LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new mobile app rolled out in Louisville will now connect the homeless population directly to people who want to help them.

It is called the Samaritan app. It allows those who are unhoused to set up a profile, share their story and barriers they face, and lets people donate money directly to them.

Case managers with selected nonprofits in Louisville can offer people a Samaritan "membership." From there, a person who is unhoused will create a profile. A person interested in helping can scroll through the profiles and donate directly to their individual need, such as bus fare or money for a storage space.

"We drive down an exit ramp on a highway, pass someone on the street, and they have a cardboard box and they need help, this humanizes their stories and it allows me to directly support that person," said Bryce Butler, managing director of Access Ventures, which has partnered with Samaritan to bring the app to Louisville.

Access Ventures, a foundation working to initiate systemic change and a more inclusive and creative economy, created KNOWN Homelessness. It's an initiative that works to dispel rumors and help educate the Kentuckiana community on homelessness in the area.

Christopher Sun, who co-founded the Samaritan app, said the other founder came up with the idea while sitting in Seattle when he noticed a man with a sign asking for money for medication. After 20 minutes of no one stopping, he walked outside and asked the man why he thought no one helped. The man suggested it was because no one knew him.

"Learn about a person's journey, empathize, care for them, decide to partner with them and support them directly," Sun said.

To be selected for a membership, a person must set goals and consistently meet with a case manger. A case manager will decide to either grant a person with their own re-loadable debit card and monitor their spending, or put in purchase requests on their behalf.

"You don't need to feel guilty, like is this money going to buy alcohol, or what is that money going towards, you know it's being monitored and managed by a case manager," Butler said. "Everybody needs a team to succeed and often times these people don't have a team. So this is a way to build a team around this person and be successful in life."

Samaritan's Kentuckiana nonprofit partners include Family Scholar House, the Homeless Coalition of Southern Indiana, Re:Center Ministries, the St. John Center, The Hope Village and Volunteers of America.

The Hope Village said it is in the process of offering memberships to a few people they already work with.

"We have a resident who has a lot of items, and we don't have a lot of storage here, but through Samaritan, he is potentially able to get a storage unit and have somebody help pay for that," said Angel L. Todd, with The Hope Buss and The Hope Village.

Samaritan said those with profiles do not need to have access to technology. Nonprofits and case managers will help people create and manage their profile.

Samaritan is also available in Seattle, Washington; Denver, Colorado; Jacksonville, Florida; Los Angeles, Inland Empire and Orange County in California; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Portland, Oregon. 

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