Terms of Use
Last updated: October 2026
By using HelpingBlock you agree to these terms. If you don't agree, please don't use the service.
What HelpingBlock is (and isn't)
HelpingBlock is a free platform that helps neighbors find each other. Volunteers are not our employees or agents, and we do not provide the help ourselves. We are not an emergency, medical, caregiving, transportation or moving service. In an emergency, call 911.
Who can use it
- You must be at least 13 years old. Volunteers under 18 need a parent or guardian's approval, who agrees to these terms on their behalf.
- Volunteers must complete verification before helping, and keep their information accurate.
- One account per person. Don't pretend to be someone else.
Community rules
- Be kind, respectful and on time. If you can't make it, cancel in the app as early as possible.
- Help is free. Volunteers must not ask for or accept payment, tips, gifts of value, loans, or access to bank accounts, cards or passwords. Requesters may reimburse the exact cost of items a volunteer bought for them (for example, groceries) with a receipt.
- No medical care, personal care, handling medication, driving someone else's car, using power tools, climbing ladders or roofs, or lifting anything unsafe. Know your limits and say no to anything that feels unsafe.
- Rides are offered at the volunteer's own risk and only with a valid license and insurance.
- No harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate behavior. Keep conversations in the app.
- Follow our safety guidelines.
Volunteer hours
Hours are recorded from check-in to check-out and confirmed by the person who was helped. Misreporting hours will get your account removed. Schools and organizations decide for themselves whether to accept HelpingBlock hours.
Reports, suspensions and removal
We may review reports, remove content, and suspend or close accounts that break these rules or put others at risk, with or without notice.
Disclaimers and limits
We verify identity through third-party services and rely on community ratings, but we cannot guarantee anyone's conduct, skills, or the outcome of any task. You use HelpingBlock and meet other users at your own risk. To the fullest extent allowed by law, HelpingBlock and its creators are not liable for injuries, losses or damages arising from interactions between users. The service is provided “as is.”
Changes
We may update these terms. We'll tell you about important changes in the app. Continuing to use HelpingBlock means you accept the new terms.
Contact
Email hello@helpingblock.com. These terms are governed by the laws of the State of California.