Help 2 Others Foundation

What Help 2 Others Foundation does

Help 2 Others Foundation (H2O Foundation) is a Birmingham, Alabama-based nonprofit that provides direct financial assistance for water/sewer bills (up to $500 per recipient) and plumbing repairs (up to $1,000) to seniors aged 55 and older and to individuals with disabilities in the Greater Birmingham and Central Alabama region. Founded approximately in 2004 and now in its 22nd year of operation, the foundation runs beneficiary intake through an online application portal hosted on the Swell.gives platform, and maintains a referral pipeline through a partnership with Central Alabama Water Works.

The foundation's revenue model is donation-driven: individual giving, corporate sponsorships anchored by an annual golf tournament (now in its 22nd year), and community fundraising events. Corporate ties run deep, with board representation from major regional infrastructure and engineering firms including U.S. Pipe, ARCADIS, and Jacobs; these relationships double as governance expertise and donor pipeline. In 2025, the foundation distributed $94,776.66 in direct assistance across 303 beneficiaries. The organization operates with 1-10 employees from a single Birmingham office.

Recent strategic activity includes the January 2026 appointment of Dr. Aisha Castro-Ellington as Executive Director, the launch of the "Check the Box - Every Drop Counts" recurring-donor campaign, the April 2026 appointment of Phil Goodwin to the board, and the establishment of internship pipelines with Birmingham Promise and Birmingham Corps. The foundation's growth ceiling is fundamentally constrained by its geographic concentration and narrow beneficiary definition, though its 22-year track record and embedded municipal/corporate relationships provide meaningful defensibility within its market.

Name

Help 2 Others Foundation

Legal name

Help 2 Others Foundation

Website

https://h2obham.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Help 2 Others Foundation is a Birmingham, Alabama nonprofit providing water bill (up to $500) and plumbing repair (up to $1,000) assistance to seniors 55+ and individuals with disabilities in Greater Birmingham and Central Alabama.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Utility Assistance Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Miscellaneous Repair Services (7600)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Retail Programs & Demand Management (conservation programs, rebates, water budgets, drought surcharges) (EUANAIAJ), Minor Plumbing Repairs (Leaks, Faucets, Toilets, Drains) (HSAGAAAC), Housing Rehabilitation, Weatherization & Home Repair Grant/Loan Programs (FSALAKAJ)

Keywords

• Water bill assistance
• Utility assistance programs
• Nonprofit community services
• Senior support services
• Plumbing repair assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals through the Check the Box campaign, allowing donors to contribute as little as $5 monthly or one-time to support water bill assistance for local families.
2. Annual Golf Tournament: Annual fundraising event (24th Annual Golf Tournament scheduled for September 3, 2026 at Bent Brook Golf Course) that serves as a major revenue driver and community engagement event.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partnerships and sponsorship opportunities for events and the Check the Box campaign, with board members representing companies like U.S. Pipe and Foundry Co., ARCADIS, Jacobs, and ACIPCO.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Help 2 Others Foundation provides direct financial assistance for water and sewer bills (up to $500 per approved household, once every 12 months) and minor plumbing repairs (up to $1,000 per approved household, once every 12 months) to eligible seniors aged 55+ and individuals receiving SSI or SSDI who are customers of Central Alabama Water Works in Greater Birmingham/Central Alabama. Approved utility payments are remitted directly to the water utility on behalf of the recipient, and plumbing repairs are fulfilled through vetted licensed plumbers carrying insurance and bonding. Educational resources and emergency water-bill assistance are also offered to help households avoid shutoffs.

Product overview

The H2O Foundation offers a unified set of assistance services focused on water bill support and plumbing repairs for seniors and individuals with disabilities in the Birmingham area. The core offering consists of water and sewer bill assistance, minor plumbing repairs (up to $1,000), emergency assistance, and education programs. These services are complemented by the Check the Box – Every Drop Counts donation campaign and annual golf tournament fundraiser. The organization works in partnership with Central Alabama Water Works to direct payments and repairs to qualified households.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water and Sewer Bill Assistance Direct financial assistance of up to $500 per approved household (once every 12 months) covering overdue water and sewer bills, including applicable taxes and fees, for eligible seniors aged 55+ and individuals receiving SSI/SSDI who are customers of Central Alabama Water Works in Greater Birmingham/Central Alabama. Payments are remitted directly to the utility on the recipient's behalf.
• Minor Plumbing Repairs Funded plumbing repair coverage of up to $1,000 per approved household (once every 12 months) for essential repairs such as leaks and faulty fixtures, delivered through vetted licensed, insured, and bonded plumbing contractors, helping qualified seniors and disabled adults keep water flowing safely in the home.
• Check the Box – Every Drop Counts Campaign Community giving initiative that allows donors to contribute one-time or recurring gifts (starting at $5) to support water security for vulnerable households in the Birmingham area. Powered by the Swell.gives donation platform.
• Annual Golf Tournament Annual fundraising event that brings community members together to raise awareness and support for water security for neighbors in need. Includes player registration and corporate sponsorship opportunities managed through the foundation's Swell.gives event page.

Quantifiable outcome

• Distributed $94,776.66 to approximately 303 seniors and disabled community members in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Pipe and Foundry Co.coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 April 2026Phil Goodwin, Director of Government Affairs at U.S. Pipe and Foundry Co., serves on H2O Foundation's Board of Directors. The company is a water infrastructure industry leader with 30+ years of experience. Board representation strengthens H2O's advocacy for water access at local, state, and federal levels.
• Central Alabama Water WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerH2O Foundation works in partnership with Central Alabama Water Works to provide water bill assistance. Payments are made directly to the utility company, and eligibility includes being a customer of Central Alabama Water Works. The organizations have a complementary relationship where the utility provides service and H2O provides financial support to qualifying households.
• Birmingham PromiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerH2O Foundation partners with Birmingham Promise to provide real-world, practice-based internship experiences that equip students with hands-on skills, professional exposure, and meaningful community engagement.
• Birmingham CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerH2O Foundation partners with Birmingham Corps to provide internship experiences for community members, supporting workforce development and community engagement.
• ARCADIS U.S., Inc.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBrian Ruggs from ARCADIS U.S., Inc. serves on H2O Foundation's Board of Directors, providing professional expertise and community connections from the engineering and infrastructure sector.
• JacobscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTheo Johnson from Jacobs serves on H2O Foundation's Board of Directors, bringing expertise from a global engineering and technical services firm to support the foundation's mission.
• ACIPCO (American Cast Iron Pipe Company)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerChristopher Jarrett from ACIPCO serves on H2O Foundation's Board of Directors. ACIPCO is a major Birmingham-based manufacturer of pipe and valves for water infrastructure.
• Sheppard, Harris & AssociatescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerConnie Harris from Sheppard, Harris & Associates serves on H2O Foundation's Board of Directors, providing professional legal/business expertise to support foundation governance.
• Alabama Iron and Steel CouncilminorOthersPhil Goodwin serves as Chair of the Alabama Iron and Steel Council, which focuses on water industry trade organizations. This connection supports H2O's industry relationships and advocacy efforts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• WaterAid America: International nonprofit focused on equitable access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); comparable mission domain to H2O's water-access focus but at a much larger global scale.
• Water.org: Global nonprofit working on water access and sanitation through market-based financing; comparable in mission (water access for vulnerable populations) though operating internationally and at much greater scale.
• Dollar Energy Fund: Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that provides utility bill assistance grants to low-income households through direct payments to utilities, directly comparable to H2O's Central Alabama Water Works payment model.
• dig deep (now Uplift Community Solutions): Nonprofit focused on water access and infrastructure in underserved U.S. communities, including shutoff prevention and plumbing assistance; closely comparable mission and service mix to H2O.

Others

• National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA): Association representing state administrators of LIHEAP and similar utility-assistance programs; comparable ecosystem player addressing the same low-income water/energy affordability need H2O serves.
• 2-1-1 (United Way): Free information and referral hotline connecting people in need to local assistance programs including utility-bill help; functions as a referral channel that often directs beneficiaries to organizations like H2O.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: National network of social-service nonprofits that includes utility-bill assistance, housing support, and case management; comparable in offering utility-bill help but as part of a much broader social-services portfolio.
• Community Action Partnership: National network of Community Action Agencies administering LIHEAP and other utility-assistance programs for low-income households; comparable in providing bill-payment assistance, especially via federal funding flows.
• The Salvation Army: Large national nonprofit that runs utility and rental assistance programs alongside broader social services; overlaps with H2O on direct utility-bill payment assistance for vulnerable households.

Emerging players

• Dollar For: Nonprofit helping low-income patients access hospital charity care; structurally similar nonprofit advocacy-and-application-assistance model applied to a different affordability domain (medical rather than water).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/H2OBHAM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/h2obham

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Help 2 Others Foundation