Vernon to install ‘kindness meters’

VERNON – You are probably used to paying for parking at a meter, but how would you feel about using a meter to give money to help homeless people?

The City of Vernon will soon have “kindness meters” to give people who are feeling charitable an alternative to paying panhandlers.

It’s part of a larger plan approved Monday to address begging in the city.

Two of the major planks of the plan include erecting signs encouraging people to give money to charities rather than panhandlers, and setting up kindness meters, specially-labeled parking-style meters where the public can donate funds to “homeless programs.”

“I think the kindness meters, the intent of them is to allow somebody to give to an agency that actually does some good rather than breeding more harm by giving it to the person who is asking for it,” Councillor Scott Anderson said. “It goes part way at least to what I think will alleviate the problem.”

The plan also calls for targeted enforcement of panhandling education for seniors on dealing with panhandlers and signage letting people know it is illegal to ask people in vehicles for money.

Downtown business owner Mary-Jo O’Keefe likes the idea of encouraging donations to charity because she feels giving to panhandlers “encourages them to be on the streets.”

However, at least one panhandler doesn’t think the city’s plan will produce the results some are hoping for.

Jay Corden is quick to say he is not a typical panhandler. He says he’s been travelling from community to community looking for work and doing odd jobs. When he can’t make ends meet he turns to panhandling, but says he is not aggressive.

“I understand there are panhandlers who are aggressive, who follow people, who ask people for money. I can understand the stigma laid on those people and I can understand the businesses being very upset,” said Corden.

Corden doesn’t think officials should encourage people to donate to charities instead of panhandlers. He argues some homeless people may face barriers to accessing support through organizations.

There was little debate about the proposal at council.

Councillor Brian Quiring questioned whether the city should be getting into the business of collecting and dispensing funds to help homeless people through the kindness meters when so many other agencies already collect money.

Councillor Juliette Cunningham pointed out Vernon already has a committee that could make decisions about how to disburse any funds.

Implementing the panhandling plan is expected to cost $9,500.

The kindness meters could be in place in as little as two weeks.