Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct is how Curastem expects people to behave when they represent the organization, work with people we serve, handle donations, or use curastem.org in an official capacity.

Curastem is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 39-2326761), 4958 Sereno Drive, Temple City, CA 91780. Our mission is to help everyone get and keep a job they love. This Code exists so that mission is not an excuse for harm.

Effective date: August 25, 2026. Last updated: August 25, 2026.

Who this Code covers

This Code applies to directors, officers, employees, contractors, volunteers, mentors, and anyone else who is acting for Curastem. It also applies when a donor, partner, or visitor interacts with people we serve through a Curastem program or event.

People who only visit curastem.org to read or donate are not “staff.” They still must not use the Site to harass, threaten, or collect personal information about others. Our Terms of Use at curastem.org/terms-of-use cover acceptable use of the Site.

Core duties

When you act for Curastem, you will:

Treat job seekers, mentees, coworkers, donors, and the public with dignity. A person’s job status, immigration status, criminal record, education, accent, disability, or housing situation is not an invitation to be cruel.
Tell the truth about what we can and cannot do. Do not promise a specific hire, a specific salary, or a guaranteed interview.
Protect confidential information. Resumes, stories about a workplace, donation amounts, and home addresses are not gossip.
Follow the law, including nonprofit, employment, privacy, and anti-discrimination law that applies to the work you are doing.
Say when you have a conflict of interest. If a relative, a vendor you own, or a political campaign would benefit from a decision, you recuse and you document it.

What we do not tolerate

The following are violations of this Code:

Harassment, sexual harassment, stalking, or threats. That includes comments, messages, “jokes,” and “feedback” that a reasonable person would experience as hostile.
Discrimination or exclusion based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, disability, veteran status, citizenship (except as the law requires), or any other status protected by applicable law.
Using access to job-search tools, mentor conversations, or donation records to hit on someone, to punish someone, or to trade favors.
Asking a person we serve for unpaid labor, sexual contact, immigration sponsorship, or a share of future wages as a condition of help.
Falsifying records, hiding a donation, or directing Curastem funds to a personal account.
Retaliation against someone who reports a concern in good faith.

Mentorship and people we serve

Mentorship is part of who we are. It is not a private relationship that sits outside this Code. Mentors keep conversations professional. They do not meet a mentee in a private home for a first session unless Curastem has approved a documented safety exception. They do not drink alcohol with a mentee as part of a Curastem session. They do not date a current mentee.

If a mentee is in danger, call emergency services first. Then tell Curastem at hello@curastem.org so we can support the person and the mentor. We are not a substitute for police, a hospital, or a licensed therapist.

Gifts and money

Do not solicit personal gifts from people we serve. Small tokens under twenty-five U.S. dollars that cannot reasonably look like a bribe may be accepted and reported to Curastem. Cash from a job seeker to a mentor is never acceptable.

Donations go through the Donate control on curastem.org or another channel Curastem names in writing. Do not take a personal check “for Curastem” into your own account.

How to report

Email hello@curastem.org with the subject line “Code of Conduct.” Include what happened, when, who was involved, and any messages you still have. You may report anonymously. Anonymity can limit how far we can investigate.

If the concern is about the person who reads that inbox, mail a letter to Curastem, 4958 Sereno Drive, Temple City, CA 91780, marked confidential for the board.

We will acknowledge reports we can identify within a reasonable time, look into them in proportion to the harm alleged, and take action that can include coaching, removal from a role, or reporting to law enforcement. We do not promise a particular outcome to every reporter.

Privacy of reports

We share report details only with people who need them to investigate, to protect someone from harm, or as the law requires. Our Privacy Policy at curastem.org/privacy describes how we handle personal information generally.

Consequences

A violation can end a volunteer role the same day. Paid roles follow whatever written agreement and law apply. Board members can be asked to resign. We may also ban someone from Curastem events and from contacting people we serve.

Updates

We may update this Code by posting a new version at curastem.org/code-of-conduct. The Last updated date will change. Continuing to act for Curastem after a posting means you agree to the updated Code.

Contact

Email: hello@curastem.org

Mail: Curastem, 4958 Sereno Drive, Temple City, CA 91780, USA