Blue Boxes Seek Positive Change for the Homeless
Print
Positive Change box; Jay Davidson of Healing Place, Deb Delor of LDMD, and Councilmen Tandy and James. (Courtesy @Downtown_Lou/Twitter)
There are a dozen new blue boxes around downtown Louisville that leaders hope will curb panhandling and direct money to organizations that help the disadvantaged. Called Positive Change, the program allows you to drop in money that will go to the Coalition for the Homeless. Boxes are located along Main, Fourth, and Jefferson streets.
Last year, we called for a similar program enacted a couple years ago in St. Louis called Real Change that used old parking meters to collect change, but these boxes appear to have a couple distinct advantages. They won’t clog or jam and they accept paper bills for those without coins. Perhaps this pilot could eventually expand to other neighborhoods around Louisville.
Have you given to the box yet?
Locations of 'Positive Change' boxes. (Courtesy LDMD)
Ken Herndon
July 21st, 2011
10:48 am
Thanks for letting everyone know about this great program. The Positive Change effort sprang from the Physical Improvement Committee of the Louisville Downtown Management District and, subsequently, from a diverse partnership including: LDMD, Downtown Development Corporation, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Metro Police, Metro Alcohol and Beverage Control as well as Councilmen Tandy and James. We are proud to be part of this program.
Ken Herndon
Director of Operations
LDMD
Ken Herndon
July 21st, 2011
10:50 am
Other partners…The Healing Place, PARC and, of course, the Coalition for the Homeless….thanks to all!
Nova China
July 22nd, 2011
7:54 pm
OMG! Metro government has taken over the spare change industry with high-tech, cutting-edge mechanical bums.
Josh Linke
July 22nd, 2011
11:12 pm
I just hope that they dont use the spare change for the liquor store like most of the people who bum it off me…
shae
January 10th, 2012
5:02 pm
I’m not understanding the logic of this. Why not cut out the middle man and give your change to the homeless people asking you for it. I walk by these blue boxes all the time and they tend to be placed in areas where there is a massive homeless population. It would make me feel terrible to drop my dollar in a box instead of in the actual hand of a person that I can see and who needs it now. This isn’t going to curb panhandling. It is just going to make people uncomfortable with the idea of homeless people feel better about themselves.