Privacy Policy

At Chalice we respect and protect your privacy. This means that:

  • With your consent, we will gather only the minimum personal information necessary to provide you with current information about our mission and activities, and to provide you with fast, reliable processes if you support Chalice
  • We will not sell, exchange, loan or make available to other companies any personal information that you have provided to us.
  • We will keep all personal information confidential, and we will have safeguards to protect that information whether it is in print, electronic or other form
  • We will make available to you, upon request, your personal information that we have on file, and we will correct, amend or delete information at your request
  • In the unfortunate event of a security breach we will take steps to contain and minimize the impact of the breach. To the extent required by law or best practices, we will notify you and the necessary third parties, and submit the appropriate reports to the Privacy Commissioner.

Personal information

In order to serve our supporters with the right materials at the right levels, delivered to the right address, and to ensure that the financial relationship is correct and current, Chalice needs to have certain basic personal information on file.

 Personal information is the information we have that relates to you, our supporter, as an individual. Personal information, beyond your name and contact information may include any or all of the following: a record of your support and payment method, alternate contact information and your account number.

We will only request information from you that relates directly to the products or services we are providing to you, and we will keep that information active only as long as the uses for which it has been collected are relevant to your needs.

Valid Consent

Chalice must obtain the valid consent of anyone whose name may be retained in our records to receive products or information. If a supporter sends in a coupon or a form requesting our services, we accept that as implied consent. If we need information beyond that which the supporter has indicated (in conducting a survey, for instance), we will request the explicit consent of the supporter either verbally or in writing.

The supporter can at any time withdraw consent to receive further information or products. We will then remove the supporter’s name as quickly as possible.

From time to time we may acquire from outside companies lists of supporters who have consented to receive information. It may sometimes occur that a name that we have deleted on request from our files may appear on one of the lists we have acquired. In such a case the supporter may request another deletion.

Call monitoring and recording

In order to ensure a high level of supporter service, our supporter service calls may be monitored for training purposes only. We may do this to ensure the highest level of service to our supporters and to enable our staff to improve their skills through practical mentoring and coaching.

Employee commitment

Our employees and volunteers are committed to respecting the personal information we hold in our files. They have signed an obligation to abide by the company policy relating to the proper use of personal information.

Third party commitment

From time to time we may send information to third parties such as printers or mailing houses. These companies are required to sign a commitment to respect our privacy policy and to utilize the lists only for the purposes we specify and not make any copies of the files.

Limitations on use

We will not use your personal information for any purposes, other than those outlined above, unless we have asked your permission and have received your consent.

We will remove or destroy personal information when it is no longer relevant for the uses for which it was gathered. We will delete your name from our mailing list following the receipt of your request by letter, fax, email or phone.

Retention of information

We will not retain personal information indefinitely. Generally a name is retained for two years after it has become inactive. Files are then destroyed or deleted, except for financial and other records, which, in accordance with the law or best practices, have to be archived for longer periods. Archived information is not accessed or used for operational or marketing purposes.

Security

All information held by us is subject to strict internal security to prevent unauthorized access and improper usage. Electronic records are subject to limited access by authorized personnel who must use passwords and other security measures. Print records of personal information are subject to physical protection such as locked rooms or cabinets, accessible only to authorized personnel.

Our site contains links to other sites. Chalice is not responsible for the privacy policies or content of these linked websites.

Access to information

 As our supporter, you have a right to know what information we are holding with respect to you, and you have the right to ensure that it is accurate. On request, we will arrange to supply you with a printout of our files relating to your information. If you wish to verify your information, please write to Chalice Privacy Officer, Suite 101, 26 Union Street, Bedford, Nova Scotia B4A 2B5 or call 1-902-252-3911 or 1-800-776-6855. If you find errors or omissions, we will be pleased to make corrections.

Website

When you visit our website, we take steps to respect and protect your privacy.

A cookie is information about how and when you use a site that a web server creates when you visit. This data is placed on your computer hard drive in the form of a small text file. There are two types of cookies: session cookies and persistent cookies. Session cookies are used only for the time you stay on the website. When you leave the site, they expire and are no longer active. Persistent cookies are more permanent and can be re-read when you return to the site. We use persistent cookies only to identify previous visits so that you may be directed to the part of our website in which you are interested. We do not use cookies to retrieve data from your hard drive or to obtain your e-mail address or other personal information.

You may choose not to accept cookies by setting your browser options to inform you when cookies are being sent, or to deny cookies altogether. Please note, however, that by not accepting cookies you may limit the functionality that we can provide to you when you visit our website.

To help us serve you better, we automatically collect generic, non-personal information about visits to our website. We do not collect personal information such as names, ages, phone numbers, addresses or e-mail addresses from visitors to our website. We do not collect individual profile information for visitors across multiple sites and do not aggregate information from any other sources about browsing patterns of individual visitors across multiple sites.

We do collect selected visitor information such as IP addresses, return visits from past guests, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on the website. We collect such non-personally identifiable information in order to: obtain statistical analysis of web page traffic patterns for our website, administer our website and servers, allow for auditing of our services by third parties, and to improve our services. We collect data in aggregate form, and data is not recorded or stored about individual visitors.

Questions or comments

We will do our best to resolve any questions or comments you may have. Please write Chalice Privacy Officer, Suite 101, 26 Union Street, Bedford, Nova Scotia B4A 2B5 or call 1-902-252-3911 or 1-800-776-6855., or email info@chalice.ca and indicate your concern as related to privacy so it may be directed to the privacy officer.

If, having shared your concerns with us, you are still not satisfied, you may file a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada by telephone at 1-800-282-1376, or by mail at 30 Victoria Street, Gatineau, Quebec K1A 1H3.

Scope

The personal information that you share with Chalice will be utilized only to manage our mission and work to provide donors with opportunities to help children and to communicate about our work. It will not be sold, exchanged or rented to any other organization or company.

To make this notice easily accessible, we will make it available on our home page and at every point throughout our website that requires the entry of personal information.

No personal data will be collected for browsing the Chalice website; however, these particulars will be required to access certain pages such as sponsorship of a child, making donations or requesting further information. In these cases, for example, donors will be asked to submit their name, address or other contact information.

Definition of Personal Information

Personal information is any information that can be used to distinguish, identify, or contact a specific individual. This may include an individual’s opinion or belief, as well as facts about, or related to the individual whether recorded or not.

Exception: Where an individual uses his/her home contact information as business contact information as well, we consider that the contact information provided is a business contact and is therefore, not subject to protection as personal information.

REPORTING TO THE BOARD

Senior Managers shall report infractions of this policy in a timely fashion to the President and / or the Management Committee of the Board. This includes reporting on the status of pending, ongoing and completed investigations and remedial actions



Sponsorship FAQs


What should I know before I become a sponsor?
  • That you are going to make a great difference to a child (or elder) and their family!
  • Sponsorship is $42 per month or $504 annually. There are multiple methods of payment.
  • Children are enrolled for sponsorship based on need and family circumstances, regardless of race, age, ability, gender, or religion. The children are not necessarily Catholic, although many are.
  • Sponsorship does not necessarily end at age 18. If your child pursues further education, you can still sponsor (at the same rate) for as long as s/he is studying.
My charitable giving decisions are based on research and financial trustworthiness. Why choose Chalice?
  • Chalice has an A rating and is ranked in the Charity Intelligence Top 100 charities.
  • For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management, Chalice commits 90.2 percent of its spending in support of programs.
  • Chalice’s sponsorship model pairs one child with one sponsor. Read more about our family funding model, which is unique in Canada.
  • Chalice is in control of distributing funds. The distribution of funds is mandated by Canada Revenue Agency regulations. We are audited by an external auditor and internal auditor. All the funds that are sent to the sites are audited on a quarterly basis.
  • You can read our Annual Reports and financial statements at any time. Check out Annual Report & Financials.
  • Chalice respects our supporters’ privacy. We keep all information on our supporters (and sponsored children) in a very secure system and do not release names or other information to other organizations.
  • Chalice is a registered charity in Canada under the Income Tax Act. Our CRA Registration Number is 13759 1012 RR0001.
There is so much need in the world... how can I choose a child/elder?
  • There are no “wrong choices”- every child or elder is in significant need of sponsorship. If there is a country, age, or gender that speaks to your heart the most, then feel free to let that guide your decision.
  • You can also contact us and we will help you choose.
  • If you are concerned about the duration of your sponsorship, perhaps consider an older teenager who may only need a few more years of support to complete their education.
I’m a sponsor! What does that mean for me?
  • You will receive correspondence from your child every year at Christmastime. This will include a new photo, a letter from your sponsor child and a status report from a Field Worker. You will also receive a Christmas card along with a sponsor site update from the Site Director.
  • If you need to change your mailing address or anything else about your personal information, just contact us.
  • You can write to your child at any time. We highly encourage this! Your sponsored friend would love to know more about you and your family. Many sponsors build strong bonds through their letters. Learn all about how to write to your child. 
  • We do not facilitate email correspondence or encourage social media connections. This protects both you and your friend’s safety and privacy.
  • You will get an official tax receipt for the full amount of your sponsorship. Income tax receipts are issued each February for donations processed in the previous year.
Can I do more?
  • You can send your child/elder extra funds, of any amount, any time you wish. These are called gifts of ‘special money.’ Many sponsors like to send extra amounts around Christmas or their child’s birthday.
  • If you become aware of any special needs for your child or their family, please contact us. We will contact the site on your behalf to get more information on how you can best help.
When does sponsorship end?
  • In a perfect world, either when the young person finishes their studies and enters the workforce, or their family reaches a level of income stability that they no longer need your financial support.
  • However, sometimes they must exit the program because they or their family moves or chooses to withdraw for personal reasons.
  • When your current sponsorship relationship concludes, we will contact you about your decision to sponsor another child or elder.
What if I can no longer sponsor?
  • We understand that personal circumstances change, and you may contact us to cancel your sponsorship at any time.
  • Please be assured that your child/elder will not lose their benefits. Chalice will continue to support them until they are paired with a new sponsor.


Gift Catalogue FAQs


How did you choose and price these items for the catalogue?
  • Our local site staff carefully consider the items they deem ‘essential’ to the children and families they serve. They curate this list of items.
  • If you have a suggestion for a future catalogue, do contact us.
  • The prices are based on the average costs of purchasing the items around the world. Sometimes there are necessary additional costs. For example, the price of an animal may include vaccinations and/or training in animal husbandry.
What happens when I purchase an item?
  • 100% of your donation goes into the gift catalogue fund; none goes to administrative overhead.
  • The leaders of our sponsor sites overseas allocate your gifts to the members of their communities who need them most.
  • If more people give a specific item (such as the ever-popular goats) than our sites need that year, then they will use the funds for other items within that category (in this example, the ‘animals’ category.)
  • Because it is a donation, you (the giver) will automatically receive a charitable tax receipt. (Please note: Tax receipts cannot be sent to the honouree. Tax receipts cannot be split between people. Tax receipts will not be issued to individuals as a result of group activities such as a school or parish campaign.)
Can I choose which site/which child receives my item?
  • Unfortunately no, we cannot allocate items to specific recipients.
  • If you would like your sponsored friend to receive a gift, you can send them the gift of special money. That way, they or their guardians can buy them what they would like the most.
How do the gift cards work?
  • When you purchase a gift, you can choose to send a card to your recipient through the mail. Amazing volunteers hand-write each card!  We will inscribe in the card: the giver and the recipient, what item(s) you bought, and any personalized message you give us.
  • If you wish to remain anonymous, just let us know.
  • If you want us to send you blank cards to fill in and send yourself, you can also just let us know!
Help! I lost my e-cards on your web page.
We’re sorry for your frustrating experience, but we can help! Just contact us and we can ensure your e-cards reach their recipients as soon as possible.
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