The Human Utility

Founded July 2014, The Human Utility (formerly known as the Detroit Water Project) matches families needing help with utility bills to people who want to help through payments directly to utility companies. For over 40 million families in the United States, water and other essential utilities may be unaffordable. In order to afford utilities, families often forgo medication, food, and transportation. The Human Utility's platform divides a bill similar to a loan syndicate expanding the possible number of donors from around the world able to join together to ensure families never lose access to utility service. Donors are matched with a specific family or donate to a universal assistance fund. Later, we use utility data to design interventions addressing the root causes of why people need help with their utility bills with the goal of never having them lose service again.