Using Claude at a Nonprofit

Exercise 3: Protect clients

10 minutes. Work with a partner. Don't paste these emails into Claude.

You answer the email for a small nonprofit that helps people pay utility bills. Three emails came in this morning. Everyone and everything in them is made up.

Email 1

From: Marisol Ventura <mventura@example.org>

Hi, my name is Marisol Ventura and I live at 418 Larkin Ave, Apt 3. My light bill is two months behind and they say they will shut it off on the 14th. My account number is 5527-90114. I have two kids, Leo (6) and Ana (3), and Ana has asthma so we need the power for her breathing machine. My birthday is 3/9/1991 if you need it. Please help.

Email 2

From: Dale Whitcomb <dwhitcomb@example.org>

I got out of the hospital last week after heart surgery and I can't work for a while. I'm behind on my gas bill by $286. My caseworker at the county is Ms. Okafor. My phone is 555-0142.

Email 3

From: Grace Lindqvist <glindqvist@example.org>

My water was shut off yesterday at 77 Orchard Lane. I lost my job at the plant in September. I live with my mom who is 81. What can I do?

Step 1: find the private details (4 minutes)

Use a highlighter or circle them. Look for:

Step 2: ask without them (4 minutes)

You want Claude to help you write a reply you can use for all three. Write a request that has none of the details you found, but still tells Claude enough to help.

Hint: describe the kind of problem, not the person. For example, "someone whose power will be shut off soon" instead of a name and an address.

Write your request here:

Now type your request into Claude, and see what it writes.

Step 3: talk it over (2 minutes)

Did Claude still help? What did you have to add yourself before you could send a reply?

What to take away: Claude can help with the shape of the work without anyone's private details. You add the person's details yourself, in your own email or case system, not in Claude.