Questions people ask us.

If your question is not here, write to us and we will answer it plainly.

Trust and money

How do I know my donation actually reaches the person?: ALMA never holds or moves money. Every give button sends you to the recipient's own fundraiser, where the payment is handled by that platform and the total is public. You can see the same number we see.
Is my donation tax deductible?: No. ALMA is a volunteer community project, not a registered charity, and personal fundraisers are treated as personal gifts. Please talk to a tax professional if this matters for your situation.
Does ALMA take a cut?: No. Nobody here is paid and no part of a campaign comes back to us. The fundraising platform charges its own processing fees, which are listed on its site.
How do you decide which campaigns to share?: We only share a need when we can speak with the person or family directly, when they want it shared, and when the money goes to something specific we can describe plainly. If we cannot verify it, we do not post it.

Why do some campaigns not show a name or photo?: Because the person asked us not to. Consent decides what appears here, not what would get more attention. Anyone can ask us to change or remove their story at any time and we do it.
What happens to the information I send through the contact form?: It is stored so we can read it and reply. We do not sell it, trade it or use it for advertising. You can ask us to delete it.
Do I have to give my immigration status to ask for help?: No. We never ask for it and you should not send it to us. It has nothing to do with whether we can help.

I want to volunteer. What do you need?: This is new, so the honest answer is that we are still figuring it out. Write to us and tell us what you can offer, whether that is time, translation, driving, design or just sharing campaigns, and we will find a place for it.
Can I help without giving money?: Yes, and it matters. Sharing a campaign with people who trust you often does more than a single donation.
My family needs help. How do I ask?: Use the contact page or message us on Instagram. Tell us as much or as little as you want. We will talk with you before anything is ever made public.
Are you a legal or immigration service?: No. We are neighbors, not lawyers. When a question needs legal training we point you to organizations that have it, and we say clearly that the advice is theirs and not ours.
Are you connected to a church or political party?: No. ALMA is not affiliated with any religious or political organization. We help neighbors whoever they are, and a campaign we share is never an endorsement of anything beyond that person's need.