Privacy Policy

We are committed to privacy

Our Privacy Policy explains our practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used by Every Shelter. It applies to donor information that we collect both online and offline.

We have updated our Privacy Policy to take into account the new requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") which means if you are a resident of the EU and your donor records reflect that address, you may be entitled to certain additional protections in accordance with GDPR.

We are committed to privacy

We collect personal information when you voluntarily submit it to us. For example, donors may provide us with personal information (such as name, address, email address, telephone numbers and/or credit/debit card information). If a donor, or a website visitor, contacts us by email they may provide us with their email address, and name. Providing data is required in these contexts in order for us to process your donations, requests, or respond to questions.

In addition to the personal information that you submit to us, we may collect personal information about you from reputable third parties, or automatically collect information using the following technologies:

Web Server Logs. Our web servers may collect certain information such as IP address, pages visited, time of visits, and referring website.

Cookies. Cookies are simple text files stored by your web browser that provide a method of distinguishing among donors and visitors to the website. Every Shelter uses cookies to identify your browser as you visit pages on our website.

Where do we transfer and store information?

Every Shelter is based in the United States, and any information transmitted to us may be stored, accessed, or processed in the United States. Residents of some other countries, including residents of the European Union, should be aware that the laws of the United States do not offer the same protections as the laws of your home country.

How do we use information?

We collect information primarily to accept donations, complete our charitable work, and provide you with information concerning our programs, projects, and activities. We also use information for internal purposes (to better understand our supporter network) and for analytical purposes (to respond to requests for information or merchandise and to improve our website, donor base, and outreach).

With whom do we share information?

We do not trade, share, or sell information that you provide to us with other organizations who intend to use it only to market their products or services to you.

Your access to data, and your choices

If you would like to access the data that we received from you, or make corrections to it, you may contact us at info@everyshelter.org.

If you registered to receive communications from us and later change your mind, you may ask that your name and contact information be removed from our distribution list. You can send such a request to the email or mailing addresses at the end of this policy.

Some web browsers and devices permit you to broadcast a preference that you not be "tracked" online. At this time we do not modify your experience based upon whether such a signal is broadcast.

Additional information

Behavioral Advertising. We may participate in behavioral-based advertising. This means that a third party may use technology (e.g., a cookie) to collect information about your use of our website so that they can provide advertising about products and services tailored to your interest. That advertising may appear either on our website, or on other websites.

Links. Our website may contain links to other Web sites. Please note that when you click on one of these links, you are entering another site that is governed by that site’s privacy policy.

Changes to this privacy statement. We may modify this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected on this website. If we make a material change to this policy, and need to apply it to personal information that you provided to us before the change was made, we will attempt to contact you and obtain your consent to the change.

A headshot of Joseph Otika

Joseph Otika

Shelter Depot Coordinator

Kampala, Uganda

I have a great passion for sustainable community development initiatives and strive to  position myself where my career can positively contribute towards improvements of the quality of life of disadvantaged people. As a Certified project management professional, I have had opportunities to work in both development and humanitarian contexts in Uganda for over 10 years. I have also worked in the post conflict situation in Northern Uganda. I am passionate about serving vulnerable communities and excited that Shelter Depot offers me a platform to do so. Supporting vulnerable persons and households is something I love to do and seeing smiles on beneficiaries' faces as a result of an intervention I am involved in, makes me happy. My biggest motivation to work with Every Shelter in the Shelter Depot project is the unique and innovative ideas around enhancing access to shelter improvement items through a social business model coupled with a humanitarian approach. I am excited about learning and expressing new positive ideas and look forward to ably supporting the Shelter Depot project to see it replicated and scaled to other places and refugee settlements.

Noella Kabale Kalu

Advisory Board Member

Kampala, Uganda

Noella Kabale Kalu is a Congolese by nationality, living in Uganda as a refugee registered in the urban setting since 2011. She is the founder of REAL Uganda and Refugee Women Voices, a member of the Refugee-led Network (RELON), Refugee Representative at the CRRF steering working group. She aspires to build a society where women, men, and young females are treated with dignity, fairness, and respect, regardless of their status & and vulnerable conditions they find themselves in due to war, conflict, or other atrocities.

Andy Agaba

Advisory Board Member

Kampala, Uganda

Andy Agaba is a Praxis Fellow and the founder of Hiinga, a Christian Impact Investing Fund working across a spectrum of sectors including healthcare, financial services, education, agriculture, and manufacturing in East Africa. He graduated from Harvard Kennedy School where he was a Gleitsman Innovation Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership. At Uganda's Makerere University, he was a Poli sci major. Andy advises at the MIT Martin Trust Center for Entrepreneurship and is an award-winning documentary photographer.

Marie Nyiraneza

Advisory Board Member

Nakivale, Uganda

Marie is a Social Worker, currently working with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) as a Community Paralegal in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, and Interpreter for Refugee Resettlement Programs. Marie is a refugee from Rwanda and has lived in Nakivale Refugee Settlement since 2008. She holds a Bachelor in Social Work and a CEFE Licence for Entrepreneurship Trainer. She is passionate about contributing to the improvement of refugee livelihoods and is also a Master Trainer for the MarketPlace Literacy Program in Nakivale.

Sam Brisendine

Co-Founder and Board Member

Houston, Texas

As a designer from the private sector, I'm passionate about ideas that improve the lives of those in need. My experience designing buildings, products, and art has taught me an important lesson: The most meaningful work is produced when partners work hand-in-hand on a common mission. Over the past 5 years, I've watched Every Shelter transform from an academic pursuit to working (and learning) alongside world-class organizations to design solutions that bring dignity to displaced communities. I have never been more proud of the work we're doing and look forward to seeing how we can continue to collaborate to solve the challenges ahead.

Stefanie Cortez

Communications Specialist

Dallas, Texas

At Every Shelter I have the unique opportunity to use two passions in my life, mathematics and parenting, in one position. As a mathematician, I appreciate effective, elegant, and well-developed solutions to a problem. As a mom of two little ones, I also know the importance of sharing the stories, challenges, and successes of my life with my kids and others. As Communications Specialist for Every Shelter, I have the opportunity to inform the public about innovative designs as well as share the stories of people who are resolutely rebuilding their lives in new communities and countries despite overwhelming challenges. I believe that every person who reads about our work has the ability to impact people’s lives across the globe as they follow along with the journey to help people rebuild their lives from the floor up.

Lauren Hanson

Development Officer

Houston, Texas

As a mother to two young children, I cannot imagine the fear and despair I would feel if I was forced to leave the comfort of my home and community. The fact that this is a growing reality for so many people around our world is truly heartbreaking. I believe our compassion can make a significant impact in the lives of these displaced populations. As Melinda Gates writes, “Philanthropy is not about the money. It’s about using whatever resources you have at your fingertips and applying them to improving the world.” Therefore, it is my privilege to mobilize people to make a global impact with their time, gifts, and resources through partnering with Every Shelter as we labor to bring better provisions and life dignifying solutions to forcefully displaced populations.

Loise Wambui

Program Coordinator

Kampala, Uganda

I am deeply committed to advocating for joint solutions to economic and social development issues. I consider myself a global citizen with cross-cultural experience working as an economist in Eswatini, a Girl Scout volunteer in rural Switzerland, and teaching in Mathare, one of Kenya's largest slums. My desire to work towards dignified shelter solutions for vulnerable people started while working in Mathare Slums. Four years later, I am now working with and for refugees in Uganda. I have loved using my many abilities in this new sector, and my favorite thing has been working with local small enterprises and refugee organizations to sew the tarps! As someone conscious of how my own actions affect the wider community, I am always learning new ways to help make things a little better.

Nicole Iman

Co-Founder and CPO

Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

I’ve been traveling the globe in development-related pursuits for more than 20 years, working with people throughout the varied stages of displacement. During my tenure in Afghanistan, I saw first-hand the challenges my Afghan colleagues faced that caused them to flee for their lives. While studying in northern Uganda, I met families struggling through years of displacement despite multiple attempts to return home. Through volunteer resettlement work in the US, I welcomed resettled refugees hoping to rebuild their lives in a new place while mourning the loss of friends and family they left behind. I am keenly aware of the human tendency to look at images of displaced people and refugees and immediately categorize them as “other.” Through joining Every Shelter, I have the chance to share stories that can change that category to “one another” and help us work together toward dignified, human-centered solutions.

Scott Key

Co-Founder and CEO

Houston, Texas

The process of designing new approaches and solutions to grave issues drives me. I believe the private sector and its vast reserves of professional skills and resources can fruitfully add to the productivity of ongoing humanitarian efforts to create a more just and merciful society. We all have a responsibility to do our part, but I firmly believe that in giving of ourselves we receive far more back than we give. Wendell Berry writes, “life is a gift we have only by giving it back again.” As a father of two young daughters, I want to model the intelligent, diligent, and hard-working compassion toward our neighbor to which I believe we are all obliged. It’s urgent and important work that we do.