Terms and conditions

Donation Terms & Conditions

Last Updated: October 2, 2026

By purchasing an item from, contributing to, or otherwise participating in an Effingham Retrievers donation project, you acknowledge and agree to the following terms. These terms apply to our community-giving initiatives, including the Santa Paws Project, Animal Shelter Giving, Effingham Retrievers Scholarships, and any other charitable or community assistance projects organized by Effingham Retrievers.

General Purpose

Effingham Retrievers organizes community-giving projects with the goal of helping individuals, students, families, senior citizens, animal shelters, and others in need. The specific projects, recipients, participating organizations, collection periods, and distribution methods may vary depending on available donations, community needs, and the opportunities available to us.

Participation in any donation drive is completely voluntary. No purchase or contribution guarantees that a particular person, shelter, student, organization, or number of recipients will receive assistance.

Amazon Wish Lists & Funds

Some of our projects use Amazon wish lists and Amazon contribution funds. Physical items purchased through our lists are shipped to Effingham Retrievers so they can be collected, organized, and distributed as part of the applicable project.

When a contribution is made to an Amazon fund, those funds are used toward eligible purchases through Amazon. We may use the funds to purchase items that were not originally included on our public wish list when additional needs become known.

For example, after selecting an Angel Tree recipient, we may discover that the individual is requesting a particular toy, clothing item, hygiene product, household necessity, or other item that was not previously included on our list. Likewise, when assisting animal shelters, we may contact a shelter to determine what it needs most and use available Amazon funds to order those requested supplies through Amazon.

Contributing to an Amazon fund gives Effingham Retrievers discretion to select appropriate Amazon items consistent with the stated purpose of that particular fund.

Santa Paws Project

Items and funds contributed to the Santa Paws Project are intended to help fulfill Christmas wishes selected through Angel Trees or similar holiday assistance programs. Recipients may include children, teenagers, adults, senior citizens, or others participating in those programs.

Our goal is to fulfill as much of each selected wish list as possible and to assist as many recipients as available donations allow. However, Effingham Retrievers cannot guarantee a specific number of Angel Tree recipients or guarantee that every requested item will be available or purchased.

If a requested item is unavailable, unsuitable, or cannot reasonably be purchased, we may select an appropriate alternative when permitted.

Animal Shelter Donations

Physical items donated through our animal shelter drive will be collected by Effingham Retrievers before distribution. Our goal is to distribute donations among up to three animal shelters when the quantity of donations received makes doing so practical.

The exact number of shelters assisted may depend on the amount and type of supplies collected and the needs of the shelters at the time of distribution.

For contributions made to our Amazon Shelter Gift Fund, Effingham Retrievers may contact participating shelters to determine their current highest-priority needs. Available Amazon funds may then be used to purchase appropriate supplies through Amazon based on the information provided by those shelters.

Distribution does not necessarily mean that each participating shelter will receive an identical number, type, or dollar value of items. Supplies may be distributed according to each shelter's needs and the donations available.

Effingham Retrievers Scholarships

Our goal for the Effingham Retrievers Scholarship program is to provide financial assistance to approximately three eligible junior or community college students per semester when available funding allows.

The number of scholarships offered, individual scholarship amounts, eligibility requirements, application process, deadlines, participating schools, and selection procedures may change based on available funding and the structure of each scholarship period.

Our current goal is approximately $500 per selected student, but this amount is not guaranteed and may be adjusted based on the amount of funding available.

Submitting an application does not guarantee selection or financial assistance. Scholarship recipients will be selected according to the requirements established for the applicable scholarship period.

Use of Donations

We will make reasonable efforts to use donated items and available funds for the project under which they were contributed. Because actual needs and circumstances can change, Effingham Retrievers may make reasonable decisions regarding specific purchases, substitutions, quantities, recipients, and distribution methods in order to accomplish the intended purpose of a project.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, contributing to a project does not give the donor the right to select the final recipient or direct the exact distribution of the contribution.

Refunds, Returns & Cancellations

Because donations and contributions are intended for community-giving projects, all contributions should be considered final unless a refund or cancellation is provided directly through the platform used to make the contribution.

Purchases made through Amazon are also subject to Amazon's applicable ordering, cancellation, return, refund, gift-list, and contribution-fund policies.

Effingham Retrievers cannot guarantee that we can personally cancel, refund, or reverse a transaction processed by a third-party platform.

Tax-Deductibility

Unless specifically stated otherwise in writing, donations or contributions made to Effingham Retrievers or an Effingham Retrievers giving project should not be assumed to be tax-deductible charitable contributions.

Effingham Retrievers does not provide tax advice. Anyone with questions regarding the tax treatment of a contribution should consult a qualified tax professional.

Photos, Updates & Transparency

We may share photographs, totals, updates, purchased items, collected donations, deliveries, or other information relating to our giving projects so supporters can see what their contributions helped accomplish.

However, we also want to respect the privacy and dignity of the individuals we assist. We are not obligated to publicly identify recipients, students, children, senior citizens, families, or other individuals receiving assistance. Certain organizations or programs may also restrict photographs or disclosure of recipient information.

Changes or Unexpected Circumstances

Donation drives sometimes involve circumstances outside our control, including item availability, Amazon restrictions, Angel Tree availability, shelter participation, recipient needs, shipping delays, program rules, or other unexpected changes.

If a project cannot be completed exactly as originally planned, Effingham Retrievers may make reasonable adjustments while attempting to keep donated items and available funds as closely aligned as possible with the original purpose of the project.

Third-Party Organizations

Angel Trees, animal shelters, colleges, Amazon, and other organizations or platforms referenced through our giving projects may be independently operated and are not necessarily affiliated with, sponsored by, or responsible for Effingham Retrievers.

Any third-party platform used to purchase or contribute items may also have its own terms, policies, restrictions, and procedures.

Our Commitment

These projects are built around one simple goal: taking the support given by our community and turning it into meaningful help for others.

We will make reasonable efforts to handle donated items and available funds responsibly, use them for their stated purpose, and provide updates about what our community was able to accomplish together.

By participating in an Effingham Retrievers giving project, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to these Donation Terms & Conditions.

Thank you for helping the Effingham Retrievers pack give back. 🐾❤️