PRIVACY POLICY

YouMadeaWay.org

Operated by You Made a Way

Effective Date: [Month Day, 2026]
Last Updated: [Month Day, 2026]

 

This Privacy Policy explains how You Made a Way collects, uses, discloses, retains, and protects personal information through YouMadeaWay.org and related programs, Community Conversations, fundraising activities, events, and communications.

 

“You Made a Way,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to You Made a Way. “Website” refers to YouMadeaWay.org.

 

Because our mission concerns women leaving coercive control when it turns financial, some communications may contain particularly sensitive information. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully and provide only information reasonably necessary for your request.

 

1. Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through:

• Website visits;

• Contact forms;

• Donations;

• Community Conversation registration;

• Event participation;

• Requests for assistance;

• Program inquiries or applications;

• Partnership and sponsorship inquiries;

• Volunteer inquiries;

• Email subscriptions;

• Surveys and research;

• Testimonials and survivor stories;

• Social-media communications directed to us; and

• Other interactions with You Made a Way.

 

It does not govern independent third parties that maintain their own privacy policies.

 

2. Information We May Collect

The information collected depends on how you interact with us.

 

A. General Contact Information

We may collect:

• Name;

• Email address;

• Telephone number;

• Mailing or billing information when needed;

• Organization;

• Professional title;

• Website;

• Social-media information;

• Communication preferences; and

• The contents of your communications.

 

B. Donor Information

When you make a donation, we may collect or receive:

• Donor name;

• Email address;

• Telephone number;

• Billing information;

• Donation amount;

• Donation date;

• Recurring-donation preference;

• Public-recognition preference;

• Tribute or dedication information;

• Campaign or event information;

• Payment status;

• Payment-method type;

• Partial payment identifiers;

• Transaction reference number; and

• Information needed for receipts, acknowledgments, accounting, and legal compliance.

 

You may request anonymous public recognition, but we may still need to retain internal donor records and make disclosures required by law.

 

C. Community Conversation Information

For a Community Conversation, we may collect:

• Registrant or host name;

• Contact information;

• Organization or venue;

• Event date and location;

• Attendance information;

• Accessibility needs;

• Partnership or sponsorship information;

• Payment or donation information;

• Questions submitted in advance;

• Feedback;

• Photographic or recording consent; and

• Other event-administration information.

 

We discourage attendees from submitting identifying case details or sensitive personal narratives in public registration fields.

 

D. Requests for Assistance and Program Information

A person contacting You Made a Way may voluntarily provide information concerning:

• Coercive control;

• Domestic abuse;

• Financial abuse;

• Economic hardship;

• Family or household circumstances;

• Court involvement;

• Housing;

• Employment;

• Transportation;

• Children or dependents;

• Disability or health-related needs;

• Safety concerns;

• Services sought;

• Geographic location; and

• Other personal circumstances.

 

Provide only information reasonably necessary for us to understand the request.

 

Submitting information does not guarantee assistance or create a confidential professional relationship.

 

E. Highly Sensitive Information

Do not submit through ordinary email, direct messages, public comments, calendar invitations, or general Website forms:

• Social Security numbers;

• Passwords;

• Full bank-account numbers;

• Full payment-card numbers;

• Unredacted identity documents;

• Detailed medical records;

• Unredacted court records;

• Sealed or privileged documents;

• Unredacted information about children;

• Precise safe-location information;

• Information that could expose you or another person to danger; or

• Information you do not have legal authority to disclose.

 

If we later determine that specific documentation is necessary, we may provide instructions concerning an appropriate submission method.

 

You Made a Way is not a law firm, healthcare provider, or emergency service, and communications are not protected by attorney-client, therapist-client, or doctor-patient privilege.

 

F. Partnership, Volunteer, and Professional Information

We may collect:

• Name and contact information;

• Organization;

• Role or title;

• Qualifications;

• Professional licensing information;

• Areas of interest;

• Availability;

• References;

• Conflict-of-interest information;

• Background or screening information where appropriate;

• Partnership proposals;

• Sponsorship information; and

• Other information needed to evaluate a relationship.

 

G. Payment Information

Donations and other payments may be processed through Wix and payment providers made available through or integrated with Wix.

 

You Made a Way generally does not directly receive or store complete payment-card numbers.

 

Payment providers may independently collect payment credentials under their own privacy policies.

 

H. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the Website, Wix and other service providers may automatically collect:

• Internet Protocol address;

• Browser and device type;

• Operating system;

• Approximate location derived from an IP address;

• Referring page;

• Pages viewed;

• Links clicked;

• Date and time of access;

• Session information;

• Cookie identifiers;

• Website interactions;

• Performance information; and

• Security-related information.

 

3. How We Use Information

We may use personal information to:

• Respond to inquiries;

• Process donations;

• Issue receipts and acknowledgments;

• Administer recurring donations;

• Organize Community Conversations;

• Communicate with event hosts and participants;

• Evaluate requests for assistance;

• Determine potential program eligibility;

• Provide educational information or resource navigation;

• Administer charitable programs;

• Evaluate partnership, sponsorship, or volunteer inquiries;

• Conduct mission-aligned research or surveys;

• Publish authorized testimonials or stories;

• Send newsletters and organizational updates;

• Maintain donor, program, and organizational records;

• Evaluate program reach and effectiveness;

• Improve the Website;

• Prevent fraud, threats, retaliation, harassment, and misuse;

• Protect users, staff, volunteers, partners, and the public;

• Comply with tax, accounting, grant, insurance, nonprofit, and legal obligations;

• Enforce agreements and policies;

• Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims; and

• Fulfill another disclosed or authorized purpose.

 

4. Data Minimization

Because information related to coercive control and financial abuse can create significant safety and privacy risks, we seek to collect only information reasonably necessary for the activity involved.

We ask users, participants, volunteers, and partners not to provide unnecessary:

• Case details;

• Names of alleged abusers;

• Information about children;

• Account information;

• Medical information;

• Court documents;

• Precise locations; or

• Other sensitive information.

 

We may redact, delete, decline to retain, or request that a person resubmit information in a safer or more limited form.

 

5. Email and Calendar Services

 

We use Google services, including Gmail and, where appropriate, Google Calendar.

 

Emails and calendar entries may include:

• Name;

• Email address;

• Appointment or event details;

• Meeting links;

• Communication history; and

• Information voluntarily included by participants.

 

Do not include sensitive case descriptions, safe addresses, names of children, or other unnecessary confidential information in email subject lines, calendar titles, or scheduling notes.

 

6. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The Website may use cookies, pixels, local storage, embedded media, analytics tools, and similar technologies.

 

These may support:

• Essential Website functions;

• Security;

• Donation processing;

• Event registration;

• Forms;

• Remembering preferences;

• Analytics;

• Audience measurement;

• Embedded video or audio;

• Social-media functionality;

• Fundraising campaign measurement; and

• Website improvement.

 

Where appropriate, we may use a Wix cookie banner or privacy-preference mechanism.

 

You may manage cookies through the Website tool, where available, or your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect Website functionality.

 

7. Social Media and Media Platforms

You Made a Way may communicate or distribute content using the handle @CrystalFedeli through platforms including, without limitation:

• TikTok;

• YouTube;

• Spotify;

• Apple Podcasts;

• Pinterest;

• LinkedIn;

• Instagram;

• Facebook;

• Threads; and

• Other media or social platforms.

 

These platforms may independently collect information when you view, follow, comment, share, subscribe, play content, or send a message.

 

Their privacy policies—not this Privacy Policy—govern their independent practices.

 

Do not send sensitive survivor information through social-media comments or direct messages.

 

Social-media accounts may be monitored irregularly and are not appropriate for emergencies or urgent assistance.

 

8. How We May Disclose Information

We may disclose personal information in the following circumstances.

 

A. Service Providers

 

We may use providers that support:

• Website hosting;

• Donation and payment processing;

• Forms;

• Email;

• Scheduling;

• Cloud storage;

• Event registration;

• Video conferencing;

• Analytics;

• Accounting;

• Donor management;

• Information technology;

• Cybersecurity;

• Insurance;

• Grant administration; and

• Professional advisory services.

 

These providers may process information as reasonably necessary to perform their services and according to their own terms, privacy policies, and contractual obligations.

 

B. Programs and Community Partners

You Made a Way may collaborate with:

• Nonprofit organizations;

• Attorneys;

• Community institutions;

• Researchers;

• Educational institutions;

• Financial institutions;

• Funders;

• Speakers;

• Volunteers;

• Service providers; and

• Other mission-aligned partners.

 

We will not automatically share a person’s complete intake, personal narrative, or documents merely because a partner is associated with us.

 

Information may be shared when:

• You request or authorize a referral;

• Sharing has been explained as part of a program;

• It is reasonably necessary to administer a jointly operated activity;

• It is reasonably necessary to protect safety;

• Information has been aggregated or de-identified; or

• Disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

 

A partner receiving information may have its own privacy and confidentiality obligations.

 

C. Legal and Safety Reasons

We may disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with law, legal process, subpoena, court order, or regulatory request;

• Meet nonprofit, tax, grant, audit, insurance, or accounting requirements;

• Investigate fraud, harassment, threats, retaliation, impersonation, or security incidents;

• Protect the safety, rights, property, and operations of You Made a Way or another person;

• Respond to an emergency;

• Enforce an agreement or policy;

• Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims; or

• Address suspected unlawful use of our systems or programs.

​

We cannot promise that submitted information is legally privileged or immune from lawful disclosure.

 

D. Organizational Transactions

If You Made a Way reorganizes, combines programs, transfers assets, winds down, or enters another legally authorized nonprofit transaction, information may be transferred to an appropriate successor or charitable organization, subject to applicable law and mission-related obligations.

 

E. At Your Direction

We may share information when you request, authorize, or direct us to do so.

9. Donor Privacy

We use donor information to:

• Process contributions;

• Issue receipts;

• Maintain required records;

• Administer recurring gifts;

• Communicate about organizational activities;

• Recognize donors when authorized;

• Analyze fundraising;

• Prevent fraud; and

• Meet legal and reporting obligations.

 

We do not publicly identify a donor unless:

• The donor consents;

• The donor selects public recognition;

• The information is already lawfully public; or

• Disclosure is legally required.

 

A donor may request anonymous public recognition. This does not necessarily remove internal records or legally required reporting.

 

We do not sell donor lists for money.

10. Survivor and Applicant Privacy

We recognize that survivor and applicant information may be particularly sensitive.

 

We endeavor to:

• Collect only reasonably necessary information;

• Limit access to people with a legitimate operational need;

• Avoid unnecessary public disclosure;

• Use redaction, aggregation, or de-identification when appropriate;

• Select service providers with relevant privacy and security practices;

• Retain information only as reasonably necessary; and

• Use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards.

 

However, the Website is not:

• A privileged legal portal;

• A protected medical-record system;

• An anonymous reporting platform;

• A continuously monitored crisis system; or

• A guarantee of confidentiality.

 

11. Research, Surveys, and Program Evaluation

You Made a Way may conduct surveys, interviews, program evaluation, or mission-aligned research.

We may collect:

• Demographic information;

• Program experience;

• Opinions;

• Needs and barriers;

• Outcomes;

• Feedback;

• Interview content; and

• Other information relevant to the stated research or evaluation purpose.

 

Where appropriate, we may provide additional consent language explaining:

• The purpose;

• Whether participation is voluntary;

• Intended use;

• Publication;

• Confidentiality;

• Recording;

• Compensation, if any;

• Withdrawal; and

• Contact information.

 

Research information may be aggregated or de-identified for reports, grants, public education, advocacy, or program improvement.

 

Submitting a general Website inquiry does not automatically authorize use of a personal story in published research.

 

12. Survivor Stories, Testimonials, and Media

When a person knowingly agrees to participate in a story, testimonial, interview, podcast, video, article, or other publication, we may collect and publish information consistent with the person’s consent or release.

 

This may include:

• Name or approved pseudonym;

• Biography;

• Photograph;

• Audio or video;

• Personal experiences;

• Quotations;

• Professional affiliation;

• Website or social links; and

• Other authorized information.

 

Once information is made public, it may be copied, indexed, archived, quoted, or redistributed by others beyond our control.

 

Private intake information is not automatically treated as permission to publish.

13. No Sale of Personal Information for Money

You Made a Way does not sell personal information or donor information in exchange for money.

 

Some analytics, fundraising, embedded-media, or social technologies may involve transmitting identifiers or Website activity to third parties. Depending on applicable law, some disclosures may be treated as targeted advertising, sharing, or a “sale” even where no money is exchanged.

 

Where legally required, we will provide an appropriate privacy-choice method.

 

We do not use sensitive survivor information for targeted advertising.

 

14. Relationship to Crystal Fedeli Collective LLC

You Made a Way and Crystal Fedeli Collective LLC are separate legal entities.

 

Information submitted to YouMadeaWay.org is not automatically treated as information submitted to Crystal Fedeli Collective LLC.

 

Information may be shared between the entities only when:

• You request or authorize it;

• Sharing is reasonably necessary to fulfill your request;

• A collaboration has been disclosed;

• Information is aggregated or de-identified;

• A shared service provider processes information for both entities; or

• Sharing is otherwise permitted or required by law.

 

Donations to You Made a Way are not payments for services from Crystal Fedeli Collective LLC unless expressly disclosed in a separate arrangement.

 

15. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Process and document donations;

• Issue acknowledgments;

• Maintain tax and accounting records;

• Administer programs;

• Evaluate impact;

• Meet grant requirements;

• Respond to inquiries;

• Maintain partnership or volunteer records;

• Protect safety and security;

• Resolve disputes;

• Meet insurance and legal obligations;

• Enforce agreements; and

• Establish or defend claims.

 

Retention periods vary based on the nature of the information and applicable legal or operational requirements.

 

When information is no longer reasonably necessary, we may delete, anonymize, or securely dispose of it.

 

Backup copies may remain until overwritten through ordinary system processes.

16. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

 

No Website, email system, cloud service, calendar, donation platform, or transmission method is completely secure.

 

We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Visitors should consider their own digital safety, including whether another person may monitor:

• Devices;

• Browser history;

• Email;

• Calendars;

• Location;

• Financial accounts;

• Donation records; or

• Social-media activity.

 

17. Security Incidents

If we discover a security incident affecting personal information, we will investigate and take reasonable responsive steps.

 

Where notification is legally required, we will notify affected individuals, regulators, law enforcement, or other appropriate parties as required.

18. Your Privacy Choices and Rights

Depending on your location and whether a particular law applies, you may have the right to request:

• Confirmation of whether we process your personal information;

• Access to certain information;

• Correction of inaccurate information;

• Deletion of certain information;

• A portable copy of certain information;

• Information concerning categories of collection or disclosure;

• Withdrawal of consent;

• Opt-out from certain targeted advertising, sales, or profiling; or

• Appeal of a denied privacy request.

 

Rights may be subject to exceptions.

 

We may retain information necessary for:

• Donation and tax records;

• Accounting;

• Grant compliance;

• Fraud prevention;

• Security;

• Program administration;

• Legal compliance;

• Contract enforcement; or

• Establishing or defending claims.

 

To submit a request, email:
crystal@crystalfedeli.com

Use the subject line:
YouMadeaWay.org Privacy Request

Include:

• Your name;

• The email address associated with your interaction;

• The type of request;

• Whether the request concerns a donation, event, program, application, or other interaction; and

• Enough information to identify the relevant records and reasonably verify your identity.

 

We may request additional information to prevent fraud or unauthorized disclosure.

 

Where legally permitted, an authorized agent may submit a request, but we may require proof of authorization.

 

We will not unlawfully discriminate against a person for exercising an applicable privacy right.

19. Appeals

Where applicable law provides a right to appeal, you may appeal a denied request by emailing crystal@crystalfedeli.com with the subject line:
YouMadeaWay.org Privacy Appeal

Explain the original request, the response, and why you believe reconsideration is appropriate.

 

20. Children’s Privacy

The Website is intended for adults and is not directed to children under 13.

We do not knowingly collect personal information online directly from children under 13 without legally required parental consent.

 

Parents and guardians should avoid submitting unnecessary identifying details about children.

 

Where a child’s circumstances must be discussed, use initials or generalized descriptions unless complete identifying information is genuinely necessary and requested.

 

If you believe a child under 13 submitted personal information, contact crystal@crystalfedeli.com.

 

21. Visitors Outside the United States

You Made a Way is based in the United States.

Information may be processed or stored in the United States or other locations where our service providers operate.

Those locations may have privacy laws different from the laws where you live.

22. Third-Party Websites and Services

The Website may link to or use third-party resources, donation systems, event platforms, community partners, social networks, podcast platforms, video providers, and service providers.

 

This Privacy Policy does not govern independent third parties.

 

Review their privacy policies before providing personal information.

23. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in law, technology, providers, programs, or practices.

 

The “Last Updated” date identifies the latest revision.

 

Material changes may also be communicated through the Website, email, or another reasonable method where appropriate.

 

24. Contact

Questions or requests concerning this Privacy Policy may be directed to:

 

You Made a Way
Website: YouMadeaWay.org
Email: crystal@crystalfedeli.com