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How do I become an approved Helper?
It is a gate, not a switch. Here is what is behind it.
Short answer
Open Help Me, apply to help, and submit identity evidence. A staff member reviews it and makes a decision — approval is not automatic and not instant. Once approved, you can receive and accept requests near you. Approval has to stay current: if it lapses or is revoked, the ability to accept goes with it.
The facts, in one place
- Applying is not approval — a staff member decides.
- Identity evidence is required; a criminal background check is not what this is.
- Only current approval allows accepting requests.
- Helping is unpaid community help, not contract work.
What staff are actually checking
That you are a real person, reachable, and accountable for what happens under your name. That is the bar this gate is designed to hold. It is deliberately not sold as more than it is: no criminal history search runs behind the scenes, and no page here will claim one does.
What being approved feels like
Quiet, mostly. You get short-lived offers for nearby requests that fit what you said you can do. You accept the ones you can actually get to. You meet in public, you finish, both people confirm, and you go back to your day. Nobody is scoring you on volume.
Step by step
1. Install and create an account
Get Help Me from TestFlight on an iPhone running iOS 15 or later, then sign up with email or Sign in with Apple.
2. Apply to help
Open the helper application in the app and tell us how you want to help — the everyday categories, not emergencies.
3. Submit identity evidence
Provide the identity evidence the app asks for. This is how staff confirm you are a real, accountable adult in the area.
4. Wait for a staff decision
A person reviews it. There is no auto-approve, and applying is not the same as being approved.
5. Stay current
Approval is a current status, not a permanent badge. Keep it valid to keep receiving requests.
Questions people actually ask
How long does approval take?
It depends on review volume. It is a human decision, so it is not instant and it is not guaranteed.
Can approval be taken away?
Yes. Approval is a current status. Reports, policy violations, or a lapsed review can end it.
Keep going
helpers
Helpers show up
Apply in the app, submit identity evidence, wait on a staff decision. Current approval is required before you can see or accept requests in Fargo–Moorhead.
who it's for
For people who would have stopped anyway
If you live in Fargo, Moorhead, or West Fargo and want to help neighbors with everyday tasks, apply to become an approved Helper.
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Are Helpers background checked?
No. Helpers submit identity evidence that staff review before approval. That is an identity check, not a criminal background check, and Help Me does not claim otherwise.
how-to
How to become a helper
Apply in the app, submit identity evidence, wait on a staff decision. Current approval is required before you can help in Fargo–Moorhead.
glossary
Staff review
A Help Me staff member reviews helper identity evidence and decides. Not an algorithm. Not a self-serve badge. Approval must stay current.
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Is Help Me a gig or side-hustle app?
No. There are no payments, no jobs, no bids, and no earnings. Helpers are approved community members, not contractors, and Help Me is not a marketplace.
Help Me is a community app for adults in Fargo–Moorhead. It is not a K–12 student program, not a youth chat, and not campus police.