site. If you contact Hand to Hold, we may keep a record of that session or correspondence, including a record of your email address. Any information you provide in such circumstances, including personal information, may be collected.
To access our transaction programs such as to make a donation or purchase an event registration, we may ask you for your address and/or credit card information. Currently, donations are processed through OneCause.
Security Practices
Personal information is protected by Hand to Hold in a number of important ways. We take substantial precautions to ensure that our systems are secure and that they meet industry standards, including the application of firewalls for our Internet-based systems. When appropriate, Hand to Hold employs the use of encryption technologies, user authentication systems (e.g., passwords and personal identification numbers) and access control mechanisms. Organizations we work with to process credit card transactions also use high grade encryption and security protocols. It is our policy that we do not sell or give personal information to outside organizations.
Data We Collect
When you arrive at or leave the Hand to Hold website, we automatically receive the web address of the site that you came from or visit next. We also collect information on which pages of our website you visit while you are on our hosted site, the type of browser you use and the times you access our hosted sites. Hand to Hold also may collect IP addresses, domain names and similar items regarding users of this site to measure the number of visits, pages visited, average time spent on this site and similar items. We use this information to better understand visitor preferences and to manage the load on our servers. We may use this data to analyze trends and statistics and to provide better service, but we do so in ways that keep the information anonymous.
Privacy Practices of Other Sites
This Privacy Policy only addresses the use and disclosure of information Hand to Hold collects online through this site, not information that Hand to Hold collects through other sources. For your convenience, this site contains links or addresses to other websites. Hand to Hold is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites. Carefully review the approach these sites take to your privacy before you use them or provide them with information. Hand to Hold does not share any of the individual personal information you provide us with to the sites to which we link, although we may share aggregate data such as how many people use our website.
We assume no liability for any unauthorized actions of third parties or accidental transmission errors that may disclose information about you, and Hand to Hold is not responsible for these other sites’ content or privacy policies, which may be different from Hand to Hold’s privacy practices.
Policy Revisions
Hand to Hold may revise this Privacy Policy at any time by updating this posting. Please consult this Privacy Policy regularly.
With so much health information on the Internet, it is important to know who publishes information and why. This information is specifically created to answer questions about who is in charge of Hand to Hold, how it is funded, its mission, its advertising and sponsorship policies, editorial policy and its code of ethics. We welcome your questions at Kelli [at] handtohold [dot] org.
Refund Policy
If for any reason you are not 100 percent satisfied with your purchase from Hand to Hold’s store site, please email us at customerservice [at] handtohold [dot] org within 30 days of the date on the packing list. All sales are final after 60 days. Shipping and handling charges are not refundable, and customers are responsible for return shipping charges and restocking fees for any returns. All returns must be accompanied by the original packing list.
Editorial & Sponsorship Policies
Who is in charge of Hand to Hold?
Hand to Hold is led by Executive Director Katrina Moline. In collaboration with a board of directors and staff, all decisions in regard to the content selected for website articles, programs, newsletters, blog and daily oversees a small staff and numerous volunteers are conducted by Hand to Hold’s leadership team. Hand to Hold staff are not a medical professionals.
Does Hand to Hold accept advertising?
Because Hand to Hold is a 501(c)3 organization, it accepts sponsorships in place of advertising.
Sponsorship Policy
We accept sponsorships in exchange for promoting products and services we deem to be of interest to our supporters and which are in keeping with our editorial policy of parent empowerment, sound science and medical accuracy. Hand to Hold is funded through grants, sponsorships, events and donations from individuals, families and organizations. Our sponsors typically include medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies, consumer product companies and health care providers that target the unique medical needs of NICU babies and their families. Sponsorship denotes a financial commitment to support a selected area of the website, podcasts, Hand to Hold program or fundraising event. Sponsorship will be noted via a clearly marked image.
Exclusions
As a matter of policy, we do not accept sponsorship for any product sold through multi-level marketing programs, sales affiliates, or from law firms representing class action law suits.
What does Hand to Hold do?
Hand to Hold® is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) that provides personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after a NICU stay. We are boldly removing barriers for all NICU parents to receive emotional support at no cost.
Hand to Hold is not a medical-authored website. Information found on the website is not intended to take the place of a personal physician. Hand to Hold consults their own Medical Advisory Council for medical accuracy and advice as needed.
Editorial Policy
Sponsors are not permitted to influence the editorial content Hand to Hold educational resources or the Web content. All sponsorship is labeled while editorial content is designated by an author either by name or by status. Because Hand to Hold is a peer support website, all content of HandtoHold.org –unless otherwise noted by a medical professional–is authored by non-medical professional authors and parents. All comments are moderated on the website by paid staff.
What is the HON Code?
The Health On the Net Foundation (HON) promotes and guides the deployment of useful and reliable online health information, and its appropriate and efficient use. Created in 1995, HON is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, accredited to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. For 15 years, HON has focused on the essential question of the provision of health information to citizens, information that respects ethical standards. To cope with the unprecedented volume of healthcare information available on the Net, the HONcode of conduct offers a multi-stakeholder consensus on standards to protect citizens from misleading health information.