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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Last Updated: February 2026

General Questions

What is CareConnect?

CareConnect is a free search engine that helps you find social services in Kingston, Ontario. We have information on about 200 services including food banks, crisis support, housing help, health services, and more.

It's like Google, but only for social services in Kingston.

Is this an official government service?

No. CareConnect is a community project created by volunteers. We are not affiliated with:

  • City of Kingston
  • Province of Ontario
  • Federal government
  • Any specific social service agency

We gather publicly available information and make it easier to search.

How much does it cost?

Completely free. There are no:

  • Fees
  • Subscriptions
  • Ads
  • Hidden charges

We will never ask for payment or credit card information.

Do I need to create an account?

No. You can search without:

  • Creating an account
  • Giving your name
  • Sharing your email
  • Logging in

The platform is completely anonymous.

How do I report incorrect information?

If you find wrong or outdated information:

Email us: feedback@careconnect.ing

Please include:

  • Name of the service
  • What information is wrong
  • Correct information (if you know it)

We typically fix issues within 2-3 business days.

Why isn't [specific service] listed?

We might not have listed a service for several reasons:

  1. We don't know about it yet - Email us to suggest it
  2. It's outside Kingston - We focus on Kingston services
  3. It's not a social service - We focus on essential services (food, housing, health, crisis, etc.)
  4. It closed or merged - We're updating our records

To suggest a service: Email feedback@careconnect.ing with the service name, what they do, and contact information.

Privacy Questions

Do you track my searches?

No. We never see what you search for.

How it works:

  • All searches happen on your device (in your browser)
  • Your search terms never reach our servers
  • No one can see your search history
  • Not even us

This is called "client-side search" and protects your privacy completely.

Is my data shared with anyone?

No. We don't collect your data, so we can't share it.

What we DON'T collect:

  • Your searches
  • Your location
  • Your name or email
  • Your browsing history
  • Your IP address (in most cases)

What we DO use:

  • Minimal technical cookies (to make the site work)
  • Language preference (stored in your browser only)

Can service providers see who searches for them?

No. Service providers cannot see:

  • Who searched for them
  • How many people searched for them
  • What search terms people used
  • When people viewed their information

All search activity is completely private.

How can I verify you don't track me?

Good question! Here's how to check:

  1. Open source code: Our code is public at github.com/jerdaw/careconnect
  2. Anyone can review it

  3. Security experts have verified our privacy claims

  4. Browser dev tools:

  5. Press F12 in your browser
  6. Go to "Network" tab
  7. Search for something

  8. You'll see searches don't send data to our servers

  9. Privacy audit: We passed third-party privacy audits (documentation available on request)

Data Questions

How do you verify services?

We use a 3-level verification system:

Level 1 (L1) - Basic:

  • We confirmed the service exists
  • We checked their website or phone number
  • ⚠️ Information may not be up-to-date

Level 2 (L2) - Vetted:

  • We contacted the service directly
  • We confirmed hours, location, and eligibility
  • ✅ More reliable information

Level 3 (L3) - Verified:

  • Official partnership with the service
  • They update their own information
  • ✅ Most reliable information

Look for the verification badge on each service card.

How often is information updated?

Update schedule:

  • High-priority services (crisis, food, housing): Reviewed every 3 months
  • Other services: Reviewed every 6 months
  • User reports: Fixed within 2-3 business days

Last full audit: We note this at the top of each service's detail page.

If information seems wrong: Please report it so we can update it quickly.

What do verification levels mean?

L1 (Basic Verification):

  • ⚠️ Use with caution
  • Always call first to confirm details
  • Information may be outdated

L2 (Vetted):

  • ✅ Good reliability
  • We've confirmed details recently
  • Still call to confirm eligibility

L3 (Verified Partnership):

  • ✅ Best reliability
  • Service updates their own info
  • Most current information

Tip: Prefer L2 and L3 services when possible.

Can I add a service myself?

Not directly. To protect data quality, we manually review all new services.

To suggest a service:

  1. Email feedback@careconnect.ing
  2. Include:
  3. Service name
  4. What they do
  5. Who they help
  6. Phone, email, website

  7. Address (if physical location)

  8. We'll review within 1 week and add if appropriate.

Technical Questions

Which browsers are supported?

Fully supported:

  • ✅ Chrome (any recent version)
  • ✅ Firefox (any recent version)
  • ✅ Safari (iOS 12+, macOS 10.14+)
  • ✅ Edge (Chromium version)

Not supported:

  • ❌ Internet Explorer (all versions)
  • ❌ Browsers from before 2020

If the site doesn't work:

  • Update your browser to the latest version
  • Try a different browser (Chrome recommended)

Does it work offline?

Yes! The site works without internet after your first visit.

How it works:

  1. First visit (with internet): The site downloads service data to your device
  2. Later visits (without internet): Search works normally using saved data
  3. When online again: Data updates automatically

What works offline:

  • ✅ Searching
  • ✅ Viewing service details
  • ✅ Reading information
  • ❌ Clicking website links
  • ❌ Sending emails
  • ❌ Live map directions

This helps if you have:

  • Slow internet
  • Limited mobile data
  • Spotty WiFi

Is there a mobile app?

Not yet. But the website works great on phones:

Benefits of the website:

  • Works on any phone (iPhone, Android)
  • No download needed
  • No app store approval delays
  • Works offline (see above)
  • Always up-to-date

Add to your home screen:

iPhone:

  1. Tap the Share button
  2. Tap "Add to Home Screen"
  3. It works like an app

Android:

  1. Tap the menu (⋮)
  2. Tap "Add to Home Screen"
  3. It works like an app

What if I have accessibility needs?

We designed this platform to be accessible to everyone.

Features for people with disabilities:

Visual impairments:

  • ✅ Works with screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver)
  • ✅ High contrast support
  • ✅ Text can be enlarged (browser zoom)
  • ✅ Keyboard navigation

Motor disabilities:

  • ✅ Full keyboard navigation (no mouse needed)
  • ✅ Large click targets
  • ✅ Reduced motion option

Cognitive disabilities:

  • ✅ Simple language (Grade 8 reading level)
  • ✅ Clear headings and structure
  • ✅ Predictable navigation

Hearing impairments:

  • ✅ No audio-only content
  • ✅ All information is text-based

If you find an accessibility issue: Email feedback@careconnect.ing and we'll fix it quickly.

Why does it ask for my location?

Short answer: To show you services near you, sorted by distance.

How it works:

  1. You click "Use my location"
  2. Your browser asks permission
  3. If you allow it, results are sorted by distance
  4. Your location never leaves your device
  5. We never see or store your location

You can always say no.

  • Search works fine without location
  • You just won't see distance sorting

Privacy guarantee:

  • Your location is only used for sorting
  • It's not sent to our servers
  • It's not saved
  • It's not shared with anyone

Can I change the language?

Yes! We support 7 languages:

  1. English
  2. Français (French)
  3. 中文 (Chinese)
  4. العربية (Arabic)
  5. Português (Portuguese)
  6. Español (Spanish)
  7. ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi)

To change language:

  1. Look at the top-right corner
  2. Click the language dropdown
  3. Select your language
  4. The entire site switches

Note: Service descriptions may only be in English and French (depends on what the service provided).

Emergency & Crisis Questions

What if I'm in crisis?

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

For mental health crisis:

  • Call or text 988 (Canada Suicide Prevention Line)
  • Distress Centre Kingston: 613-544-1771 (24/7)

For domestic violence:

  • Interval House: 613-546-1833 (24/7)

The platform will show you crisis resources if you search for words like:

  • "suicide"
  • "abuse"
  • "crisis"
  • "help me"

Can I use this to report abuse?

No. This is a search tool, not a reporting system.

To report:

  • Child abuse: Call Children's Aid Society or 911
  • Elder abuse: Call police (613-549-4660) or 911
  • Domestic violence: Call Interval House (613-546-1833) or 911

The platform helps you FIND services, not report to them.

Still Have Questions?

Contact us:

  • Email: feedback@careconnect.ing
  • GitHub: github.com/jerdaw/careconnect/issues

Response time: Usually 2-3 business days

Thank you for using CareConnect!