1. Who We Are

Vailankanni Arockia Madha Catholic Community, Inc. (VAMCC) is a Texas nonprofit religious corporation organized under the laws of the State of Texas and recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our mission is to serve the Tamil Catholic community in the Dallas–Fort Worth area and to build a permanent Vailankanni Arockia Madha Catholic Church and Pilgrimage Center in North Texas.

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal information only when you voluntarily provide it to us through our website, pledge forms, donation pages, or event registrations. The types of information we may collect include:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Full name and family members' names

Mailing address, city, state, and ZIP code

Email address and phone number

Donation amount, payment method, and transaction details

Capital campaign and operational pledge commitments

Prayer intentions, special requests, or messages submitted through our contact forms

Membership registration details

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain technical information, including:

IP address and browser type

Pages visited and time spent on pages

Referring website or search engine

Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)

This information is used solely to improve website performance and user experience. It is not linked to your personal identity.

2.3 Payment Information

VAMCC uses secure, PCI-compliant third-party payment processors (such as PayPal, Stripe, or similar platforms) to process online donations. We do not store your full credit card number, debit card number, or bank account information on our servers. Payment processors have their own privacy policies governing the use of your financial data.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

To process your donation or pledge and issue official acknowledgment letters for tax purposes

To send you receipts, updates, and communications about your contribution

To send newsletters, event invitations, and campaign updates (you may opt out at any time)

To maintain our membership registry and community records

To comply with applicable laws, IRS regulations, and diocesan requirements

To respond to your inquiries, prayer requests, or communications

To improve our website, fundraising operations, and community outreach

We will not use your personal information for any purpose incompatible with the above without first obtaining your consent.

4. How We Protect Your Information

VAMCC takes the security of your personal information seriously. We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

Secure (HTTPS/SSL) encryption for all online forms and payment pages

Restricted access to donor and member records — limited to authorized VAMCC officers and committee leaders

Password protection and access controls on all digital records

Secure storage of physical pledge forms and paper records

Please note that no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Disclosure of Your Information

VAMCC does not sell, rent, lease, or trade your personal information to any third party for commercial purposes. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers

We may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website, processing donations, or communicating with our community (e.g., payment processors, email service providers). These providers are contractually obligated to keep your information confidential and use it only for the services they provide to VAMCC.

5.2 Diocesan Compliance

As a community operating under the guidance of the Diocese of Dallas, we may share certain information with the Diocese as required for ecclesiastical oversight, property acquisition approvals, or capital campaign compliance.

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of VAMCC, our members, or the public.

5.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information for any other purpose with your prior written or explicit consent.

6. Donor Privacy & Charitable Giving

VAMCC is committed to honoring the generosity of our donors. Our specific commitments to donors include:

We will not share your name, contact information, or donation amount with outside organizations for their marketing or fundraising purposes

Donor names will appear in community publications (e.g., bulletin acknowledgments) only with your prior permission

Donors who wish to give anonymously may request anonymity in writing, and we will honor that request in all public communications

Pledge and donation records are maintained confidentially and accessed only by authorized VAMCC officers (President, Secretary, Treasurer) on a need-to-know basis

All donations are acknowledged in writing within 30 days for IRS charitable deduction documentation purposes

7. Cookies & Website Tracking

Our website may use cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve your browsing experience, remember your preferences, and analyze website traffic. You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Disabling cookies may affect certain website functions.

We do not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information without your knowledge or consent.

8. Children's Privacy

Our website and donation platform are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately and we will promptly delete such information from our records.

9. Your Rights & Choices

You have the following rights with respect to your personal information held by VAMCC:

Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you

Correction: You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information

Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to our legal and record-keeping obligations

Opt-Out: You may opt out of receiving promotional emails or newsletters at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us directly

Anonymity: You may request that your name not be used in community publications or public acknowledgments

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Secretary in writing at the address listed below. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

10. Retention of Information

VAMCC retains personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including compliance with legal, accounting, and IRS reporting requirements. Donor records and charitable contribution records are typically retained for a minimum of seven (7) years in accordance with standard nonprofit recordkeeping practices.

11. Links to Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to external websites (e.g., diocese website, payment processors, social media platforms). VAMCC is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the Effective Date at the top of this document and post the revised policy on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Your continued use of our website or participation in our programs after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact us:

Approved by the Board of Directors

Vailankanni Arockia Madha Catholic Community, Inc.