[Durham INC] Fwd: question/ideas

[Melissa Rooney]

Very nice to see this initiative move from running to actually getting off the ground :-)
LOVE the list of orgs -- will print several copies and carry it with me.
If I were writing the pamphlet I would specifically state that, 'If you feel the need to directly hand something to someone in need, print out this list of agencies that are available to help them (including contact info) and give them a $3 calling card."
Thanks Bill and everyone else who continue to work persistently on this issue...
Melissa (Rooney)

--- On Tue, 5/3/13, Interneighborhood Council <interneighborhoodcouncil at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Interneighborhood Council <interneighborhoodcouncil at gmail.com>
Subject: [Durham INC] Fwd: question/ideas
To: inc-list at rtpnet.org
Received: Tuesday, 5 March, 2013, 10:22 PM

INC received this letter in response to our brochure, "Durham, Can You Spare a Change."  See our website
www.CanYouSpareAChange.org

There are some great ideas here.  Please read and comment!
John Martin, PresidentInterNeighborhood Council of Durham

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Tracy Feldman <tracysfeldman at yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 9:46 PM
Subject: question/ideas
To: "interneighborhoodcouncil at gmail.com" <interneighborhoodcouncil at gmail.com>



Dear members of the Inter Neighborhood Council,

I saw your really interesting brochure the other day at International Delights.  I really like what you are doing as an organization.  The brochure dealt with giving to shelters rather than panhandlers.  My wife and I were thinking about it, and we brainstormed a couple of
 ideas.  We wondered whether you might be interested.  

One thing that might bring more money to the shelters is a collection cup in establishments along 9th street (and other places), if they agree to that.  This would serve the purpose of giving people who wish to support panhandlers a concrete and immediate alternative, as they might come into an establishment after an encounter with a panhandler, feeling like they want to support them in some way. Collection cups would give them that option.


Another thing you may have thought of already--local tender--"vouchers" good at any participating establishment, good for food (or other necessities?).  Then people can give panhandlers vouchers instead of money, and panhandlers can get food (if it's food they want), and they can choose the food they want.  Or the vouchers could go into the collection cups for the shelters rather than going right to the panhandlers directly, and the shelters can give them out.  Then it might be less likely to promote panhandling for vouchers.  Not sure if this idea is problematic for other reasons, but perhaps it could work. Local vouchers
 of this type are used in lots of places (only usable in local
 establishments), but I don't know of others using them in this particular way.  

Let me know if you want to talk more about this.  I just wanted to share some ideas, in hopes they might be helpful.


Take care,

Tracy S. Feldman


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