Privacy Policy
Last updated: August 1, 2026
Our Privacy Commitment
At GoFind.Help, we believe privacy is a fundamental right, especially for people in vulnerable situations. We've designed our service with privacy as a core principle, not an afterthought. We collect the absolute minimum information needed to help you find resources, and we never sell or share your data.
This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and how we protect it.
Information We Collect and How We Use It
1. Search Queries (Temporary)
What we collect: The text you enter when searching for resources (e.g., "food pantry" or "shelter").
Why we collect it: To find relevant resources that match what you're looking for.
How we use it:
- Your query is sent to our server to search our database
- We process it to find matching resources
- We return the results to you
- In production, search queries are NOT stored in our logs (they're redacted for your privacy)
How long we keep it: Only for the duration of your search request (seconds). We do not store search history.
2. Location Data (Optional)
What we collect: Your geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude) if you choose to share your location.
Why we collect it: To show you nearby resources and calculate distances.
How we use it:
- Your browser requests your permission before sharing location
- If granted, coordinates are sent with your search request
- We use them to calculate distances to resources
- To estimate walking times, your coordinates and the addresses of nearby resources are sent to OpenRouteService, a routing service run by HeiGIT in Germany. This happens on that one request. Nothing is stored there.
- Your location is cached in your browser (not on our servers) for convenience during your session
- If you share your location successfully, we save a note on your device that you have done so — just the word "true", never your coordinates. It lets the site check your location again on your next visit without asking you a second time. If you later refuse, that note is deleted. See "Saved on your device" below.
How long we keep it: Never stored on our servers. Your coordinates are held in your browser's memory for about a minute and are gone when you reload or close the page.
3. IP Address (Temporary, for Security)
What we collect: Your IP address (a number that identifies your internet connection).
Why we collect it: To protect our service from abuse and ensure fair access for everyone.
How we use it:
- Rate limiting: We temporarily track how many searches come from each IP address to prevent automated abuse (limit: 30 requests per minute)
- Your IP is stored temporarily in server memory (RAM) only
- In production logs, only the first 8 characters of your IP are recorded for security monitoring
How long we keep it: Stored in temporary memory for up to 5 minutes, then automatically deleted. Not stored in any database or permanent logs.
Legal basis (GDPR): Legitimate interest in protecting our service and ensuring availability for all users.
4. Technical Information (Automatic)
What we collect: Basic technical information that your browser automatically sends (browser type, operating system, referring website).
Why we collect it: For technical operation, debugging errors, and security monitoring.
How we use it:
- Ensuring the website works properly on different devices
- Identifying and fixing technical problems
- Detecting suspicious activity or attacks
How long we keep it: Server logs are automatically rotated and deleted after 7 days by our hosting provider (Vercel).
5. Saved on Your Device
What we save: Two small settings, kept by your browser on your own device. We never see them and they are never sent to us.
- Your theme choice — whether you picked the dark or light appearance, so the site looks the same next time.
- Whether you have shared your location before — stored only as "true". This exists because some browsers, Safari on iPhone in particular, do not reliably tell a website that you already gave permission, which meant returning visitors were asked again and saw no walking distances. If you refuse location, this is deleted straight away.
What is not saved: Your coordinates, your searches, and anything identifying you. Neither setting is a cookie, neither is used for tracking or advertising, and neither is readable by any other website.
How long we keep it: Until you clear your browser's site data. You can do that at any time and the site will keep working — you will simply be asked about location again and see the default appearance.
Legal basis (GDPR): These are strictly necessary for preferences you have chosen yourself, and store no personal data.
6. Aggregated Usage Analytics
What we collect: Aggregated, anonymous usage statistics through Vercel Analytics (our hosting provider).
Why we collect it: To understand how many people use our service, identify technical issues, and improve the user experience.
How we use it:
- Count total visitors and page views (no individual tracking)
- Monitor which pages are most popular
- Track basic geographic distribution (country/region level only)
- Measure website performance and loading times
- Identify technical problems or errors
What makes it privacy-friendly:
- No cookies placed on your device
- No personal identifiers collected
- No tracking across websites
- Data is aggregated and anonymized
- Fully compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and PECR
How long we keep it: Aggregated statistics are retained indefinitely for historical trend analysis, but contain no personal information.
Legal basis (GDPR): Legitimate interest in understanding service usage and improving user experience.
Information We Don't Collect
We are committed to data minimization. We do not:
- Create user accounts: No registration, login, or passwords required
- Use tracking cookies: No cookies for tracking, advertising, or analytics
- Store search history: Your searches are not saved or linked to you
- Create user profiles: We don't build profiles of users or their behavior
- Use third-party analytics: No Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or similar tracking (only privacy-friendly Vercel Analytics)
- Collect personal details: No names, emails, phone numbers, or addresses (unless you contact us directly)
- Track you across websites: No cross-site tracking or fingerprinting
Third-Party Services
We use minimal third-party services to operate our website:
Neon (Database Hosting)
Our resource directory data is stored in Neon Serverless Postgres. When you search, our server queries the database on your behalf. If you shared your location, the search area is part of that query so we can find resources near you — but it is never stored in the database, and Neon holds no profile of you. Neon may log database connections for their own operational purposes.
OpenRouteService (Walking Distances)
When you share your location, we send your coordinates and the coordinates of nearby resources to OpenRouteService, so it can estimate how long it would take to walk there. It is run by HeiGIT, a non-profit research institute in Germany.
We send only coordinates. We never send your search terms, your name, or anything that identifies you. We don't store what comes back beyond the page you're looking at.
OpenRouteService Privacy Policy
Google Maps (External)
When you click "Map It" on a resource, you'll be taken to Google Maps in a new tab. At that point, Google's privacy policy applies. We have no control over Google's data practices.
Vercel (Website Hosting & Analytics)
Our website is hosted on Vercel's infrastructure. Vercel collects aggregated, anonymous usage statistics (through Vercel Analytics) to help us understand how many people use our service and improve the user experience. This analytics data:
- Does not use cookies or track individuals
- Does not collect personal information
- Is aggregated and anonymized
- Is GDPR and CCPA compliant
Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures:
- HTTPS encryption: All connections to our website are encrypted
- Security headers: Protection against common web attacks (XSS, clickjacking, etc.)
- Content Security Policy: Restrictions on what code can run on our pages
- Rate limiting: Protection against automated abuse
- Input validation: All user input is validated and sanitized
- No persistent data storage: We don't store user data, so there's nothing to breach
However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Your Privacy Rights
Because we don't store your personal information, traditional data rights (access, deletion, portability) don't apply in most cases. However, you have the right to:
- Use the service anonymously: No account required
- Decline location sharing: You can search without sharing your location
- Clear browser data: Remove any locally cached information anytime
- Contact us: Ask questions about our privacy practices
For EU/UK residents: While our service is primarily focused on Houston, Texas, we respect GDPR principles. Since we practice data minimization and don't store personal data, most GDPR obligations don't apply. If you believe we're processing your personal data and want to exercise your rights, please contact us.
Children's Privacy
Our service is available to everyone, including minors who may be experiencing homelessness or seeking resources. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children or anyone else. Our privacy-first design means users of all ages can safely use our service.
Do Not Track Signals
Our website does not track users, so "Do Not Track" browser settings are unnecessary but respected. We don't respond to DNT signals because we already don't track anyone.
California Privacy Rights (CCPA)
California residents have specific privacy rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). However, because we:
- Don't sell personal information (we have no personal information to sell)
- Don't create user profiles
- Don't store personal data beyond temporary operational needs
Most CCPA obligations don't apply. If you have questions, please contact us.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make changes:
- We'll update the "Last updated" date at the top
- Significant changes will be posted on our homepage
- Continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance
We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this privacy policy or our privacy practices, please contact us.
We're committed to transparency and will respond to privacy inquiries as quickly as possible.
Summary (TL;DR)
We're serious about privacy:
- ✅ No accounts, no tracking cookies
- ✅ Search queries not stored or logged in production
- ✅ Location never stored on our servers
- ✅ Two settings saved on your own device — your theme, and whether you have shared location before. Never your coordinates
- ✅ IP addresses kept in memory for 5 minutes max (rate limiting)
- ✅ Only privacy-friendly analytics (Vercel - no cookies, aggregated only)
- ✅ No selling or sharing of any data
- ✅ HTTPS encryption everywhere
- ✅ We only collect what's necessary to help you find resources