Greenheart uses cookies to let you interact with our services, and for marketing and advertising purposes. Some of these cookies are strictly necessary for our sites to function and by using this site you agree that you have read and understand our use of cookies.
Our marketing and advertising cookies are non-essential and you can opt out of using them with this tool. Blocking cookies may impact your experience on our website.
These cookies are necessary for our sites to function properly. These cookies secure our forms, support login sessions and remember user dialogue. Because the site does not function without these cookies, opt-out is not available. They are not used for marketing or analytics.
These cookies are used to enhance the relevance of our advertising on social media and to tailor messages relevant to your interests.
These cookies collect anonymous data on how visitors use our site and how our pages perform. We use this information to make the best site possible for our users.
Privacy Notice
Greenheart International
Effective Date: 1/9/2019
This privacy notice describes how Greenheart International collects, uses, and discloses Personally Identifying Information (also known as “PII”) or Personal Data (collectively “Personal Information”) from and about users of Greenheart International websites. This privacy notice also applies to any associated paper forms. Please read this privacy notice before using Greenheart International websites or submitting any personal information.
These practices may be changed at any time. Changes will be posted along with the date of the change. You should review this privacy notice when you visit Greenheart International websites to make sure that you understand how Personal Information is collected, used, and disclosed.
The Personal Information you provide to us is only used to:
We may use non-Personal Information for additional reasons described in the remainder of this privacy notice.
If you identify yourself to us by sending us an email with questions or comments, we may retain your comments for future reference.
Greenheart collects Personal Information, which is information that on its own or in combination with other information may be used to identify, contact, or locate an individual. Examples include:
Greenheart International collects other information that relates to you but does not identify you. Examples include clickstream data and web-browsing information (such as the date and time you visit a website, whether you click on various advertisements or links and the search terms you enter when using a website), and information about your computer, device and internet connection, and geographic location.
We collect Personal Information from you in the following ways:
We may share information gathered by us from Greenheart International websites with governmental agencies or other companies assisting us in providing services to you. We may do so when:
Information provided under one of the four preceding bullet points will not be used by those receiving it for marketing purposes, unless specifically authorized by the user.
Third parties who provide webhosting services or other services that make possible the operation of Greenheart International websites and the services you request through the websites may have access to information that you provide us to the extent that those third parties require access to our databases to service the websites.
In connection with the sale or transfer of all or part of our assets, we reserve the right to transfer information we have obtained from or about you.
We are not responsible for any breach of security or for any actions of any third parties that receive information from us.
Greenheart International websites are hosted and maintained in the United States of America. Your Personal Information may be transmitted to countries outside of the European Economic Area, including the United States of America. You can obtain details of the mechanism under which your personal data is transferred outside the EU by contacting us. If your Personal Information is transferred outside the European Economic Area to third party service providers, we will take steps to ensure that your Personal Information receives the same level of protection as if it remained within the European Economic Area, including by entering into data transfer agreements using the European Commission approved Standard Contractual Clauses, or by relying on certification schemes such as the EU–US Privacy Shield.
Greenheart International websites use cookie and tracking technology to collect non-Personal Information. Our system also automatically gathers information about areas you visit on our websites, and about the links you select from within one of our websites to the other areas of the World Wide Web or elsewhere online. We use such information in the aggregate to understand how our users as a group use the services and resources provided on our websites. This way we know which areas of our websites are preferred by our users, which areas need improvement, and what technologies are being used so that we may continually improve our websites. Personal Information cannot be collected via cookies and other tracking technology, however, if you previously provided us with your Personal Information, cookies may be tied to such information. Aggregate cookie and tracking information may be shared with third parties but that aggregate information does not identify individual website users. Our web servers do not record visitor email addresses unless that information is submitted by the visitor. We may determine what technology is available through your browser to provide you with the most appropriate version of a web page. Greenheart International uses Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, Gravity Forms, Yoast, Formstack, Calendly, GoOverseas, and other web traffic tracking tools.
Greenheart International websites contain links to other websites. These links are for your convenience. We do not control, endorse or review the privacy notices of other websites, which may be different than this privacy notice. You should review the privacy notice of other websites before choosing to disclose Personal Information.
Greenheart takes steps to secure your Personal Information. We exercise care in providing secure transmissions when we need to transfer your Personal Information from our servers. Our websites use secure server software encryption, which is indicated by https in the url of the website. Encryption is a common method of ensuring that information remains private. Greenheart International cannot guarantee or warrant that the information that you transmit to us, or any communications is completely secure.
Greenheart International only retains data for as long as necessary for the purposes indicated in this privacy notice or for such other period as may be permitted or required by law.
For children age 14-16, Greenheart International takes additional steps to protect their Personal Information. We do not intend to collect Personal Information from children aged 13 or younger. These additional steps include:
The marks Greenheart, Greenheart Heart Logo, and Sobresmesa are either registered or unregistered trademarks of Greenheart International. All Rights Reserved. Any unauthorized use is prohibited.
Certain jurisdictions provide their residents or citizens with certain rights about their Personal Information. These may include the right to request access to the data we hold about you, to obtain a copy of your Personal Information, to request that your Personal Information be erased, to correct inaccurate information, to ask us to restrict how we process your Personal Information, or to withdraw your consent to our processing of your Personal Information. Your individual rights will depend on your residency and citizenship.
Please contact us using the following information for more information about this privacy notice, to notify us of a concern or complaint, or to exercise any of the individual rights you may have.
Data Protection Officer
By mail: 742 N LaSalle Dr. Chicago, IL 60654 Suite 300, USA
By email: click here
By phone: +1 312-944-2544
Additionally, all marketing emails and newsletters from Greenheart International allow you to opt out of further correspondence. You can do so by clicking the link within the emails, which will guide you on how to opt-out.
by Jillian Sims; HSP Compliance and Operations Manager
Lisa and her family with exchange daughter, Mariana, pose for a family photo. (Image: Sara Herzog photography)
When it comes to community presence, it’s not just our students who make a mark. Some of our Local Coordinators go above and beyond to be involved in their community and make hosting an exchange student a family and community affair that benefits everyone involved. Local Coordinator and Regional Manager, Lisa Jensen, does exactly that. Her Michigan host families and students never seem to run out of amazing activities, volunteer opportunities, or wonderful chances to experience cultural exchange with Lisa leading the way. In this month’s spotlight, we learn how Lisa came to the world of cultural exchange and how she shares it with her home community and students from around the world.
How did you become involved as an LC with CCI Greenheart?
I had already been a LC for about 5-6 years with another organization but knew there had to be more to working with the students and host families. After researching, I contacted Regional Director, Jennifer Myers, to learn more about CCI Greenheart. I loved the community aspect of CCI Greenheart. I’ve always thought it important to be a part of your community. I also was not familiar with the Grants Program. I was hooked immediately.
I’ve been with CCI Greenheart for about 4 years now, most of that as an RM. Growing with the company is easy if you share your passion of the program with everyone; the host families, the students, the community activities, etc. A few years back, I had a host mom say she wanted to become part of our group because we always seem to be having a good time. Soon after, she in fact became a LC.
You’ve hosted and been an LC for many years and you provide many great opportunities for your students and families. Do you have any favorite moments?
I’ve had so many great times with our students and families over the years. One that really sticks out is our first time showing the host families and students the process of making maple syrup. A local family invited us to come out to their farm. We started by taking the tractor and wagon out to the back 40. They had a maple syrup shack boiling down the sap. It was close to being ready to filter. While we waited, we were taken out to the trees with the buckets to help collect more sap. Kids were running everywhere. It’s almost like they made a game as to who could collect the most buckets! When we went back to the shack, the mom had made some maple syrup cookies to share with everyone! And, yes, they were wonderful! They then explained the filtering process. Then everyone got to taste fresh, warm syrup and then sadly, the day was done.
Another fun activity that took place this year was when we teamed up with a local 4H group to make some homemade Christmas cards for a couple of local nursing homes. Everyone was involved. Host moms brought their stamps and creative memory and scrapbook items and all the kids from ages 4 – 18 made all these beautiful and creative cards. It was great to watch our exchange students help out the younger kids. A few weeks later, we went to the nursing homes so the students and kids could pass out the cards they created to the residents and sing Christmas carols. To watch them singing and talking to the residents was great – my smile couldn’t get any bigger.
I love hearing the stories from my host families and community as far as to how our kids are doing or how much they’ve appreciated the kids helping out. There is a weekly spot in the local newspaper that we started about 6 or 7 years back appropriately called “Cultural Corner”. It is a weekly paper and many of these same stories, activities and functions appear regularly. People will say, “I read about this student or that activity in the paper.”
Tell us about yourself outside of hosting and being an LC.
In the summer, when I’m not monitoring students, my family and I camp on occasion, invite friends over for picnics,visit family or go to Lake Michigan. I enjoy my weekly art class where I mosaic, try my hand at making wool rugs and homemade soap; I love watching movies with my family and when time allows, playing Euchere. We just moved into a new home a year and a half ago and I’m looking forward to filling the yard with flowers. I’m currently involved with a few ladies in our town and we are trying to spearhead a community garden. It’s looking positive and has our Village Council’s blessing! I’m also looking forward to sharing this potential opportunity with the students coming next year.
You have a lot of wonderful experience as seasoned LC and Regional Manger, can you offer any tips to new LCs?
I’d like to share with our new LC’s to do their best to create a true relationship with their families and students, such as:
Visit the students more in person in the beginning, get to know them. Build that trust. Be involved or get involved in your community and when you plan activities whether for volunteering or just plain fun, plan something that means something to you, things that you are passionate about; things that can be hands on and educational at the same time. BUT don’t plan things that include ONLY the student – include the whole family unit. After all, you brought them together as a family. I’ve heard too many stories over the years where families felt left out.
You will still have your share of bumps along the way, but that is true with any job – with life. Some years are more challenging than others. I’ve had the best support from so many sources at CCI Greenheart when I needed it. There are times I ask myself why I do what I do and then, that one student comes up to you, gives you a hug and thanks you for being there for them and then it is all made clear — “this is why I do what I do”.
How many students have you hosted and monitored over the years? How has it affected your family? As a host parent yourself, has it improved your ability to be an LC?
Over the years, my family has hosted 22 exchange daughters – 16 full year, 1 semester, and 5 summer. My daughter was 5 when we started and I knew nothing about teenagers. I learned fast. Listening to the advice of other LCs, and hopefully learning from my mistakes (we all make them) helped me grow not only as a LC but as a person. As host parents, we still make mistakes. It almost always seems easier to give advice than to follow that same advice, but as with anything it gets easier. It has allowed me more practice to share with new host parents and not to sweat the small stuff.
Hosting has developed into a lifestyle for my whole family. None of us can really imagine a year without at least one new daughter.
My husband David (who I affectionately refer to as my “MacGyver”) loves to take them fishing and my daughter MaKayla (who now is of an age where they share boy band stories and sings with them)loves to share that she has 22 sisters all over the world. I just love to watch and be with my family no matter what they are doing, just as I love to watch and be with the families and students and coordinators with whom I work and play.
Interested in hosting? In becoming an LC and having some cultural exchange fun with students and families? Check us out to learn more!