Updated: February 2025

Larkin Street Youth Services is committed to protecting your privacy. This SMS/MMS Messaging Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you engage with our SMS/MMS service, which we make available to you through a third-party service provider. This policy is incorporated into the Terms of Service.

By using our SMS/MMS service, you agree to the terms of this policy. Larkin Street Youth Services reserves the right to modify or change this policy at any time with or without prior notice to you. The date of the last update will be posted at the top of this policy for your convenience. This policy, and any changes, are effective as soon as posted. Your continued use of the SMS/MMS service following the posting of any changes to the policy constitutes your full acceptance of those changes.

Personal Information is information that individually identifies you, such as your mobile phone number or user/screen name, as well as any personal information that you choose to include in messages you send through the SMS/MMS service.

 

  1. Information We Collect

When you subscribe to receive SMS or MMS messages from us, we may collect the following personal information:

  • Phone number: The mobile phone number you provide when subscribing to our service.
  • Opt-in consent: A record of your consent to receive messages.
  • Message interactions: Data on the messages you receive or respond to, such as message status (delivered, read, etc.), messages that you send to Larkin Street Youth Services staff members, and any comments or feedback regarding the SMS/MMS service that you send to us.

We do not collect any other personal information through SMS/MMS unless you provide it voluntarily in your responses.

 

  1. How We Use Your Information

We use the information collected for the following purposes:

  • Provide you with the SMS/MMS service for communications and updates from our agency.
  • Process and respond to inquiries/requests.
  • Arrange client case management appointments and send reminders.
  • Contact you with important announcements or messages related to Larkin Street Youth Services.
  • Track the effectiveness and delivery of our messages and improve the service.
  • Comply with legal obligations or protect our rights.

Each message that you send through the SMS/MMS service is retained for up to 3 years. We retain these messages on a secure cloud platform.

 

  1. Disclosure of Your Information

Larkin Street Youth Services will not rent or sell your personal information to other companies or individuals. We may use or disclose such information in any of the following limited circumstances:

  • We have your consent.
  • We need to enforce our Terms of Service.
  • We respond to subpoenas, court orders, or legal processes, or to establish or exercise our legal rights, or the legal rights of others, or defend against legal claims.
  • We believe it is necessary to share personal information to investigate, prevent, or act regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of Larkin Street Youth Services’ Terms of Service, or as otherwise required by law.
  • We may share aggregated information with others without further notice. An example of this would be the number of people who used the SMS/MMS service in each month, or the total number of texts sent in each week. 
  1. Message Frequency

The frequency of messages may vary based on your enrollment in services and programs at Larkin Street Youth Services. We will not contact you more than necessary and will NOT use your contact information for marketing or promotion material. You can opt-out or change your messaging preferences at any time by replying with the word “STOP” or following the unsubscribe instructions in the message.

 

  1. Opt-In and Opt-Out

Opt-In:

  • Providing your mobile phone number and consenting to receive SMS/MMS messages.
  • Giving verbal consent to a Larkin Street Youth Services staff member.
  • Opting into SMS use via paper form that includes your phone number and contact information.
  • Signing up at a Larkin Street engagement, drop-in, or housing program.
  • Texting us first. You will be opted in to receive further messages upon texting us.

Opt-Out:

  • If you no longer wish to receive SMS/MMS messages, you can opt-out at any time by replying “STOP” to any message we send.
  • You may also contact our support team at [[email protected]] for assistance in unsubscribing.
  • Once you opt-out, you will no longer receive messages from us unless you choose to opt back in.

 

6. Data Retention

We will retain your phone number and any related communication data for as long as necessary to provide you with the SMS/MMS service and comply with applicable laws and regulations. We will securely delete any data once it is no longer required.

 

7. Data Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously. We implement reasonable physical, electronic, and administrative measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or mobile network is entirely secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information.

8. Third-Party Service Provider

We use a third-party service provider to send SMS/MMS messages. This provider may have access to your personal information but is contractually obligated to protect it and use it only to send the messages as requested.

We do not sell, rent, or share your phone number or any personal data collected through SMS/MMS with third parties for marketing purposes.

9. Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Request access to or correction of the personal information we hold about you.
  • Request the deletion of your personal information.
  • Withdraw your consent to receive SMS/MMS messages at any time, which will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [[email protected]].

 

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our SMS/MMS messaging service, please contact us at: Larkin Street Youth Services 134 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102. Phone: 415-673-0911

 

SMS Terms of Service

Use of Larkin Street Youth Services’ text message-based services is subject to the following Terms of Service. These terms constitute a legal agreement. Please read them carefully.

By opting into SMS/MMS verbally, on a web or paper form, or other medium, you agree to receive SMS messages from Larkin Street Youth Services. Message and data rates may apply. See our privacy policy at [https://www.larkinstreetyouth.org/privacyterms]. Message STOP to any message to opt out.

Consent for SMS Communications: Upon granting consent to receive SMS communications from our company, rest assured that your phone number and consent will remain confidential. We will not sell or share your information, including your SMS consent, with third parties or affiliates for marketing purposes. The phone number and consent will only be used to facilitate communication with you.

  • Types of SMS Communications: The following types of messages may be sent after obtaining consent:
  • Customers and Guests: Case Management, Appointment reminders, Post-visit Follow-Up, Wellness Check-Ins
  • Job Applicants: Notifications regarding the status of their application.
  • Appointment Reminders: Reminders about upcoming appointments or events.

Example Message:

“Hi Alex, this is a reminder about your upcoming appointment with Larkin Street Youth Services on January 01 at 12:00PM We look forward to seeing you!”

To opt out, reply “STOP” to unsubscribe. Message data rates may apply. Messaging frequency may vary. For assistance, reply “HELP.”

Standard Messaging Disclosures:

To opt out of SMS communications, simply reply with “STOP.”

For assistance or inquiries, reply with “HELP.”

Message and data rates may apply.

Sample Response for “HELP” Reply:

“For further assistance, please visit our website at https://www.larkinstreetyouth.org/privacy-terms or contact us at 415-673-0911.”

Message Frequency: You may receive approximately 5-10 messages per day related to your requests. However, the frequency may vary depending on the nature of the communication.

Opt-In Method:

You may opt-in to receive SMS messages from Larkin Street Youth Services in the following ways:

  1. Verbally, during a conversation.
  2. Providing consent via email.

Example: “If you consent to receive text messages from Larkin Street Youth Services, you may receive text messages related to Case Management, Appointments, and Reminders. Messaging frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply. You can opt out at any time by texting “STOP.” For assistance, text “HELP” or visit our [https://www.larkinstreetyouth.org/privacy-terms]

  1. By filling out a paper consent form.
  2. By texting us first at 415-673-0911. You will receive as text asking for OPT-IN confirmation. “Reply Y to Opt-In to receive SMS messages from Larkin Street Youth Services”.

Opt-Out Method:

You can opt-out of receiving SMS messages at any time. To do so, simply reply “STOP” to any SMS message you receive. Alternatively, you can contact us directly to request removal from our messaging list.