Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 7/20/26

Bed Brigade understands that requesting a bed requires families to share personal information, including where they live and how they can be reached. We recognize the trust this requires and are committed to handling that information respectfully, responsibly, and only for legitimate charitable and operational purposes.

This Privacy Policy explains what information Bed Brigade collects, how we use it, when we disclose it, how long we retain it, and the choices available to you.

This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through the Bed Brigade website, bed-request process, volunteer programs, donation activities, text-message programs, and related interactions with Bed Brigade.

1. About Bed Brigade

Bed Brigade, Inc. is an Ohio nonprofit corporation recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Its federal employer identification number is 87-4756942.

In this Privacy Policy:

• “Bed Brigade,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Bed Brigade, Inc. and, where applicable, the local Bed Brigade chapter or participating organization handling your request, volunteer activity, donation, or other interaction.
• “You” and “your” refer to the person using our website, submitting information, requesting a bed, volunteering, donating, or otherwise interacting with Bed Brigade.
• “Personal information” means information that identifies, relates to, describes, or could reasonably be associated with an individual or household.

Some local chapters or participating organizations may be operated by separate legal entities. Where that occurs, the chapter may maintain its own supplemental privacy practices, but it must use information received through Bed Brigade only for authorized charitable and operational purposes.

2. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with Bed Brigade.

A. Bed requests

When you request a bed, we may collect:

• your name;
• delivery and residential address;
• telephone number;
• email address, if provided;
• preferred language;
• your relationship to the person or people needing beds;
• the name and age or age range of each intended bed recipient;
• whether each recipient is an adult or child;
• the number and type of beds requested;
• household, access, delivery, or scheduling information;
• referral-source information;
• notes and communications relating to the request;
• request status and fulfillment history; and
• other information you voluntarily provide that is reasonably necessary to evaluate, coordinate, or fulfill the request.

We do not ordinarily require proof of income to request a bed.

Our standard bed-request forms do not ask for Social Security numbers, immigration status, banking passwords, or full payment-card information. Please do not submit this information through a bed-request form, text message, email, or other general communication with Bed Brigade.

If you encounter a form or message that appears to request unusually sensitive information in Bed Brigade’s name, contact us before responding.

B. Information about children

A parent, legal guardian, authorized caregiver, or referring organization may provide limited information about a child who needs a bed. This may include the child’s name, age or age range, bed need, and other information necessary to provide the requested assistance.

Our website and online forms are intended for adults. We do not intend to collect personal information online directly from children under 13.

C. Volunteer information

When you register or participate as a volunteer, we may collect:

• your name;
• email address;
• telephone number;
• age or confirmation that you meet an applicable age requirement;
• emergency-contact information, when appropriate;
• volunteer availability, interests, role, or chapter affiliation;
• attendance and participation records;
• training, waiver, or consent records;
• driver or vehicle information when necessary for an authorized driving role;
• background-check status when required for a particular role;
• accommodation or safety information you voluntarily provide;
• photo or media-release preferences; and
• communications concerning volunteer activities.

When a background check is required, it may be conducted by an authorized third-party provider. Bed Brigade may receive the results or eligibility status permitted by law without receiving every item of information used by the provider.

D. Donation information

When you make a donation, we may collect:

• your name;
• contact information;
• donation amount and date;
• donation designation or restriction;
• tribute or acknowledgment information;
• payment status and transaction identifiers;
• limited payment information, such as payment method and the last digits of a card;
• information necessary to issue a receipt; and
• communications relating to the donation.

Payment-card information is generally submitted directly to our payment processor. Bed Brigade does not ordinarily receive or store your complete card number or card security code.

E. Text-message and telephone information

When you provide a telephone number or participate in a text-message program, we may collect:

• your telephone number;
• the date, time, and method of consent;
• the language displayed when consent was provided;
• messages sent to and received from you;
• delivery, error, and opt-out records;
• communication preferences; and
• information needed to connect the communication with your bed request, volunteer activity, donation, or other interaction.

F. Photographs and recordings

With appropriate permission, we may collect photographs, video, audio, testimonials, or other recordings from volunteer events and Bed Brigade activities.

We do not authorize volunteers to photograph children, recipient families, private homes, addresses, personal documents, or other identifying information without appropriate approval.

G. Information collected automatically

When you use our website, our systems and service providers may automatically collect limited technical information, including:

• Internet Protocol address;
• browser and device type;
• operating system;
• dates and times of access;
• pages visited and links selected;
• referring website or source;
• general geographic area derived from an IP address;
• security and authentication events;
• system-performance information; and
• error and diagnostic logs.

We use this information to operate, secure, maintain, troubleshoot, and improve the website. We do not use this technical information to build commercial profiles of the families we serve.

H. Cookies and similar technologies

Our website and service providers may use cookies or similar technologies that are necessary to:

• operate website features;
• maintain secure sessions;
• authenticate authorized users;
• remember limited preferences;
• prevent fraud or misuse; and
• understand basic website performance.

We do not knowingly allow third parties to use Bed Brigade’s bed-request information for targeted advertising.

Your browser may allow you to block or delete cookies. Blocking cookies may prevent certain website features from functioning properly.

I. Information from other sources

We may receive information from:

• parents, guardians, caregivers, and household members;
• schools, churches, social-service agencies, healthcare or community organizations, and other referral sources;
• local chapters and authorized Bed Brigade representatives;
• donation and payment providers;
• communication and identity-verification providers;
• background-check providers;
• publicly available sources; and
• other individuals or organizations authorized to communicate with us.

If you submit information about another person, you represent that you are authorized to provide it or that another lawful basis permits you to do so.

3. How We Use Information

We use personal information for the purposes described below.

A. Providing beds and related assistance

We may use information to:

• receive, review, and manage bed requests;
• determine whether a request is within a chapter’s service area;
• identify the number, type, and size of beds needed;
• communicate with applicants, parents, guardians, caregivers, and referral sources;
• verify or clarify request information;
• coordinate scheduling, delivery, and installation;
• provide language-appropriate communications when reasonably available;
• identify prior requests and reduce accidental duplicate fulfillment;
• document delivery and request outcomes;
• respond to concerns about a delivered bed; and
• protect recipients, volunteers, and others from reasonably identified safety risks.

B. Managing volunteers

We may use volunteer information to:

• register and communicate with volunteers;
• organize build, delivery, fundraising, and community events;
• assign age-appropriate and suitable roles;
• maintain attendance, training, waiver, and qualification records;
• conduct or confirm required background checks;
• coordinate transportation and delivery teams;
• manage safety incidents;
• recognize volunteer service; and
• maintain the safety and integrity of our programs.

C. Processing and administering donations

We may use donor information to:

• process and record donations;
• provide donation receipts and acknowledgments;
• administer donor restrictions and designations;
• respond to donor questions;
• maintain financial and tax records;
• detect unauthorized or fraudulent transactions;
• report aggregate fundraising information; and
• communicate about Bed Brigade’s charitable work, subject to your communication choices.

D. Communications

We may use contact information to:

• respond to inquiries;
• provide request, delivery, volunteer, or donation updates;
• send text messages when you have provided the applicable consent;
• send administrative or safety-related notices;
• communicate changes to our policies or services; and
• send newsletters or fundraising communications where permitted by law.

You may opt out of nonessential promotional emails by using the unsubscribe method included in the message. Even after opting out, we may continue to send communications necessary to process a request, coordinate a delivery, administer a donation, manage volunteer activity, protect safety, or comply with law.

E. Operating and protecting Bed Brigade

We may use information to:

• operate and improve our website and programs;
• maintain the security of our systems;
• authenticate authorized users;
• detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, misuse, or unauthorized access;
• enforce our Terms of Service and other policies;
• investigate complaints and safety incidents;
• protect the rights, safety, and property of Bed Brigade, recipient families, volunteers, donors, and others;
• comply with legal, financial, insurance, and reporting obligations; and
• establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

F. Reporting and program evaluation

We may combine or de-identify information to understand and report:

• how many beds have been requested, built, or delivered;
• the communities and general geographic areas served;
• volunteer participation;
• program capacity and unmet need;
• donation and grant outcomes; and
• other measures of Bed Brigade’s charitable impact.

Whenever reasonably possible, reports to donors, grantmakers, churches, community partners, and the public use aggregate or de-identified information rather than information that directly identifies a family or child.

Bed Brigade does not use bed-request information to create commercial consumer profiles or to make unrelated advertising decisions.

4. How We Disclose Information

We disclose personal information only as reasonably necessary for our charitable operations, with your direction or permission, or as permitted or required by law.

A. Local chapters and authorized representatives

Information associated with a bed request may be available to the local chapter and authorized coordinators, staff members, volunteers, or participating organizations responsible for reviewing or fulfilling that request.

Access should be limited according to role and operational need. For example, a delivery volunteer may need a recipient’s name, address, telephone number, and delivery instructions, but ordinarily does not need unrestricted access to every request in the Bed Brigade system.

Authorized Bed Brigade administrators may access information when necessary to support chapters, administer the system, investigate concerns, maintain security, evaluate programs, or meet legal and organizational obligations.

B. Service providers

We may disclose information to companies that perform services on our behalf, such as providers of:

• cloud hosting and data storage;
• website and software services;
• text messaging, email, and telephone communications;
• payment processing;
• identity and access management;
• background checks;
• data security, system monitoring, and technical support;
• accounting, auditing, legal, insurance, and professional services; and
• mailing, event, or volunteer-management services.

These providers may process information only to provide services to Bed Brigade or as otherwise permitted by their agreements with us and applicable law.

Our principal technology providers may include Microsoft and its affiliated services. Donation transactions may be processed by a separate payment provider identified at the time of payment.

C. Referral and community partners

When a school, church, social-service agency, healthcare organization, or other community partner submits or assists with a request, we may communicate with that organization to verify authority, clarify information, coordinate service, or report the outcome of the referral.

We will not disclose more information than we reasonably believe is necessary for that purpose.

D. At your request or with your permission

We may disclose information when you ask or authorize us to do so, including when coordinating with a parent, guardian, caregiver, referral organization, or other person assisting you.

E. Safety, emergencies, and protection of others

We may disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to:

• respond to an emergency;
• protect a child or another person from a serious threat of harm;
• request emergency or protective assistance;
• report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other conduct when required or permitted by law;
• investigate fraud, threats, harassment, or misuse of our programs; or
• protect the rights, safety, or property of Bed Brigade, volunteers, recipient families, donors, service providers, or the public.

Nothing in this Privacy Policy requires Bed Brigade or its volunteers to make a report unless applicable law imposes that obligation. Bed Brigade may also make a good-faith report when reporting is legally permitted and reasonably believed necessary to protect someone from harm.

F. Legal and regulatory disclosures

We may disclose information when we reasonably believe doing so is necessary to:

• comply with a law, regulation, court order, subpoena, or other lawful legal process;
• respond to an authorized government inquiry;
• satisfy tax, charitable-registration, audit, insurance, or financial-reporting requirements;
• enforce an agreement or policy;
• investigate a suspected violation of law; or
• establish, exercise, or defend legal rights or claims.

When legally permitted and reasonably practical, we may seek to limit a request that appears overly broad or notify the affected individual before disclosure.

G. Organizational changes

If Bed Brigade enters into a merger, consolidation, reorganization, chapter transition, transfer of programs, or similar organizational transaction, relevant information may be transferred to the organization assuming responsibility for the applicable charitable program.

Any recipient of the information will be expected to continue using it consistently with the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless affected individuals are given appropriate notice and choices.

H. Aggregated or de-identified information

We may disclose information that has been aggregated or reasonably de-identified so that it does not identify a particular person or household.

5. Information We Do Not Sell

Bed Brigade does not sell or rent personal information.

We do not disclose bed-request, volunteer, donor, or text-message information to third parties for their own targeted advertising or unrelated marketing purposes.

We do not sell or share text-message consent information with third parties for their independent marketing.

A payment processor, cloud provider, communication provider, or other company processing information on our behalf is not permitted by Bed Brigade to use that information for unrelated marketing merely because it provides a service to us.

6. Children’s Privacy

Bed Brigade’s website and online forms are intended for adults, including parents, legal guardians, caregivers, authorized representatives, volunteers, and donors. They are not directed to children under 13.

We may receive a child’s name, age or age range, and bed-related information from an adult submitting or assisting with a request. We collect this information to evaluate and fulfill the request, identify an appropriate bed, coordinate delivery, maintain program records, and protect safety.

We do not knowingly ask a child under 13 to submit personal information directly through our website. We do not knowingly use children’s information for behavioral advertising or market directly to children.

If you believe a child under 13 submitted personal information directly to Bed Brigade without appropriate adult involvement, contact us at support@bedbrigade.org. We will review the matter and take appropriate action, which may include deleting the information unless retention is required or otherwise permitted by law.

7. Text Messages

Bed Brigade uses telephone numbers to send text messages when the recipient has provided the consent required for the applicable message.

Messages may concern:

• verification of a bed request;
• request status;
• scheduling or delivery;
• volunteer registration and event coordination;
• donation administration;
• safety or service updates; and
• other communications described when consent is requested.

Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply.

Consent to receive text messages is not sold or transferred to another organization for its independent marketing. We may provide telephone numbers and messaging records to communication providers that transmit messages on our behalf.

You may withdraw consent by replying STOP or by using another reasonable opt-out method identified in the message or our text-message program terms. We may send a single nonpromotional message confirming the opt-out.

For assistance, reply HELP or contact us using the information below.

Additional information may be provided on our text-message program page. Where that page conflicts with this Privacy Policy concerning a particular messaging program, the more specific program terms will apply.

8. Donations and Payment Information

Online donations are processed through an authorized payment provider. Payment-card information is generally transmitted directly to that provider and is governed by the provider’s privacy and security practices.

Bed Brigade ordinarily receives transaction information such as:

• donor name and contact information;
• donation amount and date;
• transaction status;
• designation or restriction;
• payment method type;
• limited card information, such as the last four digits; and
• a transaction or receipt number.

We retain donation records as needed to issue receipts, administer restricted gifts, maintain accurate financial records, prevent fraud, respond to donor inquiries, and comply with tax, accounting, audit, and nonprofit-recordkeeping requirements.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to provide services, maintain accurate records, protect safety, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and comply with legal, tax, insurance, grant, audit, and reporting obligations.

Retention periods vary according to the type of information and the reason it was collected.

A. Bed-request records

We may retain bed-request and fulfillment records for a reasonable period to:

• process and follow up on requests;
• document deliveries;
• respond to bed-safety or construction concerns;
• prevent accidental duplicate fulfillment or program misuse;
• understand community needs;
• provide accurate reports to donors and grantmakers;
• maintain insurance and operational records; and
• establish or defend legal claims.

We may retain a limited record of a request after deleting information that is no longer necessary.

B. Volunteer records

Volunteer registration, participation, waiver, training, qualification, safety, and incident records may be retained for as long as necessary to administer the volunteer program, satisfy insurance requirements, document consent, protect safety, and address potential claims.

C. Text-message consent records

We retain records of text-message consent, messages, opt-outs, and related activity for as long as reasonably necessary to administer the program, honor communication preferences, demonstrate compliance, resolve complaints, and meet applicable legal requirements.

D. Donation and financial records

Donation, receipt, accounting, and tax records are retained for the periods required or recommended under applicable tax, accounting, audit, and nonprofit-recordkeeping rules. Certain organizational and financial records may be retained permanently.

E. Technical and security records

Website logs, authentication records, security events, and system backups may be retained for periods reasonably necessary to operate and secure our systems, investigate incidents, detect misuse, and maintain reliable backups.

When information is no longer reasonably necessary, we may delete it, de-identify it, aggregate it, or securely isolate it until deletion is practical.

Information may remain temporarily in system backups or archives after deletion from active systems. Such information will remain protected and will not ordinarily be restored except for disaster recovery, security, or legal purposes.

10. Your Privacy Choices

Depending on your relationship with Bed Brigade and applicable law, you may ask us to:

• confirm whether we maintain personal information about you;
• provide a reasonable description or copy of that information;
• correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
• update your contact or communication preferences;
• withdraw text-message consent;
• unsubscribe from nonessential email communications; or
• delete personal information that is no longer necessary.

You do not need to use technical or legal terminology. Contact us and explain what you would like us to do.

We may need to verify your identity and authority before responding. Verification helps prevent someone else from obtaining or deleting your information without permission.

We may deny or limit a request when:

• we cannot reasonably verify the requester’s identity or authority;
• the information concerns another person;
• deletion would interfere with an active request or service you asked us to provide;
• retention is reasonably necessary for safety, fraud prevention, tax, accounting, insurance, grant, audit, legal, or recordkeeping purposes;
• the request would require us to disclose confidential organizational or third-party information;
• the request is excessive, repetitive, technically infeasible, or manifestly unfounded; or
• applicable law permits or requires us to retain the information.

When reasonably possible, we will explain why we cannot fully honor a request and will delete or correct the portions that are not subject to an applicable exception.

To submit a privacy request, email support@bedbrigade.org.

These voluntary privacy-request procedures do not create rights beyond those provided by applicable law.

11. Information About Other People

When you provide information about a child, family member, household member, emergency contact, referral, or another person, you agree to provide only information that is reasonably necessary and accurate to the best of your knowledge.

You represent that you have the authority or another lawful basis to provide the information.

Please do not submit sensitive information about another person unless Bed Brigade requests it and you are authorized to provide it.

12. Security

Bed Brigade uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, acquisition, use, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

Depending on the system and user role, these safeguards may include:

• role-based access controls;
• limiting access according to chapter and job responsibility;
• passwordless or multifactor authentication;
• authentication codes sent to an authorized device;
• encrypted network connections;
• cloud-hosted security controls;
• system logging and monitoring;
• software maintenance and security updates;
• backups and recovery procedures;
• volunteer or staff confidentiality expectations; and
• incident-response procedures.

No website, transmission method, database, or security system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Accordingly, we cannot promise that unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or disclosure will never occur.

You can help protect information by safeguarding authentication codes, using a secure device, confirming that communications are genuinely from Bed Brigade, and notifying us promptly if you suspect unauthorized activity.

13. Security Incidents

If Bed Brigade discovers a security incident involving personal information, we will investigate the incident, take reasonable steps to contain and remediate it, and provide notices to affected individuals, government authorities, or others when required by applicable law.

Whether notice is required may depend on the nature of the information, the likelihood of harm, whether the information was encrypted, and other circumstances established by law.

We may also provide notice when not legally required if we determine that doing so would meaningfully help affected individuals protect themselves.

14. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may link to or integrate with websites and services operated by third parties, including payment processors, mapping services, social-media platforms, churches, community partners, and other organizations.

Bed Brigade does not control the privacy or security practices of an independent third party. This Privacy Policy does not govern information you provide directly to an independent third party.

We encourage you to review the third party’s privacy policy before submitting personal information.

15. Do Not Track and Advertising Signals

Some browsers and devices offer “Do Not Track,” Global Privacy Control, or similar signals. Because Bed Brigade does not sell personal information or use bed-request information for cross-context behavioral advertising, these signals may not materially change how our website operates.

Where applicable law requires us to recognize a particular browser-based privacy signal, we will do so as required.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our programs, technology, service providers, legal obligations, or information practices.

When we update the policy, we will revise the effective date shown at the top.

If a change materially affects how we use previously collected personal information, we will provide additional notice when reasonably appropriate. Depending on the circumstances, notice may be provided through the website, by email or text message, through a chapter, or by another reasonable method.

We will not use previously collected information for a materially different purpose without providing any notice or obtaining any consent required by applicable law.

17. Contact Us

Questions, concerns, complaints, and privacy requests may be directed to:

Bed Brigade, Inc.
171 E 5th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201
Email: support@bedbrigade.org

Effective Date: 7/20/26
Bed Brigade, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Federal EIN: 87-4756942