A Story With a Different Ending

Six months ago, Jimmy moved into a home. Thanks to the dedication of his case workers and a handful of donors working through Unhoused Humanity, he was able to cover the cost of up-front deposits. He benefits now from a federal government program known as rapid rehousing, but there are others waiting for entry in the same program, plagued by the same lump-sum costs.

Unhoused Humanity leverages crowdfunding to collect donations--100% of which goes to the homeless-- that cover these costs. Case workers at a local service agency identify individuals with evidence of steady income and commitment to getting off the street. They partner with Unhoused Humanity, who raises private funds and jumpstarts the agency's ability to secure a housing unit. It's a public-private partnership powered by empathy and technology.

Using this formula, Unhoused Humanity has housed nine people since their late-2014 launch. All nine have stayed in their home, a testament to the partnership's potential. By connecting donors to those in need, Aleman's spin on social entrepreneurship increases the visibility of homelessness while taking substantive action to end it.