Terms and Conditions

Effective Date: 08.22.2025

Acceptance of Terms

Your use of this Site constitutes your agreement to these Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy. The Coalition reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date.

Mission-Driven Content

The Site provides information about our programs, services, events, volunteer opportunities, and resources related to foster care and adoption in the St. Louis metropolitan area. All content is for informational purposes only and not intended as legal, medical, or psychological advice.

User Conduct

You agree not to use the Site:

• For any unlawful, abusive, or harmful purpose.
• To upload or transmit viruses, malicious code, or disruptive content.
• To impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation.
• To interfere with or attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Site or our systems.

The Coalition reserves the right to restrict or terminate access for any reason, including a violation of these Terms.

Privacy and Data Collection

This document contains information about how we collect, use, and protect your data. By using this Site, you consent to the data practices described therein.

Intellectual Property

All content on the Site—text, graphics, logos, videos, audio files, and images—is the property of the Coalition or its content providers and protected by U.S. and international copyright laws.

You may:

• View and print pages from the Site for personal, non-commercial use.

You may not:

• Reproduce, republish, distribute, or exploit any material without prior written permission.

Third-Party Links

The Site may include links to third-party websites for your convenience. These links do not imply endorsement. We are not responsible for the content, policies, or practices of external sites.

Donations and Payments

If you make a donation or payment through our Site, you agree to provide current, complete, and accurate billing information. All transactions are processed securely through third-party payment processors.

Disclaimer of Warranties

The Site and its content are provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, express or implied.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Coalition shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of—or inability to use—the Site.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Coalition, its staff, board members, and partners from any claims, liabilities, or expenses arising from your use of the Site or your violation of these Terms.

Children’s Use

This Site is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without parental consent.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Missouri, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising out of or related to these Terms shall be resolved in the courts located in St. Louis County, Missouri.

Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about these Terms and Conditions, please contact:

Melanie Scheetz
Executive Director
Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
1750 South Brentwood Blvd., Suite 210
www.foster-adopt.org
314.367.8373

Introduction & Scope

This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) explains how the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition (“Coalition”) collects, uses, discloses, and protects personal information through our website and related digital services (“Site”). It applies to visitors, donors, volunteers, foster/adoptive families, staff, and other users (collectively, “you” or “your”). By accessing or using the Site, you agree to the practices described in this Policy.

Notice & Fair Information Practice Principles

We follow the FTC’s Fair Information Practice Principles, ensuring transparency about:

• Who is collecting your data
• What data we collect and how
• Why we collect it
• With whom we share it
• How you can control it
• Our security and enforcement measures

Types of Information Collected & Purpose

Information You Provide

We may collect personally identifiable information (PII), such as:

• Contact details (name, email, phone, address)
• Professional affiliations or credentials (e.g. for volunteers, donors)
• Donation or payment information (processed through secure third-party services)
• Demographic or intake data for families seeking services

Why we collect it:

To respond to inquiries; manage donations, service applications, and communications; provide resources; and comply with legal obligations.

Automatically Collected Data

We may collect usage data through cookies and analytics tools (e.g., IP address, browser type, pages accessed). This helps us understand how the Site is used and how to improve it.

Sensitive Personal Data

We do not collect sensitive data (e.g., genetic, biometric, health conditions, religious beliefs) unless absolutely necessary for service delivery, and only with your explicit consent.

Children’s Data

We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors under 13. If we learn that such data has been submitted without parental consent, we will delete it promptly in compliance with COPPA.

Legal Basis, Consent & Rights

Consent & Choice

By using the Site and submitting your information, you consent to its collection and use as outlined here. Where required under applicable laws (e.g., for sensitive data or targeted communications), we will obtain affirmative consent. You may opt out of non-essential communications at any time.

Consumer Rights Under U.S. State Laws

As of 2025, multiple states (e.g., California, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Minnesota, Maryland, Tennessee, Iowa, Delaware) have enacted data privacy laws granting residents rights such as:

• Access to their data
• Deletion or correction
• Opt-out of sale or targeted advertising
• Restrictions on sensitive data processing

Although we are based in Missouri, we aim to respect these rights regardless of your location.

To exercise these rights—or to ask questions about our data practices—contact us using the details below. We will respond promptly.

Data Retention & Minimization

We retain your personal information only as long as needed to fulfill its original purpose or comply with legal obligations. Where possible, we anonymize or securely delete data once no longer needed.

We commit to collecting only the minimum amount of personal data necessary to perform our services—following a data minimization approach encouraged under newer state laws like Maryland’s and Minnesota’s.

Security Measures

We implement reasonable technical, administrative, and physical safeguards (e.g., encryption, secure access controls, regularly updated security protocols) to protect your data. While we strive to protect your information, no transmission over the internet is entirely secure.

Sharing & Disclosure

We will not share your personal information with third parties except:

• With your explicit consent
• To trusted service providers (e.g., payment processors, analytics platforms) under contract
• When legally required (e.g., to comply with court orders or law enforcement)
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, or similar event—subject to privacy-preserving terms

Retention of Rights to Update Policy

We may revise this Privacy Policy at any time. The updated Policy will be posted on this page with a new effective date. For significant changes—especially affecting sensitive data or consumer rights—we will notify you and may seek your consent where required. We review our policies at least annually and update them as laws evolve.

How to Exercise Rights or Contact Us

If you:

• Want to access, correct, delete, or obtain a copy of your data
• Want to opt out of communications or targeted messages
• Have questions, complaints, or privacy-related concerns

Please contact us at:

Melanie Scheetz
Executive Director
Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
1750 South Brentwood Blvd., Suite 210
St. Louis, MO 63144
melaniescheetz@foster-adopt.org
314.367.8373
www.foster-adopt.org

We will respond within a reasonable timeframe (typically within 30 days) and handle requests in accordance with applicable laws.

How to Submit a Complaint

If you believe we have violated your privacy rights under applicable law, you may submit a complaint directly to us using the contacts above. You may also contact the relevant state data protection authority—for example, the Missouri Office of Cyber Security (OCS)—or pursue any rights available under your jurisdiction.

Children & Parental Rights

The Site is not directed to children under 13. If you are under 13, please do not submit personal information without getting your parent’s or guardian’s permission. Parents or guardians may review and request deletion of information about their children using the contact information above.

Summary Table of Key Rights & Practices