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Making ends meet is becoming harder for more and more people in our communities these days.
People like Mary. She lived on a fixed income and suddenly became the primary caregiver for her three grandchildren. Mary was relieved to receive help from the Association of Community Ministries (ACM) to keep the lights on and water flowing.
“Thank you so much,” she said. “All I’ve been doing is crying. I feel like I have so much to do and no one to talk to. I truly appreciate everything.”
Mary’s story is exactly why Louisville Water and Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) came together to create Drops of Kindness℠, a customer assistance program that offers several different options to help residents pay their water bills.
Every year, Louisville Water and MSD donate to the Louisville Water Foundation which distributes the funding to several community agencies including ACM.
In 2025, the organization reported giving out nearly $323,000 in water assistance in Jefferson County.
“The Association of Community Ministries alone helped over 6,000 of our neighbors; 1,800 of which were children, almost 300 senior citizen homes. Every zip code is represented,” shared Shannon Tivitt, the project director of One Water, talking about the need for assistance last year.
Tivitt chairs the Foundation’s key liaison partner committee. She worked with ACM for several months to gain a better perspective of the customers we’re serving through Drops of Kindness. ACM’s new tracking tool gives Louisville Water a clearer picture of who benefits from the program.
Tivitt said, “I’m (now) going to be able to ask questions that answer ‘How many people received water assistance funds that never did before? Who in your system is receiving multiple assistance programs?’”.
Understanding which communities have an increased need and recognizing the other challenges they face helps Louisville Water provide Drops of Kindness more effectively.
Louisville Water helped 17% of its customer base last year through the program. During this year’s pledge drive, where the company supports nonprofit partners with donations, employees pledged to donate nearly $37,000 to the Louisville Water Foundation in 2027.
Those contributions combined with Tivitt’s work with community partners will help more customers like Mary moving forward.
Learn more about the different options available at DropsofKindness.com. If you’re fortunate enough to help others, consider donating to the program. You’ll find a separate line to add a contribution to your Louisville Water & MSD bill.
