How we protect your information

Tri-State Toys for Happiness is run entirely by volunteers. Here is what happens to what you tell us.

What we collect and why

• Your name, address, phone and county — to reach you and to route delivery through your local fire department.
• Each child’s name, sex and birth date — to confirm they are 14 or younger and to choose age-appropriate gifts.
• Social Security Numbers — full ssn for the parent and every child (as the old form). They are used only to make sure each family is helped once and to avoid duplicate help from other agencies.
• Whether you receive help elsewhere — because we deny families already receiving the same help from another charity.

How it is stored

• Applications are stored on a private server managed for the charity, not in email.
• Social Security Numbers are encrypted and shown to volunteers only as the last four digits. Every time a volunteer views a full number, it is recorded.
• Only approved Toys for Happiness volunteers can sign in, each with their own account.
• Notification emails to our volunteers never contain full Social Security Numbers.
• Social Security Numbers are removed after 3 seasons.

Who we share it with

As stated in the Information Release Agreement on the application, we share information with other local agencies and charities through a community resource database so that families are not helped twice for the same need, and with the fire department that delivers your gifts.

Questions or changes

Call 301-724-8676 or use the contact page. If your address or phone changes after you apply, you must tell us.