Privacy Policy
DEAF FLORIDA INC.
A Florida 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation
Effective Date: May 1, 2026 | Last Updated: May 1, 2026
SUMMARY — YOUR PRIVACY AT A GLANCE
Deaf Florida Inc. collects only the information necessary to serve our community, operate our programs, and fulfill our nonprofit mission. We do not sell your data. We do not share your information with advertisers. We use your information to communicate with you about ASL awareness events, community programs, and organizational updates — and only with your consent. This policy explains what we collect, why we collect it, how we protect it, and what rights you have over your own information.
Who We Are
Deaf Florida Inc. ("Deaf Florida," "we," "us," or "our") is a Florida nonprofit corporation recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our mission is to build ASL awareness and strengthen the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community across Florida through events, education, advocacy, and strategic partnerships.
Our primary website is deafflorida.org. We also operate social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. This Privacy Policy applies to all information collected through these channels and through our events and programs.
Contact: HighFive@deafflorida.org
Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including when you:
Complete our media release or event participation forms
Subscribe to our email newsletter or mailing list
Register for or purchase tickets to a Deaf Florida event
Apply to volunteer, interpret, or partner with Deaf Florida
Contact us directly by email, phone, or social media
Make a donation or financial contribution to Deaf Florida
The types of information we may collect include: full name, preferred name, email address, phone number, mailing address, date of birth (for age verification purposes only), parent or guardian information (for minor participants), event participation history, and payment information (processed securely through third-party payment processors — we do not store full payment card numbers).
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit deafflorida.org, our service providers or we may automatically collect certain technical information, including: IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, pages visited and time spent, referring URLs, and general geographic location (city/region level only). This information is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies and is used solely to improve the performance and usability of our website.
2.3 Information from Third Parties
We may receive information about you from third-party platforms, including Squarespace (our website and form platform), Zapier (our automation platform), Dropbox Sign or DocuSign (our digital signature platform), Mailchimp or similar email service providers, and social media platforms, when you interact with our accounts. We only receive information that these platforms are authorized to share under their own privacy policies and your consent settings with those platforms.
2.4 Sensitive Information
Deaf Florida does not intentionally collect sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, medical or health records, immigration status, or biometric data. If any such information is inadvertently submitted to us, we will delete it promptly and notify you.
3. How We Use Your Information
Deaf Florida uses the information we collect for the following purposes:
1. Event operations. To register participants, manage attendance, send event confirmations and reminders, and coordinate ASL Awareness Night events with our sports partners, including the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, and Orlando Solar Bears.
2. Media release administration. To send, track, and store signed media release agreements through our digital signature platform, and to authorize the use of participant images and likenesses in accordance with executed release forms.
3. Communications. To send newsletters, event announcements, program updates, and organizational news to subscribers who have opted in to receive such communications.
4. Fundraising and grants. To process donations, issue tax acknowledgment letters, and support grant applications and reporting to funders. We do not share donor information with other fundraising organizations.
5. Legal compliance. To comply with applicable federal and Florida state laws, maintain required nonprofit records, and respond to lawful requests from government authorities.
6. Website improvement. To analyze traffic, diagnose technical issues, and improve the usability and content of deafflorida.org.
4. How We Share Your Information
Deaf Florida does not sell, rent, trade, or otherwise transfer your personal information to third parties for their own marketing or commercial purposes. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:
4.1 Service Providers
We work with trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating our website, managing our forms, sending communications, and processing signatures. These vendors are contractually obligated to use your information only as directed by Deaf Florida and to maintain appropriate security standards. Current categories of vendors include website hosting (Squarespace), workflow automation (Zapier), digital signature (Dropbox Sign / DocuSign), email distribution (Mailchimp or equivalent), and cloud storage (Google Drive).
4.2 Event and Sports Partners
When participant images, names, or likenesses are used in co-branded materials with Deaf Florida's sports partners (including the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, and Orlando Solar Bears), such use is governed exclusively by an executed media release agreement signed by the participant. We do not share contact information or personal data with partner organizations without your explicit consent.
4.3 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or lawful request by a government or regulatory authority, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of Deaf Florida, our participants, or the public.
4.4 Organizational Successors
In the unlikely event of a merger, dissolution, or transfer of Deaf Florida's assets to another nonprofit organization, your information may be transferred to that successor organization, subject to the same privacy protections described in this policy. We will notify you of any such transfer.
5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to enhance your browsing experience. We use the following types of cookies:
• Essential cookies: required for the website to function properly (e.g., form session data, security tokens)
• Analytics cookies: used to understand how visitors use our site (e.g., Google Analytics or Squarespace Analytics). This data is aggregated and anonymous.
• Preference cookies: used to remember your settings or preferences across visits
You may turn off cookies through your browser settings at any time. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of our forms and website features. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies, and we do not allow third-party advertisers to place cookies on our site.
6. Data Retention
Deaf Florida retains personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, or as required by applicable law. Our general retention practices are as follows:
• Signed media release agreements: retained permanently as required legal records
• Event registration data: retained for three (3) years following the event date
• Newsletter subscriber data: retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Donation records: retained for seven (7) years in accordance with IRS nonprofit recordkeeping requirements
• Website analytics data: retained for twenty-six (26) months per standard analytics platform defaults
When personal information is no longer needed, and retention is not required by law, we securely delete or anonymize it.
7. Data Security
Deaf Florida takes reasonable and appropriate measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Our security practices include:
• Password-protected access to all organizational accounts and platforms
• Use of reputable third-party platforms with industry-standard encryption (SSL/TLS)
• Limiting access to personal information to authorized staff, board members, and volunteers on a need-to-know basis
• Secure cloud storage for signed documents and participant records
However, no method of transmitting data over the internet or storing it electronically is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you believe your information has been compromised, please get in touch with us immediately at highfive@deafflorida.org.
8. Children's Privacy
Deaf Florida welcomes participants of all ages at our community events. We take the privacy of minors seriously and comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and applicable Florida law.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 through our website without verifiable parental consent. For minors under 18 to participate, we require a parent or legal guardian to co-sign our media release agreement. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13 without proper consent, please contact us at HighFive@deafflorida.org, and we will promptly delete that information.
9. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the following rights with respect to your personal information:
Right to access. You may request a copy of the personal information Deaf Florida holds about you.
Right to correction. You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to deletion. You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.
Right to opt out. You may unsubscribe from our email communications at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email or by contacting us directly.
Right to restrict processing. You may request that we limit the way we use your information.
Right to data portability. You may request your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format.
To exercise any of these rights, please get in touch with us at HighFive@deafflorida.org. We will respond to all verifiable requests within thirty (30) days. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.
Please note that signed media release agreements are legal contracts and cannot be retroactively deleted, though you may contact us to discuss restrictions on future use of your image or likeness.
10. Notice to Florida Residents
Florida residents may have additional rights under the Florida Information Protection Act (FIPA), Florida Statute § 501.171, and other applicable state laws. Deaf Florida complies with Florida's data breach notification requirements. In the event of a data breach affecting Florida residents' personal information, we will notify affected individuals and the Florida Department of Legal Affairs as required by law, within thirty (30) days of discovery of the breach.
11. Third-Party Links and Platforms
Our website and social media accounts may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, or services, including our sports partners, community organizations, and social media networks. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit. Deaf Florida is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites.
12. Social Media
Deaf Florida maintains active accounts on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. When you interact with us on social media — including liking, sharing, commenting, or messaging — those interactions are governed by the privacy policies of those platforms. We may repost, share, or feature publicly available social media content related to our events and community, consistent with platform terms of service. If you would prefer that we not share your publicly posted content, please get in touch with us at HighFive@deafflorida.org.
13. Updates to This Policy
Deaf Florida may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or organizational operations. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy and, where appropriate, notify subscribers via email or a notice on our website. Your continued use of our website or participation in our programs following any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
14. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how Deaf Florida handles your personal information, please get in touch with us at HighFive@deafflorida.org.