Clear and straightforward

Privacy & accessibility.

Effective September 8, 2026.

Information we use

You can browse volunteer programs without providing contact information. Search terms and filters appear in the page address so you can share a search. Avoid putting private information into searches you intend to share.

Saved opportunities use a random, secure browser identifier. The saved list is stored on our server and associated with that identifier, not your name. If the hosting platform identifies a signed-in visitor, saves are associated with that visitor’s site-specific account. Clearing browser cookies may disconnect an anonymous saved list.

Location is requested only when you choose “Near me.” Your browser coordinates are used temporarily to calculate distances and are not sent to our server or stored. Map tiles are requested from OpenStreetMap, which receives standard connection information such as your IP address.

Organization submissions

When you submit a program, correction, or claim, we store the information you enter and the time of submission. We use your name and email to review the request or follow up. Contact details are not published in the public directory. Please do not submit confidential client information or sensitive personal records.

Submissions remain in a private review queue. Directory reviewers can approve factual changes after checking the source. Claims do not automatically grant editing access.

Claimed listings and uploaded images

Organization representatives sign in through ChatGPT. We store the site-specific account identifier, account email, work contact details, role evidence, review decisions, and an audit history. Claim evidence and reviewer contact details are private to the applicant and directory administrators. Please use public staff pages or business contact information as evidence, not identity documents.

After approval, representatives can publish changes only to their approved organizations. Uploaded logos and photos are stored privately until selected and saved to the listing. Your public listing text, image description, and photographer credit are then visible to visitors. Only submit media you are authorized to publish, including any necessary permissions for people shown. Administrators may revoke access. Claim updates appear in the account; email notifications are not currently sent.

Cookies and analytics

Help Austin uses an essential cookie for saved opportunities. We do not install advertising trackers or sell your information. The hosting provider may maintain access and security logs. Public forms use short-lived request counters to limit abuse; raw IP addresses are not written to the application database.

Request a correction or deletion

Use the correction form to request a change or deletion of information you submitted. Include enough information to identify the submission. You can remove saved opportunities using the heart button. Reviewers may retain a limited audit record to document changes and prevent abuse.

Accessibility

We aim for an experience that works with keyboards, screen readers, smaller screens, enlarged text, and reduced-motion preferences. Core information is available in a list, so using a map is optional. Please report an accessibility problem and tell us which page and action were affected.

External sites and information accuracy

Volunteer signups happen on independent organization websites under their own policies. A listing is information, not a placement, endorsement, guarantee of availability, or agreement between you and the organization. Confirm requirements and current details directly before participating.

Image credits

Photos are credited on the sources page. Category illustrations do not imply that the people pictured are connected to a particular listed organization.