Spirit & Sand's Privacy Policy

At Spirit & Sand, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the confidentiality of your personally identifiable information (PII). This policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your information while providing our housing support, case management, and community outreach services.

We collect information necessary to deliver housing support and case management services, including:

• Personal contact information
• Identification information (e.g., ID cards, Social Security Number if required for services)
• Financial information (e.g., income verification for housing applications)
• Health information (when relevant to service eligibility)
• Emergency contact information
• Background information (including criminal history if relevant to housing barriers)
• Housing-related information (e.g., lease agreements, rental history)
• Communication details (SMS, email, recorded call logs for service tracking)
• Demographic information (used for service improvement and grant reporting)

We only collect the minimum necessary data to provide effective support services.

Spirit & Sand collects this information to:

• Deliver housing support, case management, and community outreach services.
• Communicate via SMS, phone, or email with updates, notifications, and service reminders.
• Assist with housing applications, benefit enrollments, and referrals to external services.
• Improve our services and programs based on community insights and compliance with reporting requirements.
• Maintain secure case notes, billing, and records in accordance with regulatory guidelines.

Spirit & Sand utilizes cloud-based platforms to securely store and manage data. These include:

• Pavillio – for case notes, billing, and time entry.
• Office 365 – for email communication and document management.
• RingCentral – for phone and SMS communications.
• Google Workspace – for Chromebook device management.

All data stored in these systems is protected using encryption and access is restricted to authorized staff only.

Spirit & Sand uses SMS to provide important notifications, confirmations, and service-related communications. These messages are not promotional and are intended to assist you in your housing journey.

We obtain consent for SMS communications either verbally during initial consultations, referrals, or in-person meetings, or through a written consent form. By providing your phone number, you agree to receive text messages from Spirit & Sand regarding our services. These may include housing support updates, appointment reminders, and non-promotional event notifications such as community gatherings, workshops, and outreach programs. If you initiate a conversation via SMS, consent is also implied.

Types of messages you may receive:

• Confirmations of appointments or service updates
• Important notifications related to housing support and community outreach
• Responses to inquiries or requests for assistance

By opting into SMS communications, you acknowledge that message and data rates may apply.

• To opt out at any time, reply STOP to any message from Spirit & Sand.
• To opt back in, reply START.
• For assistance, reply HELP or contact us at support@spiritandsand.org.

We do not share phone numbers or SMS records with third parties for marketing purposes.

To provide consent via our form, view our SMS Consent Form.

We retain client records for seven (7) years, or as long as required by state and federal guidelines for housing and case management services. After this period, records are securely deleted or anonymized.

Security Measures:

To protect your data, we use:

• Encryption for sensitive data where applicable.
• Access controls to limit data visibility to authorized personnel.
• Audit logs to monitor system access and prevent unauthorized use.

If you request to review or delete your personal data, contact us at support@spiritandsand.org.

Spirit & Sand does not sell personal data. However, we may share necessary information with:

• Landlords and housing authorities to facilitate housing placements.
• Government agencies for compliance with housing programs.
• Healthcare and service providers when referrals are requested or required.
• Pavillio (case management system) for billing and documentation.

All third-party providers are required to maintain confidentiality and use data only for service-related purposes.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) will never be shared or sold to third parties for marketing purposes.

Additionally, SMS opt-in and phone numbers collected for communication purposes will not be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing purposes.

Our data practices comply with:

• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) for health-related data protection.
• HUD (Housing and Urban Development) confidentiality standards.
• CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association) guidelines for SMS privacy compliance.

Spirit & Sand is committed to ensuring privacy and security in all interactions.

You have the right to:

• Request access to your personal data.
• Correct inaccuracies in your records.
• Request deletion of your data (where permitted by regulations).

For any privacy concerns or requests, contact support@spiritandsand.org.

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. Changes will be reflected on this page, and we encourage you to review it periodically.

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at support@spiritandsand.org.