Help One Now
Empowering families in developing countries through high-capacity local leaders with proven solutions to end extreme poverty.
Help One Now
EIN: 26-3618295
as of September 2024
as of September 09, 2024
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reportsWhat we aim to solve
Help One Now empowers families in developing countries through high-capacity local leaders with proven solutions to end extreme poverty. Our vision is to empower 100,000 families to end extreme poverty in their lives by 2030.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Restorative Community Care
Around the world, Help One Now provides restorative community care to meet the basic needs of individuals living in extreme poverty. This care includes 24/7 care for vulnerable children, transition programs to help children successfully transition to adulthood, family reunification, nutritious daily meals, access to clean water, trafficking prevention, access to medical care, spiritual development, and much more.
Community Care is rooted in our partnerships with local leaders and the local church. It plays a crucial role in community transformation over time. By meeting basic needs and providing holistic care, human dignity is restored, laying a foundation that empowers families to thrive.
Family Business
Around the world, the family unit plays a key role in the stability of the local society—a fact that is especially true in developing nations. Another fact is this: communities whose economies are struggling at the very local level often see high levels of children without parental care. These children are left to fend for themselves because parents are often unable to provide for them. They may be taken to orphanages in the hope that they’ll have a better life, be educated, and have a higher chance of survival. This is a situation that no parent should ever have to face.
The Family Business Program seeks to change this reality. By walking alongside each family as they take significant, proven steps, the narrative is shifted; it helps keep families together. It helps them directly thrive in their community, but more than that – it ripples outward into the entire community itself. As more and more families are empowered, the outlook of the entire community improves.
Kids & Schools
If children do not have access to education, the cycle of poverty will continue in developing communities. Education is long-term development work. We are investing in a generation, planting seeds that will transform communities from within over time. Providing access to education gives students the tools they need to solve problems and overcome challenges – it fosters future leaders and builds community resilience.
Our education programs ensure that students have access to high-quality education, nutritious meals, spiritual development, and a safe environment for them to dream, grow, and pursue their passions. Empowering education for a child also gives parents time to work, provide for their home, and build healthier communities.
Education makes a lasting impact in the lives of students, teachers, and families in developing communities.
Where we work
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of people receiving safe drinking water from community systems
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Adults, Families
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
We provided consistent access to clean water to these individuals. *in 2020 this metric shifted to all individuals with access to clean water through Help One Now programs
Number of meals served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Families, Students
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of meals served per year in our communities
Number of children who are receiving a quality education
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Students
Related Program
Kids & Schools
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
students receiving quality education
Number of teachers who are receiving a fair salary
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Academics
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of high-capacity local leaders who have been empowered and resourced
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of orphaned children who have received 24/7 holistic care and support
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, At-risk youth
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Completed the Family Empowerment Program
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Families, Parents
Related Program
Family Business
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Graduated the Family Empowerment Program and are now out in the community with their own businesses flourshing!
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Help One Now empowers local leaders through friendship and partnership. We work with leaders who are already working effectively in their respective communities. These leaders are friends and partners in the fight against extreme poverty. They are our greatest resource, and without them, sustainable change is impossible.
Empowering Families: We serve in some of the poorest communities in the world, where people live on less than $2 US per day. In these communities, empowering families through education and entrepreneurship has proven to be the most effective course for long term change, creating a hand up to build a better future for themselves.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Help One Now joins alongside leaders in their communities to learn about what they believe to be their most difficult and pressing issues are and how they believe they can be fixed. We help to empower and resource leaders to be able to deal with these problems.
Help One Now believes in honoring human dignity by empowering families through entrepreneurship opportunities and training, restorative care, community development and education, healthcare, and spiritual development.
Our Family Business h Program shifts the narrative; it helps keep struggling families together.
To date, we have enrolled over 1,000 families in our Family Business Program in Ethiopia, Haiti, Uganda, and Dominican Republic with an average increased income of approximately 642% — and many of these families now have 2-3 years of self-sufficiency under their belt! Not only does the program help families to thrive, but it ripples outward into the community as families grow their businesses, create even more jobs, and pour into the local economy.
As education transforms communities and breaks the cycle of extreme poverty, opportunity & hope flourish in entire regions. A high-quality education makes a world of difference.
We are currently supporting 183 teachers around the world by providing fair wages, training, & classroom supplies, as well as nutritious hot meals for students. And through that support, the futures of nearly 4,000 students each school year are directly affected!
Restorative care plays a key role in community transformation over time. Through the meeting of basic needs and the provision of holistic care, human dignity is restored, laying a foundation that empowers future families to thrive.
In communities where extreme poverty exists, under-resourced systems often fall short in caring for the most vulnerable. Children without adequate parental care experience neglect, trauma and exploitation while a lack of community resources leads to the basic needs of many going unmet. Around the world, Help One Now provides 24/7 holistic care to children rescued from or vulnerable to trafficking and provides resources that meet the basic needs of individuals living in extreme poverty.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our greatest asset is our indigenous leaders. We partner with some of the most passionate, dedicated and brilliant men and women in the developing world. They understand the challenges their countries and communities are facing better than an outsider ever could. They also understand the assets that their people have to meet those challenges. They have a clear vision for transforming communities and ending extreme poverty, but they don't have the resources or support to accomplish that vision. We come alongside these incredible leaders and empower them to accomplish their vision. Our capabilities lie, as they should, in the strength of our local leaders.
We'd like to introduce you to 2 of our 12 leaders:
Aschalew Abebe is our Director of Family Empowerment. With a Master's degree in community development and a PhD in Project Management, Aschalew's thoughtful and holistic approach to ending the orphan crisis in Ethiopia is as inspiring as he is. He and his team are committed to going upstream to address the root of the orphan crisis - poverty. Aschalew and his team are working hard to empower families and prevent poverty orphans. Their local team have facilitated more domestic adoptions in Ethiopia than any other group, and they have won multiple awards from the Ethiopian government for their work in the community. They have empowered hundreds of families and enhanced the education of thousands of students. Aschalew's holistic approach to community development will yield incredible transformation in the years to come. Community awareness and education—family empowerment—domestic adoption—reunification—and long term group homes for children who have no other option. Aschalew believes that every child deserves a family, and that we WILL see the end of the orphan crisis!
Jean Alix Paul is one of our local leaders in Port au Prince, Haiti. He is a talented businessman and a dedicated pastor who has mastered the art of raising up leaders. Over the past 25 years, he has planted 10 churches, started 5 schools and founded 3 children's homes. He is also helping us fight trafficking and slavery by working with us to build and oversee a trafficking prevention refuge in northeast Haiti. He believes (as do all of our leaders) that there are two things that are most needed to break the cycle of extreme poverty in Haiti: 1) people must know Jesus; and 2) children – and adults – must have a good, solid education. Among other things, there are currently over 1,000 children receiving a good education because of this incredible leader. And we have seen over 60 children rescued from trafficking in the past few years as we have walked alongside Jean Alix. He is ready to shift his focus from aid to development, and he has a plan to see Haiti transformed from the inside out by way of agriculture, business and education.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since the start of the Family Empowerment Business Launch program, over 1,000 families have been empowered to start and sustain their own businesses.
In 2020 alone:
210 children benefited from 24/7 holistic restorative care
Over 1.2 million meals were served free of cost to families, students, and staff
378 families launched businesses through the Family Business Program
6,500+ students were enrolled in school
183 teachers were employed full-time
4,908 individuals received spiritual mentorship
and over 11,000 families were directly impacted on a daily basis through our education, business, and care initiatives
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback
Financials
Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2022 info
3.32
Months of cash in 2022 info
1.3
Fringe rate in 2022 info
29%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
Help One Now
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
This snapshot of Help One Now’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
Profitability info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $225,800 | $101,287 | -$464,609 | $443,323 | -$345,962 |
As % of expenses | 8.1% | 3.1% | -15.7% | 14.3% | -11.1% |
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | $225,800 | $101,287 | -$464,609 | $443,323 | -$345,962 |
As % of expenses | 8.1% | 3.1% | -15.7% | 14.3% | -11.1% |
Revenue composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $3,021,494 | $3,324,515 | $2,502,526 | $3,549,093 | $2,779,984 |
Total revenue, % change over prior year | 24.9% | 10.0% | -24.7% | 41.8% | -21.7% |
Program services revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Investment income | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3.9% |
All other grants and contributions | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 96.1% |
Other revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Expense composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total expenses before depreciation | $2,795,694 | $3,223,228 | $2,967,135 | $3,105,770 | $3,125,946 |
Total expenses, % change over prior year | 8.3% | 15.3% | -7.9% | 4.7% | 0.6% |
Personnel | 18.1% | 21.3% | 19.2% | 23.4% | 24.4% |
Professional fees | 5.3% | 4.8% | 7.6% | 5.7% | 5.0% |
Occupancy | 1.6% | 1.4% | 2.2% | 1.1% | 2.8% |
Interest | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Pass-through | 54.1% | 56.7% | 62.4% | 59.0% | 57.6% |
All other expenses | 20.8% | 15.6% | 8.6% | 10.8% | 10.3% |
Full cost components (estimated) info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total expenses (after depreciation) | $2,795,694 | $3,223,228 | $2,967,135 | $3,105,770 | $3,125,946 |
One month of savings | $232,975 | $268,602 | $247,261 | $258,814 | $260,496 |
Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Total full costs (estimated) | $3,028,669 | $3,491,830 | $3,214,396 | $3,364,584 | $3,386,442 |
Capital structure indicators
Liquidity info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Months of cash | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 2.9 | 1.3 |
Months of cash and investments | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 2.9 | 1.3 |
Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 2.7 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 1.4 |
Balance sheet composition info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cash | $666,095 | $413,494 | $370,710 | $755,499 | $328,393 |
Investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Receivables | $0 | $452,589 | $50,025 | $157,048 | $175,000 |
Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 17.7% | 16.3% | 37.1% | 22.4% | 29.5% |
Unrestricted net assets | $627,774 | $729,061 | $264,452 | $707,775 | $361,813 |
Temporarily restricted net assets | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Permanently restricted net assets | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Total restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Total net assets | $627,774 | $729,061 | $264,452 | $707,775 | $361,813 |
Key data checks
Key data checks info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Material data errors | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
CEO/Founder
Mr. Chris Marlow
In 2007, Chris met a starving young child living in an abandoned gas station in Zimbabwe. That encounter compelled him to start Help One Now and dedicate his life to seeking justice by empowering leaders and organizing a wide table of people to do good together. He and his wife currently call Raleigh, NC home and cherish the time that they get to spend with their two adult daughters.
Website: http://chrismarlow.me
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Help One Now
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
Help One Now
Board of directorsas of 05/22/2023
Board of directors data
Mr. Charles Lee
Ideation
Term: 2022 -
Chris Marlow
Help One Now
Charles Lee
Ideation
Mike Hensley
Guardian Wealth Partners
Amanda Whitmire
Kayla Glasgow
Yeti
Travis Mason
Merlin Labs
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 05/06/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.