Supporting court-involved children, teens and families

to seek a better future.

 

All donations are tax deductible.

Mission

Our mission is to encourage low-income, high-risk children and parents involved in the juvenile court system to get the help they need to make positive changes when no other funds are available from state agencies.

 

One size does not fit all

Other organizations may provide warm coats, food or shelter to the needy at large. The help we provide however, is far more particular than that. It is geared to the specific needs of the individual who needs help. Court-appointed attorneys and social workers know their clients and only apply to us when they cannot find another agency to help.

 

Court problems and social problems are often entwined

Ideally we all have family and friends to rely on when we need help and encouragement. Unfortunately there are many people who come from backgrounds where no reliable support networks exist at all and the state has insufficient funds to help them escape the cycle of poverty.

 

By helping people finally get the assistance they need we can reduce recidivism, thereby making your tax dollars more effective.

 

How we work

We partner with court-appointed attorneys and social workers who are already being paid by the state to help the poorest children and families but often lack the necessary resources to truly help. These professionals, after identifying something they feel could really make a difference to a motivated parent or needy child, apply to us for assistance.

 

Why are these children & families court-involved?

One Can Help focuses on the following types of situations:

- Children involved with DCF because of concerns about the care they are receiving from others;
- Parents who need assistance to better take care of their children;
- Children with significant problems including mental health issues, substance abuse, running away, domestic violence and truancy.

 

Examples of how we have helped others

- providing bus fare so a young mother can visit with her baby who has been placed in foster care several towns away while she successfully completes a drug program (so a trial won't be necessary to terminate her parental rights because she was unable to keep up her bond with her child simply because she could not afford to visit regularly);
- by providing a computer for a dis-enfranchised teenager who is doing poorly in school and who comes from a home without this educational necessity;
- by helping teens purchase musical instruments and lessons, or sports equipment and team fees so they can develop an interest rather than remain on the streets;
- by helping a young man trying to get back on his feet with a transportation card so he can interview for jobs.