Do For One's principle-based approach to building relationships across societal barriers.

Now accepting applications for the 2025 cohort! This is an invite-only program. Email andrew@doforone.org to inquire.

What is Lead For One?

LFO is a four-part leadership course for individuals interested in building freely-given and enduring relationships for isolated and vulnerable people, rooted in the principles of Do For One. The course provides valuable insights for integrating DFO concepts into relationship-building initiatives—whether creating new programs or strengthening existing ones. Sessions are spaced throughout the year, allowing time for participants to internalize the content, complete reflective homework assignments, and build a strong sense of community within the cohort.

This course emphasizes relationships between people with and without disabilities but is relevant to other marginalized groups.

Why Lead For One?

The damaging effects of social isolation is much less of a mystery today than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the world, faith communities, and nearly every sector of the healthcare system are discussing this issue, yet a practical service model to address it is largely missing from the conversation.

Since Do For One’s inception nearly ten years ago, our small yet talented leadership team has honed in and creatively improved upon their focused mission, which addresses the very question that so many are struggling to find viable answers to: How do we bring isolated people into greater community life?

This course provides participants with a comprehensive, principle-based approach to addressing this very question

Scroll to the bottom of this page for information on the course's intended audience and requirements.

  • Session 1: Imago Dei Foundation | Inherent Dignity vs. Capacity-Based Views of Human Life

    Session 2: Our Principle-Based Approach | Citizen Advocacy and the Philosophy of Personalism

    Session 3: Matchmaking Process | Recruitment and Matching

    Session 4: Support Process | Strengthening and Nurturing Relationships, Community, and Vision

  • Leaders and affiliates who join the course can opt for a full-year immersion into Do For One’s relationship-building model, which includes one-on-one coaching, small group facilitation, tailored training, and resources.

2024 Cohort Affiliates & Gallery

“I am convinced that the drive behind Do For One is a message the world needs at this moment.”

- Matt Mooney, Founder at bEfriend and 99 Balloons

Who is Lead For One for?

Participants are those actively engaged or considering involvement in DFO, or they are distinguished leaders linked with our program affiliates who wish to integrate these ideas into their relationship-building initiatives or existing programs. While this course, like DFO, is rooted in Judeo-Christian beliefs—particularly the inherent worth of all people—it offers universal principles that can be applied in both faith-based and non-faith-based environments.

Ideal participants are:

1. Do For One Leadership

You are interested in supporting Do For One's local mission. (e.g. joining a committee or the board or providing leadership-level support in other capacities. These roles are in addition to, but distinct from, being an Advocate or Partner.)

2. Affiliate Leadership

You are from one of our principle-based affiliates, including organizations that we've helped start and support, such as Two-Fives, bEfriend, and more. 

3. Personal and Professional Development 

You have a strong desire to live out your core beliefs of belonging and growth through freely given relationships and want to learn Do For One's approach to implement these ideas in your professional or personal relationship-building.

(e.g. parents wanting to build relationships for their child, faith leaders aiming to better include their more marginalized members, direct support workers focused on relationship-building, or anyone called to live out their beliefs of belonging and growth through freely-given, one-to-one relationships across social barriers.)

Requirements to join this course:

You must have attended our Intro to Do For One session held quarterly in NYC (or equivalent) and have an invested interest in Do For One’s approach to relationship-building.

This course is demanding both on an intellectual – and SOUL – level because our aim is to not just introduce practical tools for relationship-building, but (even more importantly) to develop a moral imagination in our leadership. In this course we ask participants to take a deep look at what they believe about the world, themselves, and their relationships.

THE COST: $180 per person for the entire course. 

Andrew Oliver, founder and director of Do For One, developed this course is taught by Andrew and colleagues.

Topics weaved into this course include:

  • Citizen Advocacy (Wolf Wolfensberger)

  • Social Role Valorization (Wolf Wolfensberger)

  • The Philosophy of Personalism (Emmanuel Mounier, Jacques Maritain, Wolf Wolfensberger, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day, Peter Maurin)

  • Asset-Based Community Development (John O’Brien, John McKnight)

What the Participants of the 2024 Cohort Are Saying

“I’m looking forward to becoming more of who God made me to be through this work.”
“I’m taking this course to be around like-minded people. There is deep thought behind everything at DFO, and that makes me appreciate and be excited about this work.”
“As a special ed teacher, I had a lot of unlearning to do.”
“Friendship was a lifeline to me. I want others to experience this too.”