Frequently asked questions

About donating

• Where does my donation go?

  We are a small, early-stage organization with two work areas: supporting those who experience childhood abuse, and advocating for state-level reform of mandated-reporting and clergy-related confidentiality law. In our first year of operating, gifts cover the foundational work: building out healing resources, tracking what is pending in fifty state legislatures, and the modest operating costs that keep the organization running.
• Are my donations tax-deductible?

  Yes. Unheard Child Organization is a tax-exempt public charity under IRC Section 501(c)(3) (EIN 41-4621534), recognized by the IRS effective March 3, 2026. Contributions are tax-deductible under Section 170 to the extent allowed by law. Your Stripe receipt documents the amount and date of your gift; if you need a different format for your tax records, write to JPB@UnheardChild.org.
• How do I know UCO is legitimate?

  Unheard Child Organization is a Colorado nonprofit corporation (Entity #20261274934) and an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity (EIN 41-4621534). We are operating publicly with our registered mailing address (P.O. Box 74, Mancos, CO 81328) and you are welcome to email any questions to our founder Jon-Paul Bouttier at jpb@unheardchild.org. We are committed to transparency as the organization grows: board composition, fiscal reporting, and program outcomes will be published as they become available.
• Can I cancel or change my monthly donation?

  Yes. You can manage your monthly donation yourself: visit Manage your donation, enter your email, and we will send you a secure link to cancel or update your card, no reason required. To change your monthly amount, write to JPB@UnheardChild.org and we will process it within one business day.
• Is UCO affiliated with any religious denomination?

  No. We are a survivor-advocacy and policy-reform organization. We work on clergy-related laws because of how those laws affect children's ability to be heard; we are not affiliated with, nor in opposition to, any specific religious tradition. Our work is about the legal structures that govern reporting, not about theology.
• How can my business or organization support UCO?

  Write to JPB@UnheardChild.org. We are happy to talk about corporate giving, event sponsorship, employee match programs, in-kind contributions, or any other arrangement that fits your organization. A formal corporate-sponsorship program is in development; for now, every conversation happens directly with the founder.
• What does my donation receipt include?

  Stripe sends an automatic email receipt at the moment your gift is processed. It includes the amount, the date, and your payment method's last four digits, along with our 501(c)(3) tax-exempt acknowledgment language. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. If you need a different format for your tax records, write to JPB@UnheardChild.org.
• Is my payment information secure?

  Yes. Payment processing runs through Stripe, which is PCI-DSS compliant. UCO never sees, stores, or has access to your card number or banking information: Stripe handles the entire payment flow. The only information UCO receives is the amount, the donor's name and email, and the donation date.
• What's the difference between donating and signing the petition?

  They do different jobs. Donating funds the work UCO does: survivor resources, state-by-state legislative tracking, and the operating costs that keep the organization running. Signing the petition is a specific policy ask directed at lawmakers, supporting the mandated-reporter and clergy-law reforms UCO advocates for. Both matter; if you can, do both.