1. Introduction
Welcome to North Star Phoenix ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience while using our community volunteer coordination services, mobile applications (including the North Star Phoenix app and the Phoenix Friends app), telephone hotlines, and SMS notification services.
Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access our services.
2. Information We Collect
We may collect information about you in a variety of ways depending on how you interact with our programs and services:
A. Personal Data
Demographic and personally identifiable information that you voluntarily provide to us when registering for services, enrolling as a community rider ("Friend"), or volunteering, including:
- Name & Contact Details: First name, last name, mobile phone number, landline phone number, and physical street address.
- Friend ID: A permanent unique 4-digit identification number assigned to senior community members to facilitate automated telephone call-in and SMS pickup dispatching.
- Transportation & Mobility Needs: Information regarding appointment times, destination addresses, and mobility accommodations (e.g., wheelchair accessibility, walker, or service animal).
- Account Credentials: Passwords used for volunteer and coordinator authentication.
B. Telephone & SMS Communication Data
When you call our automated telephone hotline to enter your 4-digit Friend ID via touch-tone phone, or when you send a text message with your Friend ID to notify us that you are ready for pickup from your appointment, we collect:
- The phone number you dialed or texted from.
- The timestamp of your call or text.
- The 4-digit Friend ID entered, which allows our dispatch system to match you with your scheduled return ride.
- SMS delivery receipts and opt-in/opt-out status records.
C. Voice and Audio Data
The Phoenix Friends app uses your device's microphone to allow you to submit help requests using your voice. When you press the microphone button and speak, your voice input is:
- Processed locally on your device by the speech recognition system to convert speech to text.
- The resulting text is then sent to Google's Gemini AI service to understand your request.
We do not store raw audio recordings. Voice data is used solely in real-time to capture your help request and is not retained after the session ends.
D. Location Information
We may request access or permission to track location-based information from volunteer devices while using the app to calculate driving estimates and dispatch arrival alerts for senior rides.
3. How We Use Your Information
Having accurate information about you permits us to provide smooth, reliable community assistance. Specifically, we use your information to:
- Coordinate volunteer transportation, appointment drop-offs, and return pickups.
- Recognize your unique 4-digit Friend ID when you dial our automated phone line or text us, immediately alerting volunteer drivers that you are ready for pickup.
- Send automated SMS notifications confirming that your pickup request was received and that a volunteer driver is en route.
- Facilitate volunteer and coordinator communication.
- Maintain service records and verify program eligibility.
- Prevent duplicate entries and maintain platform security.
4. SMS Messaging & Strict Opt-In Privacy Protection
We take your mobile privacy seriously. If you provide your mobile phone number to receive ride updates, appointment notifications, or automated pickup dispatch alerts:
Mobile information obtained through SMS opt-in programs will not be shared, rented, traded, or sold to any third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional reasons under any circumstances. Any sharing with service providers is strictly limited to technology partners directly required to deliver our operational messaging (such as Twilio and Firebase).
5. Disclosure of Your Information
We only share information as strictly necessary to fulfill community transportation requests:
A. To Volunteer Drivers & Coordinators
When a pickup is requested, assigned volunteer drivers receive necessary ride details (your first name, Friend ID, pickup location, destination, and any mobility needs) so they can complete your ride safely.
B. Essential Service Providers
We work with trusted infrastructure providers bound by confidentiality and data processing agreements:
- Twilio: For telephony (IVR call-in line) and transactional SMS dispatch alerts.
- Google Firebase: For secure database hosting and coordinator authentication.
- Google Gemini AI & Speech Services: For processing voice-assisted requests in the mobile app.
6. Data Security and Retention
We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal data from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. Your unique Friend ID is permanently linked to your profile to ensure seamless coordination across multiple appointments, and records are retained in compliance with operational and non-profit recordkeeping requirements.
7. Your Choices and Opt-Out Rights
- SMS Notifications: You can cancel SMS notifications at any time by replying STOP to any text message from North Star Phoenix. You may also reply HELP for assistance or contact our dispatch desk.
- Personal Data Access & Updates: You may contact us at any time to review, update, or correct your contact information or mobility details.
8. Contact Us
If you have questions or comments about this Privacy Policy or our communication practices, please contact us at:
- Brand: North Star Phoenix
- Email: support@northstarphoenix.com
- Mailing Address: North Star Phoenix, PO Box 437, Grangeville, ID 83530