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Policies

Welcome to the Emergency Relief & Development Overseas (ERDO) website.  By using this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following Terms of Use. Please review these Terms carefully. If you do not agree to these Terms, you should not use this website in any manner whatsoever. The terms “ERDO” “us”, “we” and “our” all refer to Emergency Relief & Development Overseas, the owner of this website. The term “you” refers to the user or viewer of this website.

1. Acceptance of Agreement

You agree to the terms and conditions outlined in this Agreement with respect to any use that you may make of this website. This Agreement constitutes the entire and only agreement between us and you with respect to any such use. This agreement may be amended by us at any time or from time to time without specific notice to you. The latest agreement will be posted on this website (and appropriately date-stamped), and you should review any amended agreement prior to re-using this website. Whether or not you review this agreement, in its initial or any amended version, you will be bound by its terms.

2. Objective of this Website

The objective of this website is to help people deepen their understanding and financial support of ERDO’s humanitarian work centered around the three key areas of:

(a) Child Sponsorship

(b) Crisis Response

(c) Community Development

3. Permitted Use

You are granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable and revocable license to access and use this website solely for your personal and non-commercial purposes in accordance with this Agreement.

4. Prohibited Uses

Your license to access and use this website and any information provided in or by this website is subject to the following restrictions and prohibitions.  You agree not to:

(a) modify, disrupt, impair, alter or interfere with the use, features, functions, operation or maintenance of this website; or

(b) gain unauthorized access to this website, other users’ accounts, names, personally identifiable information or other computers, websites or pages, connected or linked to this website; or

(c) use this website in any manner that violates any applicable federal, provincial, state or other law; or

(d) otherwise use this website in any manner that would constitute a breach of this Agreement.

5. Copyright and Other Intellectual Property Rights

While this website and all of its content is protected under applicable copyrights, trademarks and other intellectual property rights, you may (unless otherwise indicated) copy, share and distribute any of this content on other websites, blogs, worship or educational materials or publications, or for any other purpose that is consistent with and not prohibited by this Agreement, so long as you:

(a) are doing so for personal and non-commercial purposes;

(b) do not claim ownership of any of this content;

(c) reproduce any copyright, trademark or other intellectual property right notice, and credit ERDO as the source of this content; and

(d) provide a link to this website in the event that your copying, sharing or distribution of such content is done electronically.

For greater certainty, we own the copyright in all of the content of this website that is original to us, and in our selection, coordination, arrangement and enhancement of this content, with the entire content of this website being protected by copyright as a collective work and/or compilation under applicable copyright laws.

6. Links to other Websites

This website contains links to other websites. While we use reasonable efforts to satisfy ourselves that these links are appropriate and in working order when the links are first posted, we do not do so on an ongoing basis. As a result, we are not responsible for the content, accuracy or opinions expressed in any linked website, or for the privacy practices or safety of any of these links.

7. Use at Your Own Risk

Although we strive for accuracy, mistakes can happen and information on this website may be incorrect or incomplete. This website and all of its content are provided “as is” and “as available”. No representations, warranties or conditions of any nature are provided by us regarding this website, any such information, or any links to other websites. The implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, merchantable quality, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement are specifically disclaimed. As a result, your use of this website and of any information provided in or by this website (including by any linked website) is at your own risk.

8. Agreement regarding Liability

(a) Regardless of circumstances and regardless of the form of action, whether in contract under this Agreement or in tort (including negligence), we shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential losses or damages of any nature or kind whatsoever which relate to your use of this website, even if we may have been advised of the possibility of such losses or damages or such losses or damages were reasonably foreseeable.

(b)  If you are dissatisfied with this website, with any of the content on this website, with this Agreement or with anything else that relates to this website, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using this website.

(c) You agree to indemnify us and to hold us harmless from and against any and all liabilities, losses, damages, expenses and claims of any nature or kind whatsoever, including reasonable attorney’s fees, directly or indirectly related to your use of this website and/or your violation of any provision of this Agreement.

(d) ERDO could not make this website and its content available to you in the absence of Sections 6 and 7 and this Section 8.

9. Changes to this Website

We reserve the right in our sole discretion, at any time and without liability or notice to you, to make changes to the features or functionality of this website, to edit, delete or add any content appearing on this website, or to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, all or any portion of this website, including any links to other websites.

10. Privacy Policy

Our Privacy Policy, as it may change from time to time, is a part of this Agreement.

11. Legal Compliance

You agree to comply with all applicable domestic and international laws, statutes, ordinances and regulations regarding your use of this website and any information provided in or by this website.

12. Unlawful Activity

We reserve the right to investigate complaints or reported violations of this Agreement and to take any action we deem appropriate in response to any such complaint or report.

13. Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein (without regard to conflict of laws provisions or your domicile, residence or physical location). You hereby consent and submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the province of Ontario in any action or proceeding related to this website. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we can enforce this Agreement in any court of competent jurisdiction.

14. General Provisions

Should any part of this Agreement be held invalid or unenforceable, that portion shall be severed from this Agreement and the remaining portions shall remain in full force and effect. To the extent that any other information on this website is inconsistent with this Agreement, this Agreement shall take precedence. Our failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver of such provision nor of the right to enforce such provision.  This Agreement enures to our benefit and to the benefit of our successors and assigns, and is binding on you, together with your heirs, executors, administrators and successors. All of our rights under this Agreement shall survive any termination of this Agreement for any reason whatsoever.

We have created this statement to demonstrate our firm commitment to your privacy. We do not collect personally identifying information about you when you visit our site, unless you choose to provide such information to us. Providing such information is strictly voluntary. This policy is your guide to how we will handle information we learn about you from your visit to our Web site. None of your personal information is ever shared or sold.

Use of Links

Throughout our Web pages, we provide links to other servers which may contain information of interest to our readers. We take no responsibility for, and exercise no control over, the organizations, views, or accuracy of the information contained on other servers. Creating a text link from your Web site to our site does not require permission. If you have a link you’d like us to consider adding to our Web site, please send an email to info@erdo.ca with the subject “Link request.”

Use of Text and Images

If you would like to publish information that you find on our Web site, please send your request to info@erdo.ca. Where text or images are posted on our site with the permission of the original copyright holder, a copyright statement appears at the bottom of the page.

Accessibility

This Web site is designed to be accessible to visitors with disabilities, and to comply with federal guidelines concerning accessibility. We welcome your comments. If you have suggestions on how to make the site more accessible, please contact us at info@erdo.ca.

Reading or Downloading

We collect and store only the following information about you: the name of the domain from which you access the Internet, the date and time you access our site, and the Internet address of the Web site from which you linked to our site.

We use the information we collect to measure the number of visitors to the different sections of our site, and to help us make our site more useful to visitors.

Online Profile Updates and Donations

If you complete the Profile update form and share your personally identifying information, this information will be used only to provide you with more targeted content. We may use your contact information to send further information about our organization or to contact you when necessary. You may always opt-out of receiving future mailings; see the “Opt Out” section below.

Sending us an Email

You also may decide to send us personally identifying information, for example, in an electronic mail message containing a question or comment, or by filling out a Web form that provides us this information. We use personally identifying information from email primarily to respond to your requests. We may forward your email to other employees who are better able to answer you questions. We may also use your email to contact you in the future about our programs that may be of interest.

We want to be very clear: We will not obtain personally identifying information about you when you visit our site, unless you choose to provide such information to us. Providing such information is strictly voluntary. Except as might be required by law, we do not share any information we receive with any outside parties.

If you sign up for one of our email lists, we will only send you the kinds of information you have requested. We won’t share your name or email address with any outside parties.

Kids and Privacy

For children who visit our site, special rules apply. We do not request personal information about children, such as first and last name or street address and city. When kids send email to us, their online contact information (email address) is not used to re-contact them and is not maintained in retrievable form.

Opt-Out or Change Your Contact Information

Our site provides users the opportunity to opt-out of receiving communications from us through a special online form. You may choose to receive only specific communications or none at all. You may also update your contact information previously provided to us through another online form. You can not remove yourself from our database, but you can prevent unwanted communication.

Questions about our policies

If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this Web site, you can contact us at: info@erdo.ca

ERDO abides by internal and external governance to provide the best possible experience for supporters.  Our staff hold membership in the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and ascribe to uphold the AFP Ethical Code.

ERDO ensures the privacy of donor information by adhering to industry best-practice  internal restrictions on how donor information is handled and stored. We will not rent, sell or trade your information to other organizations, parties or mailing lists.

Any personal information you provide us while on our website or in other communications with ERDO will be kept strictly confidential and used only to keep you up to date about our work, to deliver tax receipts and to send you other information you have requested.

ERDO also hold membership with Canadian Centre for Christian Charities.

Emergency Relief & Development Overseas (ERDO) strives at all times to provide goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. Whether a person’s disability is apparent or not, ERDO believes that everyone should be treated with courtesy and respect. ERDO is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities.

This Policy has been prepared to meet the compliance requirements of the AODA Customer Service Standard and to articulate what people may expect from ERDO in regard to this standard.   This policy applies to all staff members of ERDO.

Responsibility:

It is the responsibility of the managers and/or immediate supervisors to ensure that all staff members follow the guidelines set out in this policy.   Each manager and/or supervisor is responsible to ensure all staff members are trained under the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service and this policy, practices and procedure.

1.   Access to our Building

The ERDO head office building, located at 2450 Milltower Court in Mississauga, Ontario is accessible to all persons, having the following accommodations in place:

(a) Parking

Three parking spaces are specifically allocated to persons with physical disabilities. These spaces are located close to our front entrance and are clearly identifiable.

(b)  Front Door Access

Our front door has an automatic door opener and an assistive ramp that is wheelchair friendly.

(c)  Second Floor Access

Our elevator, which is wheelchair accessible, is available for those who need to use it and is kept in good working repair. A key to the elevator is always available at Reception. The receptionist will ask the person with a disability if they would like assistance operating the elevator.  If they do require assistance, the receptionist will contact an administrative assistant to come down to the reception area.

(d) Accessible washrooms

Accessible washrooms are available on both the first and second floors of our building. These washrooms are equipped with handrails and counters and sinks at heights that accommodate a wheelchair.

2.  Assistive Devices

ERDO is committed to serving persons with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from its goods and services.  ERDO will ensure that our staff members and volunteers are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by persons with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

3.  Use of Service Animals

ERDO is committed to welcoming persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties.  ERDO will ensure that all staff and volunteers who deal with the public are trained in how to interact with persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.

4.  Support Persons

ERDO is also committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. At no time will a person with a disability, who is in need of the assistance of a support person, be prevented from having access to his/her support person while on our premises.

5.  Communication

ERDO will communicate with persons with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.  We will train staff and volunteers on how to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities.

(a)  Telephone Services

ERDO will train staff and volunteers to communicate over the telephone clearly and concisely using plain and easily understandable language.  We will make staff & volunteers familiar with telephone technologies intended for persons with disabilities. We will also offer to communicate with people by regular mail or email if telephone communication is not suitable to their needs.

(b)  Forms, Documents & Publications

ERDO will endeavor to make all forms, documents and publications available in alternative formats. Requests for documentation in alternative formats will be forwarded to the department involved in the production of such documentation.

6.  Notice of Temporary Disruption

ERDO will provide a public notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by persons with disabilities. Such notice will include the reasons for the disruption, the expected duration and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be placed on our website and at our front entrance.

7.  Training

(a) Training for Current Staff & Volunteers

ERDO will provide training to all staff members, both full-time and part-time, as well as any volunteers who work at our head office and deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf.

      1. We will also provide training for those involved in the development and approvals of policies, practices and procedures to accommodate persons with disabilities.
      2. All such training will be documented.  Human Resources will maintain accurate records of training delivered to our staff and make these records available for inspection as may be required.
      3. Training will be provided on an ongoing basis and whenever changes are made to relevant policies, practices and procedures.

(b)  Training for New Hires

Training for any new hires will be provided within a month of their start date.

(c) Content of Training

Training provided by ERDO will include a review of the purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and the requirements for Phase One, the Customer Service Standard;

      1. ERDO’s plan related to the customer service standard;
      2. Education on the various types of disabilities;
      3. Instruction on how to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities;
      4. Acceptable and non-acceptable terms;
      5. Instruction on how to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or support person;
      6. Instruction on how to use equipment or assistive devices available on-site or otherwise that may help with providing goods or services to persons with disabilities;
      7. Instruction on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing your services;
      8. Our feedback policy;
      9. An opportunity for a question and answer period.

8.  Feedback Process

ERDO welcomes feedback on our accessibility services.  Comments on how well ERDO is doing in accommodating persons with disabilities can be submitted to the Human Resources Department.

(a)  In person or by regular mail addressed to:

Human Resources Department

ERDO

2450 Milltower Court Mississauga, ON L5N 5Z6

(b)  By telephone at: 905-542-7400, or toll free 1-800-779-7262, and requesting ext. 3064.

(c)  TTY: 800-855-0511

(d)  By email

All feedback will be respected as private.  It will be reviewed for possible action that can be taken to improve our current policy, practices and procedures. All those who submit feedback can expect to hear back within ten business days of our receipt of the feedback. Feedback will be in a format that is accessible to the complainant.

9.      Modifications

Any policy of ERDO that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities will be modified or removed.