Help One has been operating quietly in Saskatoon
since 2010, mostly through word of mouth.
Founded by Bruce Rempel of Rempel Brothers Construction, the charity was inspired by Care and Share Saskatoon, a similar program for elementary school students.
“Kids going into high school face quite a few financial challenges most families don't think about. A lot of the programs that provide support for kids either aren't available or are insufficient.” Rempel said.
Help One started as a pilot project in a core neighbourhood high school in 2010 and now supports high schools across the city. Help One fields requests from students ranging from athletic tryout fees to band instrument rental, required school supplies to graduation tickets. They're modest sums of money that make a big difference for kids.
Help One has assisted more than 3,000 students and requests keep coming. Some of the donations have covered fees for extracurricular activities, travel expenses for school trips, haircuts and winter clothes. Students have also applied for help with graduation expenses.
