Clear and straightforward
Privacy & accessibility.
Effective September 16, 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 you sign in with Google, saves are associated with your Help Austin 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. Submission details may be sent to the directory administrator by email through Resend, our email delivery provider, when delivery is configured. Saved review records remain available if delivery fails. 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 can sign in through Google. For Google sign-in, Google receives standard connection information and we verify your Google account identifier and email. We do not receive your password or request access to Gmail, Drive, or your contacts. We store the provider-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 decisions appear in your organization account.
Cookies and analytics
Help Austin uses essential cookies for saved opportunities and Google sign-in. Google sessions expire after seven days; sign-out invalidates the current session. A short-lived sign-in nonce prevents login replay. Google’s sign-in library loads after you accept the terms on the account page. Google handles its sign-in service under its own privacy policy. 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.
Terms of Service
See our Terms of Service for directory use, organization accounts, and submitted content.
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.