Website Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

It is Downtown Emergency Service Center’s (“DESC”) policy to respect and protect the privacy of our website visitors (“visitors”). This Terms of Use and Privacy Policy explains why particular information is collected and how personal privacy is protected within our website, www.DESC.org.

All visitors are encouraged to read this Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. DESC reserves the right at any time and without notice to change this policy simply by posting such changes on our website. Any such change will be effective immediately upon posting.

DESC recognizes the importance of protecting any information collected from visitors to our website. DESC uses this collected information for internal purposes only and maintains appropriate security measures to keep this information private and secure. This information will not be disclosed to third parties for commercial purposes as DESC is committed to protecting our visitors’ privacy. However, DESC may disclose personal information if required to do so by law or if it believes such action is necessary to comply with the law or legal process, protect against misuse or unauthorized use of the DESC website, or protect the personal safety or property of visitors, the public, or DESC and its officers, directors, employees, and volunteers.

Visitors can use the DESC website without revealing any personal information. If one chooses to provide personal information while on the website for the purposes of making donations, sending emails or comments to DESC, or registering for an event, then it is the intent of DESC to let visitors know how their information will be used. If visitors inform DESC that they no longer wish to have this information used for further contact, DESC will respect those wishes.

Visitors can review or correct the personal information collected by DESC or opt out of future contact with DESC by: communicating the desired changes to DESC by using the contact information provided at the end of this Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Information Collection and Use:

Visitors to desc.org who make monetary contributions, join our mailing list, apply for employment and interested in other DESC events and services provide us contact information that may include name, email address, format preference (HTML vs. Text), address, interests, and similar information which is kept on a proprietary database. We will not share, sell or exchange this information for third party’s fundraising or marketing purposes.

Use of “Cookies”:

The DESC website may use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. A cookie is a piece of data stored on a site visitor’s hard drive to help us improve your access to our site and identify repeat visitors to our site. Use of cookies makes web surfing easier by performing certain functions such as saving passwords, and personal preferences for the use of a particular website. In addition, cookies help DESC analyze website utilizations. Usage of a cookie is in no way linked to any personally identifiable information on our site.

Browsers are usually set to accept cookies. However, if one prefers not to receive cookies, the browser configuration can be set to refuse cookies. If the browser is set to refuse cookies, it is possible that some areas of the DESC website will not function properly when viewing them.

Security:

We take precautions to protect your information. When you submit sensitive information via the website, your information is protected both online and offline.

All information provided to DESC is transmitted using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. SSL is a proven coding system that allows a browser to automatically encrypt, or scramble data before it is sent to us. Account information is protected by placing it on a secure portion of the DESC website that is only accessible by certain qualified employees of DESC. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot ensure or may not prevent all loss, misuse or alteration of information transmitted or stored on the website. DESC is not responsible for any damages or liabilities relating to any such security failures.

While we use encryption to protect sensitive information transmitted online, we also protect your information offline. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, billing or customer service) are granted access to personally identifiable information. The computers/servers in which we store personally identifiable information are kept in a secure environment.

Although DESC takes every precaution possible, understand that data and communications, including email and other electronic communications, may be accessed by unauthorized third parties when communicated over the Internet. Furthermore, our website contains links to other websites. Please note that when you click on one of these links, you are entering other websites for which DESC has no responsibility nor can we ensure the privacy practice of these websites. We encourage you to read the privacy statements on all such sites as their policies may be different than ours.

Restrictions on Use of Materials:

This website is owned and operated by DESC. No material from this website or any website owned, operated, licensed or controlled by DESC, or its programs, may be copied, reproduced, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed in any way without our written permission.

Acceptance of Terms of Use & Privacy Policy:

DESC reserves the right to change this policy without notice. Any changes to this policy will be posted to this page as soon as reasonably possible. Use of DESC website constitutes consent and acceptance to any Terms of Use and Privacy Policy then in effect.

Limitation of Liability

You agree that you will hold harmless DESC and its officers, directors, employees, and volunteers from all claims arising out of or related to your access or use of, or your inability to access or use this website or the information contained in this website or other websites to which it is linked. This includes, but is not limited to, information or materials viewed or downloaded from this website or another website to which it is linked that appear to you or are construed by you to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, or that infringe upon your intellectual property rights. In no event will DESC, its officers, directors, employees, volunteers, or the contributors of information to this website be liable to you or any other third party for any decision made or action taken by you in reliance on such information or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

Contacting the Web Site:

If you have any questions about Downtown Emergency Service Center’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, please contact us via e-mail at ctuohy-morgan@desc.org or send a letter to:

DESC
515 Third Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Attn: Administrative Offices