Contribution Terms
Last updated: September 22, 2026
These Contribution Terms apply to voluntary financial contributions made in support of Accessible Journeys, a publication of Mélange Media, operated by Westgate Enterprises, Inc.
In these Terms, “Mélange Media,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Westgate Enterprises, Inc.. “You” and “your” refer to the person making a contribution.
By completing a contribution through our website, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to these Contribution Terms.
About reader contributions
Reader contributions are voluntary payments made to support the work of Accessible Journeys and Mélange Media.
Our editorial content remains available regardless of whether a reader chooses to contribute. A contribution is not required to access our publicly available editorial content.
Contributions help support the creation, production, publication and distribution of our editorial work and the operation of the platforms through which that work is made available.
Contributions are not charitable donations
Mélange Media is not a registered charity.
Contributions made through this website are therefore not charitable donations, and Mélange Media does not issue charitable tax receipts for them.
Nothing on this website should be interpreted as representing that a contribution is eligible for a charitable tax credit, tax deduction or other tax benefit.
If you require advice about the tax treatment of a contribution in your jurisdiction, you should consult an appropriate tax professional.
No goods or services are provided in exchange
Unless we expressly state otherwise in connection with a particular initiative, a reader contribution does not entitle the contributor to any product, service, membership, subscription, premium content, gift, discount or other benefit.
Making a contribution does not create an ownership, investment, partnership or other financial interest in Mélange Media or any of its publications.
Contributors do not acquire editorial approval rights, influence over editorial decisions or any entitlement to coverage as a result of making a contribution.
How contributions are used
Contributions support the work and operations of Mélange Media and Accessible Journeys.
This may include expenses associated with editorial development, writing, editing, photography, design, publishing, website operation, accessibility, technology, contributor costs, audience development, administration and other expenses reasonably connected with producing and distributing our work.
Unless a particular contribution opportunity is expressly described as being restricted to a specific purpose, contributions are not earmarked for a particular article, project, contributor or expense.
Mélange Media retains discretion over how unrestricted contributions are used in support of its work.
One-time contributions
If you choose a one-time contribution, your selected payment method will be charged once for the amount you enter or select at checkout.
A one-time contribution does not create a recurring payment arrangement.
Before completing payment, you are responsible for reviewing the amount displayed by Stripe and confirming that it is correct.
Monthly recurring contributions
If you choose monthly support, you authorize the amount selected at checkout to be charged to your chosen payment method on a recurring monthly basis.
Monthly contributions continue until you cancel them.
There is no minimum commitment period and no fee for cancelling recurring support.
The timing of subsequent charges will be determined by the recurring billing schedule associated with the Stripe payment arrangement.
We will not increase the amount of your recurring monthly contribution without your authorization.
If you wish to change your monthly contribution amount, you may be required to cancel the existing recurring contribution and establish a new one at the amount you prefer.
Cancelling monthly contributions
You may cancel your recurring monthly contribution at any time through our secure Stripe customer portal. The customer portal also allows you to manage your payment method and view information associated with your recurring contributions.
When you cancel, your recurring contribution will remain active until the end of the current billing period. No further monthly contributions will be charged after that date.
Cancellation does not automatically reverse or refund a contribution that has already been successfully processed.
You can access the customer portal here
If you experience difficulty cancelling or managing your recurring contribution, please contact us at:
support@readmelange.com
There is no fee to cancel monthly support.
Please provide enough information for us to identify the recurring contribution, such as the name and email address used when the payment was established.
Cancellation stops future recurring charges. It does not automatically reverse or refund a contribution that has already been successfully processed.
We will process cancellation requests as promptly as reasonably possible. If a payment has already entered processing before a cancellation request is received or completed, that payment may still be processed. Please contact us if this occurs and you believe the payment was made in error.
You will not be charged a cancellation fee.
Payment processing
Payments are processed through Stripe.
When you select a contribution amount and proceed to payment, you are directed to a Stripe-hosted payment page. Stripe processes payment and transaction information in accordance with its own terms, privacy practices and security requirements.
Depending on the payment method and information you provide, Mélange Media may receive information associated with the transaction, such as your name, email address, contribution amount, transaction date, payment status and limited payment-method information.
Mélange Media does not require you to provide your full payment card number or card security code directly to us through the Accessible Journeys website when you use our Stripe Payment Links.
Stripe may process additional information for purposes including payment authorization, fraud detection, transaction processing and compliance with its legal and regulatory obligations. Stripe describes the information it may process for transactions in its Privacy Policy.
Read Stripe’s Privacy Policy here.
Payment authorization
By submitting a contribution, you confirm that:
- you are authorized to use the payment method you provide
- the information you provide in connection with the transaction is accurate to the best of your knowledge
- you authorize the applicable payment processor and financial institution to process the payment
- in the case of monthly support, you authorize recurring monthly charges until you cancel the arrangement
You must not use a payment method that you do not have permission to use.
We reserve the right to decline, reverse or refund a contribution if we reasonably believe that it may be fraudulent, unauthorized, unlawful or made in error.
Failed recurring payments
If a recurring contribution cannot be processed, Stripe or the applicable payment provider may attempt to process the payment again, notify you of the failed payment or request updated payment information, depending on the payment settings in effect at that time.
A recurring contribution may stop if the payment method remains unsuccessful or becomes unavailable.
Mélange Media is not responsible for fees charged to you by your bank, card issuer or payment provider in connection with a declined or unsuccessful transaction.
Currency
Unless the Stripe checkout page expressly states otherwise, contribution amounts displayed on the Accessible Journeys contribution page are in Canadian dollars.
You should confirm the currency and contribution amount shown on the Stripe checkout page before completing the transaction.
If your payment method is denominated in another currency, your financial institution or payment provider may apply exchange rates or currency-conversion fees. Those rates and fees are determined by the relevant institution and are outside Mélange Media’s control.
Refunds and payments made in error
Because reader contributions are voluntary payments made in support of our work and are not payments for goods or services, contributions are generally considered final once successfully processed.
However, we recognize that mistakes can occur.
If you believe that:
- you contributed the wrong amount
- a contribution was processed more than once
- you did not authorize a contribution
- a recurring payment was processed after you attempted to cancel it
- another payment error has occurred
please contact us promptly at: support@readmelange.com
Please include your name, the email address used for the payment, the approximate transaction date and the amount involved. Do not send us your complete payment card number or card security code.
We will review the circumstances and, where appropriate, may issue a full or partial refund.
Approved refunds will normally be returned through the original payment method. Processing times after a refund is issued may depend on Stripe, your card issuer, bank or other payment provider.
Nothing in this section limits any refund, cancellation, chargeback or other rights that you may have under applicable law or the rules governing your payment method.
Marketing communications
Making a contribution does not, by itself, constitute consent to receive Mélange Media marketing or promotional emails.
If you choose to subscribe to a newsletter or another marketing communication, that consent will be obtained separately where required.
We may, however, send communications that are reasonably necessary to administer your contribution. These may include payment confirmations, receipts, failed-payment notices, cancellation confirmations, refund information or responses to questions you send us.
Privacy
Personal information collected in connection with contributions is handled in accordance with the Mélange Media Privacy Policy and applicable privacy law.
Our Privacy Policy explains the types of information we collect, the purposes for which we use it, circumstances in which it may be shared with service providers, the choices and rights available to individuals and how to contact us about privacy.
The Privacy Policy is available here.
Stripe also collects and processes information in connection with the payment services it provides. Stripe’s own privacy practices apply to information it processes for its purposes.
British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act applies to private-sector organizations in British Columbia that collect, use or disclose personal information and establishes requirements relating to matters including collection, use, disclosure, protection and access.
Contributions from outside Canada
Accessible Journeys has an international readership and we may accept contributions from individuals located outside Canada where Stripe and the applicable payment method permit the transaction.
If you make a contribution from another jurisdiction, you are responsible for complying with any laws that apply specifically to you.
Availability of particular payment methods may differ depending on location, currency, payment provider and other factors.
Legal capacity and authority
By making a contribution, you represent that you have the legal capacity to authorize the payment or that you have the authorization of the person legally responsible for the payment method being used.
If you are acting on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to make the contribution on that organization’s behalf.
Availability of contribution options
Mélange Media may add, remove or change contribution amounts, payment methods or contribution options offered to new contributors.
We may also stop accepting contributions temporarily or permanently.
Any such change will not authorize Mélange Media to increase an existing contributor’s recurring monthly amount without that contributor’s authorization.
Changes to these Contribution Terms
We may update these Contribution Terms from time to time to reflect changes to our contribution program, payment arrangements, business practices or applicable legal requirements.
The current version will be posted on this website and will show the date on which it was last updated.
Changes will apply from the effective date of the revised Terms.
We will not use a change to these Terms to retroactively increase a completed one-time contribution or to increase an existing recurring contribution amount without your authorization.
Where applicable law requires additional notice or consent for a particular change, we will provide that notice or obtain that consent.
Applicable law
These Contribution Terms are governed by the laws of British Columbia Canada, and the federal laws of Canada applicable there.
Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude, restrict or waive a right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or waived under applicable law.
If the law applicable to you gives you mandatory rights that differ from these Terms, those mandatory rights continue to apply.
Severability
If a provision of these Contribution Terms is found to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, that provision will be interpreted or limited to the extent necessary to make it enforceable where legally possible.
The remaining provisions will continue in effect.
No waiver
If Mélange Media does not immediately enforce a provision of these Terms, that does not mean that we have waived the right to enforce it later.
Contact us
Questions about contributions, recurring payments, cancellations or refunds may be directed to:
Mélange Media
300-3665 Kingsway
Vancouver, V5R 5W2
Canada
Email: support@readmelange.com
Website: melange-media.com