One Can Help’s success depends on the tireless energy and compassion of court-appointed professionals who want to make a difference in their clients’ lives, and who want to help the juvenile court system work better for all. We entered this profession as idealists; while experience may challenge that worldview, we refuse to give in to cynicism. One person truly can help. If you share our stubborn optimism, please join us.
Our detailed approval criteria can be found here. After you review the criteria and our process below, please click here to apply.
The Basics
- We are happy to help your client when no other assistance is available. Please explore other resources before contacting us.
- While we may be able to help you fund the services your client needs, you will have to do most of the legwork; as a minimally-staffed organization, we rely on your partnership in this effort.
- The court or your client must be located in Massachusetts.
- Before applying, be sure to get a good estimate of the cost of the item or service you are requesting.
- We cannot reimburse any expense incurred prior to your application’s approval, nor any expense greater than the approved amount.
Application Process
- Please complete the application form online and submit. We only accept online submissions. Since One Can Help review team is staffed by volunteers, allow up to five business days for us to respond. If you do not hear from us within that timeframe, please email info@onecanhelp.org or call 617-930-3468 for assistance.
- Most requests for assistance are for less than $500, but we provide up to $1000 if the need is great and the intervention is likely to succeed.
- You will be assigned an application number when you apply. Please respond on the same email thread as your approval letter, with the application number in the subject line, so that we can track all email correspondence regarding your application.
- You will have 60 days from date of approval to submit receipts for reimbursement. We will send reimbursements as soon as we have received verified proof of expenditures. Emailed photos are receipts are acceptable as long as you keep the original.
Feedback and Follow-up
- We collect outcomes measurement data to assess our effectiveness. Your participation is essential to our accountability review, and your feedback will help us to attract more donors, foundations and other sources of financial support, so that we can reach more clients at risk.
- We really appreciate hearing from you. Progress notes and thank-you cards or emails from you and your clients are extremely helpful for our fundraising appeals and foundation grant applications.