Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Carters Community United website, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, please do not use our website or services.

We reserve the right to update these terms at any time. Continued use of our website after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised terms. We will always update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page when changes are made.

2. Our Services

Carters Community United is a community-driven, grassroots effort that provides the following services to eligible community members:

• Food Assistance — Regular food boxes and fresh produce distributions for families experiencing food insecurity.
• Clothing — Quality clothing for all ages, sorted by size and season, sourced through our donation network.
• Household Items — Cleaning supplies, hygiene products, and basic household essentials to help families maintain dignified living conditions.
• School Supplies — Complete backpacks and supply kits to ensure every child starts the school year ready to learn.

Availability of specific items and services may vary based on community donations and inventory levels. We do our best to meet every request, but we cannot guarantee the availability of any specific item at any given time.

3. Eligibility

To use our services, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be at least 18 years of age to submit an application on your own behalf. Parents or legal guardians may apply on behalf of minor children.
• All information provided in your application must be accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge.
• You agree not to misuse our services — including but not limited to providing false information, reselling donated items, or submitting duplicate applications to receive excess resources.
• You must reside within our service area. If you're unsure whether your address qualifies, please contact us before applying.

We reserve the right to decline or suspend services to individuals who violate these eligibility requirements.

4. Application Process

Applying for assistance is straightforward and designed to be as respectful of your time as possible:

• How to Apply — Complete the online application form on our website, which asks for basic household information and the types of assistance you need. The process typically takes about 5 minutes.
• Review Timeline — Our team reviews applications on a first-come, first-served basis. Most applications are reviewed within 3 to 5 business days. During high-demand periods, the timeline may be longer.
• Approval Criteria — We evaluate applications based on household need, available inventory, and service area eligibility. We aim to serve as many families as possible while ensuring resources are distributed fairly.
• Notification — You will be notified of our decision via the contact method you provided in your application. If additional information is needed, we will reach out to you directly.

5. Donation Terms

When you donate items to Carters Community United, the following terms apply:

• All donated items are given freely and without expectation of exchange, compensation, or reciprocal services.
• Once items are donated, they become the property of Carters Community United and will be distributed at our discretion to families in need.
• For tax purposes, donors are responsible for determining the fair market value of donated items. We can provide a donation receipt, but we are not able to assign values to individual items. Please consult a tax professional for guidance.
• We reserve the right to refuse donations that do not meet our quality standards or that we are unable to distribute (for example, expired food, damaged goods, or items that do not match current community needs).

6. User Responsibilities

We ask all applicants and service recipients to uphold the following responsibilities to help us serve our community effectively:

• Provide accurate and up-to-date information on all applications and communications. If your circumstances change, please let us know so we can update your records.
• Use services fairly and only for your household's needs. Our resources are limited, and every item we distribute goes to a family that needs it.
• Pick up items within the agreed-upon timeframe. If you are unable to pick up your items, please contact us as soon as possible so we can make other arrangements. Repeated no-shows may affect your eligibility for future services.
• Treat our staff, volunteers, and fellow community members with respect and courtesy. We are all working toward the same goal of building a stronger community.

7. Limitation of Liability

Carters Community United provides services on an “as is” and “as available” basis. While we strive to provide high-quality assistance to every family, we cannot guarantee that:

• Specific items will always be in stock or available at the time of your request.
• Our website will be available at all times without interruption (though we work hard to keep it running smoothly).
• Information on our website is entirely free of errors, though we correct inaccuracies as soon as we become aware of them.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Carters Community United, its board members, staff, and volunteers shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of our services or website.

8. Intellectual Property

All content on the Carters Community United website — including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, and design elements — is the property of Carters Community United or its content creators and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from our website content without prior written permission. You may share links to our website and reference our organization for non-commercial purposes.

The Carters Community United name, logo, and branding materials may only be used with our explicit written consent.

9. Termination

We reserve the right to restrict or terminate access to our services and website for individuals who:

• Provide false or misleading information on applications or in communications with our team.
• Misuse services for purposes other than their intended household assistance use.
• Engage in abusive, threatening, or disrespectful behavior toward our staff, volunteers, or other community members.
• Violate any other provision of these Terms of Service.

We handle terminations on a case-by-case basis. If your access is restricted and you believe it was in error, please contact us so we can review the situation together.

10. Governing Law

These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the State of Ohio, United States of America, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising from the use of our services or website shall be resolved in the courts of Franklin County, Ohio.

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. Our failure to enforce any particular provision does not constitute a waiver of that provision.

11. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service or need assistance understanding your rights and responsibilities, please contact us. We're happy to help.