Legal & Privacy
Everything that governs attending the Back to School Community Event: what data we collect, how minors are supervised, who runs the vaccine clinic, photo release, and the standard event terms.
This page consolidates the terms, privacy, and third-party partner disclosures that apply to the Back to School Community Event (the "Event") and its subpages under /events/back-to-school. On Event day a separate on-site waiver covered assumption of risk, photo release, and minor supervision; that instrument governed conduct at the physical Event and is retained by the Foundation for records.
The Event is a free, public community event held annually in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood. There is no admission fee, no ticket required, and no registration required to attend. All families and community members are welcome regardless of residency, background, income, or affiliation. Backpacks, school supplies, haircuts, vaccines, food, family programming, and other services are provided at no cost while supplies last.
The Event is open to all ages, including minor children. Every minor child on Event grounds must be physically accompanied and actively supervised at all times by their parent, legal guardian, or another adult (18+) authorized in writing by the parent/guardian. That adult is solely and continuously responsible for the child's supervision, safety, behavior, and wellbeing at every moment they are on Event grounds. The Foundation, its staff, volunteers, community partners, sponsors, and vendors do not provide childcare, supervision, or babysitting services and are not responsible for supervising any child at any time. Foundation staff, partners, sponsors, and vendors routinely step away from their tables, stations, and posts to perform their own duties. They are not childcare and are not expected to watch other people's children. If a minor child is separated from their responsible adult, staff will attempt to help reunite the family but will not assume custody or supervision of the child. The Foundation reserves the right to ask any unaccompanied minor to leave the Event and to contact local authorities if a minor's safety appears at risk. By attending, every parent/guardian accepts full and sole responsibility for the supervision, conduct, and safety of every minor child in their custody, and releases the Foundation and the Event's community partners, sponsors, and vendors from any and all claims arising from the actions, injuries, or absence of a minor child in their custody.
The on-site vaccine clinic is operated independently by the Chicago Department of Public Health ("CDPH"). Any vaccinations administered are provided by CDPH under CDPH's own consent process, eligibility rules, and policies. The Foundation is not the medical provider and does not administer, prescribe, supervise, or store records for vaccinations. Attendees seeking vaccines should follow CDPH's pre-registration process and consent procedures directly. Immunization records, if provided by the attendee at check-in, are handled by CDPH, not by the Foundation.
On-site back-to-school haircuts are provided independently by Futurama Beauty Academy under Futurama's own licensing, sanitation, insurance, and consent practices. The Foundation does not employ, supervise, license, or insure the barbers or cosmetologists providing haircuts. Any injury, allergic reaction, or dissatisfaction with a haircut is a matter between the recipient (and, for minors, the recipient's parent or guardian) and Futurama Beauty Academy. Each minor must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who provides consent before a haircut is given.
Every sponsor, vendor, community partner, entertainer, or other third-party organization providing goods, services, activities, or programming at the Event is solely responsible for: (a) the safety, quality, and lawfulness of everything they provide; (b) supervising their own staff, volunteers, and equipment; (c) obtaining and maintaining any required licenses, insurance, permits, and consents for their activities; (d) any injury, damage, illness, allergic reaction, or claim arising out of their goods, services, activities, or personnel; and (e) complying with all applicable laws and Event conduct rules. Examples include but are not limited to: bounce houses and outdoor activities (Brighter Behavior Choice - Caring Hands on the Move); event DJ + entertainment (DJ R-Cue-Tech); décor and drinks stations (We Got You Covered Events & Décor); bicycle helmets (CDOT SAFE Ambassadors); and any other third-party product or service provided at the Event. The Foundation is a coordinator and coalition-builder, not the operator, insurer, or warranty-provider of any third party's offering.
The Event is held at 1824 W 47th St in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood, on premises operated by Dreamcatcher Café ("Venue"). The Venue is responsible for the physical premises, exits, capacity, restrooms, and any Venue-owned equipment or fixtures. Any injury or claim arising from the physical condition of the premises, Venue equipment, or Venue-operated services is between the affected attendee and the Venue. The Foundation is a licensee of the space for the Event day and does not own, control, or insure the premises.
Backpacks, school supplies, hygiene kits, and other distributed items are provided by the Foundation and participating partner organizations while quantities last. Items are distributed at the Foundation's discretion and are intended for children who will use them for the upcoming school year. The Foundation reserves the right to limit distribution to one backpack per child, adjust distribution as supplies dictate, or close the distribution table when supplies run out. Distributed items are provided as-is, and the Foundation makes no warranty as to their fitness, durability, or suitability for any specific purpose.
Several community organizations operate their own information tables, distribution booths, or service offerings at the Event under the Foundation's coordination. Each partner is independently responsible for the content of its materials, the services it provides, and any data it collects at its own table or through its own forms. Interactions with any community partner at the Event are governed by that partner's own terms, privacy practices, and consent processes.
Food and beverages are provided by participating vendors at the Event. The Foundation and its vendors take reasonable care to prepare and serve food safely, but attendees with food allergies, dietary restrictions, or specific medical needs are responsible for asking about ingredients and preparation and for deciding whether to consume any food or beverage offered. The Foundation is not liable for allergic reactions, food-borne illness, or dietary issues arising from food or beverages provided at the Event.
Attendance at the Event is voluntary and carries the ordinary risks of a public outdoor community event: uneven surfaces, weather, communicable illness, interactions with other attendees, food allergens, and similar. By attending, every adult attendee (and every parent/guardian, on behalf of any minor child in their custody) knowingly assumes those risks. The complete assumption-of-risk language is set out in the event waiver, which every adult attendee is deemed to accept by entering Event grounds.
By attending the Event, every attendee (and every parent/guardian, on behalf of any minor child in their custody) grants the Foundation and its designees the perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable right to photograph, film, record, and use their name, likeness, voice, and image in any medium (including website, social media, print, grant applications, and promotional materials) for any lawful purpose related to the Foundation's mission. Attendees who prefer not to appear in identifiable footage may notify a Foundation staff member on arrival and take reasonable steps to remain outside the primary photography zones. Media-removal requests may also be submitted to media@espritdcf.org after the Event.
If any attendee uploads photos or videos to the Event's community gallery (or otherwise submits media to the Foundation): (a) the submitter represents and warrants they own the media or have obtained all rights and permissions necessary to submit it, including from every person identifiable in the media and (for any minor child) from that child's parent or legal guardian; (b) the submitter grants the Foundation a worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable, and irrevocable license to display, host, reproduce, edit, publish, distribute, and use the media across any medium; (c) the submitter releases the Foundation from any and all claims arising from the Foundation's use of the media consistent with this license; and (d) the Foundation may decline to publish, remove, or edit any submitted media in its sole discretion.
The Foundation collects the following in connection with the Event: name, email, phone, mailing address (optional), age band, city / neighborhood, and (where you volunteer, sponsor, or contact us about the Event) any freeform message you provide. If you pre-register for the CDPH vaccine clinic, that pre-registration is handled by CDPH under CDPH's own privacy notice, not by the Foundation. Aggregate site usage data (IP address, browser type, page views) is logged for site administration and security.
We use Event-related data to (1) plan, staff, and improve the Event, (2) send you Event-day reminders and follow-up information, (3) report aggregate impact to grantmakers, donors, and community partners, and (4) invite you to future Foundation events, updates, or opportunities you may find relevant. We do not sell your data. We do not share personally identifiable information with third parties except: (a) service providers who help us operate the Event (email delivery, hosting, analytics) under confidentiality obligations, (b) sponsors and partners only in aggregate or anonymized form, (c) as required by law or valid legal process, and (d) with the parent/guardian for anything related to a minor child.
Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link. To update, restrict, or delete your Event-related data, email info@espritdcf.org with the request and the email you used at sign-up or check-in. Waiver acknowledgments and financial records may be retained after deletion of marketing data where required by law, insurance policy, or the Foundation's records-retention practice.
By attending, every attendee agrees to follow all posted Event rules and the reasonable direction of Foundation staff, volunteers, community partner personnel, and venue staff. Any behavior deemed harassing, threatening, discriminatory, unsafe, or disruptive (as judged by Foundation staff in their sole discretion) is grounds for immediate removal from the Event. Attendees are responsible for their own personal property; the Foundation is not liable for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
The Event proceeds rain or shine. In the event of severe weather, public-health guidance, or other conditions beyond the Foundation's control, the Foundation reserves the right to postpone, modify, relocate portions of the Event indoors (the venue at 1824 W 47th St or another available space), or cancel the Event entirely. Because the Event is free and no admission is charged, no refunds apply. Updates will be posted to the Event page and the Foundation's social channels.
This page, the event waiver, and every interaction with the Event are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to the Event will be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Cook County, Illinois. Any claim must be filed within one (1) year after the date the claim arose or be permanently barred.
The Foundation may update this page at any time. Material changes will be posted here with a revised "Last updated" date at the bottom. Continued attendance or participation in the Event after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.
For questions about anything on this page (including data requests, media use, or minor-child concerns) email info@espritdcf.org or write to Esprit de Corps Foundation, 205 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 810, Chicago, IL 60601.
Last updated . Questions? Email info@espritdcf.org.
