Last updated: June 22, 2026
The Kindling Initiative ("Platform", "we", "us") is a community volunteer platform that connects elderly adults ("Elders") who need assistance with everyday tasks to teenage volunteers ("Teens") who wish to contribute to their communities. Services facilitated through the Platform include, but are not limited to, grocery runs, medication pickup, transportation assistance, and companionship visits.
The Platform serves as a coordination tool only. We do not employ volunteers, guarantee the availability of helpers, or manage the delivery of services in any direct capacity.
All volunteer activity is undertaken freely and without compensation. Teens who accept tasks do so on a best-effort, voluntary basis. The Kindling Initiative does not assume liability for any injury, loss, damage, or harm that occurs in connection with the performance of volunteer tasks.
Elders acknowledge that volunteer helpers are not professional service providers and agree to hold the Platform and its volunteers harmless for any incidental loss or damage arising from volunteer assistance. Teens agree to act with reasonable care and good faith when completing accepted tasks.
The Platform does not guarantee that any request posted by an Elder will be accepted by a volunteer, or that an accepted task will be completed. Response times, task completion, and quality of assistance depend entirely on volunteer availability and are beyond the Platform's control.
We reserve the right to suspend, modify, or discontinue the Platform at any time without prior notice. We are not liable for any disruption to service.
Teen volunteers must be high-school students between the ages of 13 and 18. Elders must be adults (18 or older). By registering, you affirm that you meet these requirements and that the information you provide — including your name, date of birth, and school — is accurate.
What "verified" means.When we describe a volunteer as "verified," we mean that they have confirmed control of an email address or phone number, attested to their age and school, and (for minors) provided guardian consent. We do not conduct criminal background checks, fingerprinting, or government-ID verification, and we do not independently confirm any user's identity, character, or fitness to provide or receive assistance."Verified" is not a guarantee of safety, and you should not treat it as one.
Because all Teen volunteers are minors, a parent or legal guardian must review these Terms and our Privacy Policy and consent to the Teen's participation before they use the Platform. Parents and guardians are responsible for reviewing the tasks their child accepts and are strongly encouraged to accompany them on in-person volunteer activities. The Platform does not supervise minors during the completion of tasks.
All users are responsible for exercising their own judgment and ordinary caution when meeting or coordinating with other users. We encourage meeting in safe circumstances and reporting any concerning behavior to us immediately.
We collect personal information — including name, email address, phone number, and, for Teen volunteers, date of birth, age, school, and optionally city — for the purpose of facilitating volunteer coordination and keeping the community safe. We also collect chat messages and photos you send, and technical data such as your IP address for abuse prevention. This information is stored securely and is not sold to third parties. Our Privacy Policy describes in full what we collect, why, and how it is shared, and is incorporated into these Terms by reference.
Profile information (name, photo, and once a task is accepted, contact details) is visible to the other user on a task for the purposes of coordination and communication. By using the Platform you consent to this limited sharing within the Platform community.
We may use anonymized, aggregated data to improve Platform features, understand usage patterns, and report community impact. You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by contacting us.
All users agree to interact with one another with respect and courtesy. Harassment, discrimination, or abusive behavior of any kind will result in immediate account suspension. Users must not share false information, impersonate others, or misuse the Platform for commercial purposes.
We may update these Terms from time to time. Continued use of the Platform following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage users to review this page periodically.
Questions about these Terms may be directed to our team through the Platform.