How the feature works
River Forest Referrals is a directory of local vendors recommended by neighbors. On any vendor card in the directory, there's a button labeled Text Me This.
Here is the exact opt-in mechanism: Residents tap "Text Me This" on a vendor's card, enter their own mobile number in the form that opens, check a consent box that displays the disclosure text on this page, and receive that vendor's contact info as a single text message. The consent box is not pre-checked — the resident must actively tick it before the Send button becomes active.
The text is sent from a River Forest Referrals sender via our SMS carrier (Twilio). No message is sent unless the resident affirmatively (a) enters their own mobile number, (b) ticks the consent checkbox, and (c) taps Send.
1. What you'll receive
A one-time text containing the contact info for a vendor you selected — specifically the vendor's business name, phone number, and (when the card lists one) a contact person's name. Nothing else. No promotional content, no ads, no other vendors' info in the same message, no follow-ups.
The message looks like this in your inbox:
River Forest Referrals ACME LAWN CARE (478) 555-0123 Ask for Joe Referred by a River Forest neighbor riverforestreferrals.com Reply STOP to opt out
2. Frequency
One message per request. Every message you receive from us is a direct response to you tapping "Text Me This" and confirming the send. We do not send unsolicited texts, marketing messages, promotional offers, or automated follow-ups. There is no subscription, no drip campaign, no recurring send.
If you never tap the button, you never hear from us via SMS. If you tap it once, you get exactly one text. If you tap it ten times over the course of a month for ten different vendors, you get exactly ten texts — one per request.
3. Message and data rates
Message and data rates may apply. Whether your carrier charges you for receiving an SMS message depends on your mobile plan — check with your carrier if you're unsure. River Forest Referrals does not charge you for the text itself.
4. How to opt out or get help
- Opt out: Reply STOP to any message from us. This immediately unsubscribes your number and blocks any future messages from ever being sent to it, even if you later request another vendor card by mistake.
- Get help: Reply HELP to any message from us and you'll receive a short instructional response with our contact email. You can also email espdist@gmail.com at any time — that mailbox goes directly to the operator of this directory.
Because we only send one message per request, opting out mainly serves as a permanent stop-all record with our SMS carrier so no future messages can ever land on that number.
Privacy — how your number is used
We do not sell, rent, share, or otherwise disclose your mobile phone number to any third party. Your number is used solely to deliver the one text message you asked for, and is not stored for marketing, resold to data brokers, or handed to advertisers. Message delivery is handled by our SMS carrier (Twilio), which processes your number only long enough to transmit the message.
Full details in our Privacy Policy. Terms covering use of the site and this SMS feature are in our Terms of Service.
Contact
Questions about the SMS program, opt-out issues, or the site in general: espdist@gmail.com.