Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

ElderLight ("we," "us," or "our") is a Canadian nonprofit organization operating in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario. We connect isolated and lonely seniors with trained companion volunteers, community mentors, and free wellness support — completely free of charge, always.

We are committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable Ontario privacy laws.

2. Information We Collect

We only collect information necessary to connect you or your loved one with support. This may include:

• Your name and contact information (email address, phone number) when you reach out to us
• Basic information about the senior you are calling about, shared only with your consent
• A brief description of the type of support you are looking for
• Language preferences and availability to help us make the best match
• Information you provide when applying to volunteer or partner with us
• Technical information such as your IP address or browser type, collected automatically when you visit our website

We do not require account creation and we do not collect payment information — our services are always free.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information solely to:

• Respond to your request for support or your inquiry
• Match a senior with an appropriate companion volunteer or mentor
• Coordinate scheduling and follow-up communications with your consent
• Process volunteer and community partner applications
• Deliver digital literacy workshops, wellness check-ins, and other programs
• Improve our website and services

We will never use your information for marketing purposes or share it with advertisers.

4. Confidentiality of Conversations

All conversations between a senior and their companion volunteer or mentor are strictly confidential. Our volunteers are bound by confidentiality agreements and trained in privacy best practices.

Confidentiality has limited exceptions only where required by law, including:

• Where there is an immediate risk of harm to the senior or others
• Where there is a reasonable suspicion of elder abuse, financial abuse, or neglect
• Where disclosure is required by a court order or applicable law

These exceptions are consistent with professional and legal standards applicable across Ontario and Canada, and with our mandate to protect the safety and dignity of every elder we serve.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information. We may share limited information only in the following circumstances:

• With your companion volunteer or mentor — only the information needed to facilitate your match (e.g., first name, preferred language, availability, general interests)
• With referral partners — if you were referred to us by a care home, hospital, or social worker, we may confirm that contact was made, with your consent
• With service providers — we use Formspree to process contact form submissions, in accordance with their privacy policy
• With our sister nonprofits — with your explicit consent, we may refer you to VoiceToValue (mental health support) or FeedingTogether (food security) where appropriate
• As required by law — where we are legally required to disclose information

6. Contact Form & Third-Party Services

Our website contact form is powered by Formspree (formspree.io). When you submit a message, your submission is processed by Formspree and delivered to us by email. Formspree may store your submission data in accordance with their privacy policy at formspree.io/legal/privacy-policy.

Our website is hosted on IONOS. IONOS may collect standard web server logs as part of normal hosting operations.

7. Cookies & Website Analytics

Our website may use basic cookies to ensure the site functions properly. We do not currently use advertising cookies or cross-site tracking cookies. If we introduce website analytics in the future, this policy will be updated accordingly.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to provide support or fulfill the purpose for which it was collected. You may request deletion of your information at any time by contacting us directly.

9. Your Rights

Under PIPEDA and applicable Ontario law, you have the right to:

• Know what personal information we hold about you
• Request access to your personal information
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your personal information
• Withdraw consent for our use of your information at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information below.

10. Protecting Vulnerable Adults

Because we serve seniors and vulnerable older adults, we take additional care with personal information. We will never share a senior's information with a third party without explicit consent from the senior themselves or their authorized representative. If you have concerns about how a senior's information is being handled, please contact us immediately.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. Continued use of our website or services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle personal information, please contact us: