WILMINGTON — Most residents have been susceptible to stopping at a red light, wondering if a few dollars will provide temporary relief to an individual patiently standing outside the window holding a handwritten sign, “Anything helps.”
Metropolitan areas throughout the country have implemented efforts to provide resources and reduce panhandling. Locally, the City of Wilmington is encouraging residents to support nonprofits, instead of providing a one-off donation to an individual.
The city’s new campaign, “There’s a Better Way to Give,” launched last month in partnership with United Way. People are encouraged to donate to the nonprofit by scanning a QR code on signage placed downtown. The donations go to United Way, which supports organizations working directly with the most vulnerable populations, including homeless, disabled, and financially burdened.
Whether the initiative, also implemented in various U.S. cities, is successful or not remains unclear. Representatives from towns in South Carolina, Washington and Tennessee have posted signage discouraging panhandling and replacing it with charitable giving to organizations; some said they have not tracked the success.
Last summer, when the city began to explore alternative options to giving to panhandlers, deputy city manager Thom Moton said he was in contact with staff in Greenville, S.C., who adopted a...
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