Privacy Policy

Effective Date: April 2017

Updated Date: July 2026

Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA

Introduction & Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Operating as Ekklesia Iwiga and Diakonia Americas (collectively referred to as "the Ministry," "we," "us," or "our"), we are a registered religious non-profit organization headquartered in San Jose, California, U.S.A. 95112.

In alignment with our Benedictine values, we view the protection of your personal information not merely as a regulatory requirement, but as a sacred trust. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, protect, and handle your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) through our website, online platforms, and counseling intake systems in strict compliance with California laws and international standards.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when interacting with our digital sanctuary. This includes:

  • Contact Forms & Inquiries: Name, email address, telephone number, and organizational details provided via our general contact forms or the Institutional Partnership Inquiry (IPI) page.

  • Pastoral Counseling Intake: Brief, non-medical background information submitted voluntarily to request virtual accompaniment or transitional guidance.

  • Donations & Financial Contributions: Payment details (credit card information, billing address) processed securely through our website. Note: All financial transactions are managed by encrypted, PCI-compliant third-party processors (e.g., Stripe, PayPal). We do not store your raw credit card numbers on our servers.

  • Automated Device Data: Standard, non-identifying technical data collected automatically by our website host (Squarespace), such as IP addresses, browser types, and cookie data to ensure optimal site performance.

2. How We Use Your Information

We utilize the information we collect strictly to fulfill our spiritual and humanitarian mission:

  • To coordinate, schedule, and deliver secure virtual pastoral counseling and transitional guidance.

  • To process tax-deductible financial contributions to the Solidarity Fund and issue legal receipts.

  • To vet, evaluate, and communicate with organizations seeking formal alignment via our Covenant of Alignment framework.

  • To maintain institutional security and protect our operations against fraud or unauthorized access.

3. California Privacy Rights Disclosures (CalOPPA & CPRA)

As a California-based entity, we honor the core principles of the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). Users accessing our services retain the following rights:

  • The Right to Know: You may request a disclosure of what personal data we have collected regarding you.

  • The Right to Delete: You may request that we permanently delete your collected personal information from our systems, subject to legal, tax, or pastoral record-keeping requirements.

  • Strict "No-Sale" Policy: We never sell, rent, trade, lease, or commercially share your personal data, email addresses, or phone numbers with third-party marketers or corporate advertisers. Your data remains entirely inside our secure ministry framework.

4. Cross-Border & Local Jurisdictional Compliance

Because our online pastoral care unit is accessible worldwide and our physical Hospitality Hubs operate internationally, our digital and field footprints frequently cross geopolitical boundaries.

  • Obligation to Local Laws: We explicitly recognize and affirm our legal and moral obligation to adhere to all data privacy laws, regulations, and civil protections active within the specific jurisdictions where we operate, volunteer, or deploy clergy.

  • International Synchronization: When processing data from users residing outside the United States, specifically including our staff, volunteers, and supported individuals operating within the Republic of Mexico, we manage data in accordance with both California home-base standards and local federal data protection statutes (such as the Ley Federal de Protección de Datos Personales en Posesión de los Particulares).

5. The Pastoral Counseling Information Firewall

To safeguard the absolute confidentiality of individuals seeking emotional or spiritual recovery, we enforce a strict administrative firewall:

  • Isolation of Data: Information provided during confidential pastoral intake or virtual sessions is strictly separated from our general website data and financial donor databases.

  • Secure Video Framework: All virtual counseling sessions are conducted via secure, encrypted communication platforms aligned with US HIPAA security baselines (such as enterprise-grade Google Meet).

  • Legal Exceptions to Confidentiality: In alignment with our Child Safety Policy and California mandated reporter statutes, pastoral confidentiality is legally and morally waived if a participant discloses an imminent threat of suicide, homicide, or specific knowledge or suspicion of child abuse, elder abuse, or human trafficking. In such instances, we will immediately report the data to the appropriate local law enforcement or child protection authorities.

6. Cookies and Tracking

Our website utilizes standard cookies provided by Squarespace to analyze web traffic trends, keep our security features active, and ensure a seamless donor checkout experience. You may choose to disable cookies through your personal browser settings, though doing so may cause certain automated features of the website to drop in functionality.

7. Contacting Our Compliance Desk

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your right to access or delete your data, or need to file a formal data privacy inquiry, please contact our administrative desk directly:

  • Email: support@diakoniaamericas.org

  • Mailing Address: Ekklesia Iwiga / Diakonia Americas Compliance Desk, 2066 North Capitol AVE, #9040, San Jose, CA, USA. 95132