City program aims to help panhandlers
Officials: Goal of Responsible Compassion is to get people ‘the help they actually need’
TEXARKANA, Texas — A city program in place since last fall is sending the message that giving money to panhandlers may do more harm than good.
The Responsible Compassion program aims to steer panhandlers toward available services for the city’s poor and homeless, which cash handouts could forestall, said Vashil Fernandez, a city community development specialist and president of the Texarkana Homeless Coalition, who is leading the effort.
“Our goal is really and truly to get people to stop giving them those one-off donations and help them to come and seek the services and get the help they actually need,” he said.
Decreased motivation could result from giving to panhandlers, said Jennifer Lacefield, executive director of Randy Sams Outreach Shelter.
“I believe there is a possibility that the public giving money directly to the panhandlers may decrease the incentive for them to access and utilize a myriad of services and resources that are available to our shelter residents and the services of other area agencies. …
“Randy Sams not only discourages panhandling but enforces a rule that our shelter clients are not allowed to panhandle during their stay with us, because we want to make the best use of our community’s valued donations, and we believe our services are constructive methods to help area homeless get back on their feet and live productive, meaningful and healthy lives,” she said in an email.
Another problem is panhandlers who are not actually in need but instead take advantage of people’s compassion, Fernandez said.
A cornerstone of the Responsible Compassion program is care packages containing nonperishable food, bottled water and hygiene products such as hand sanitizer. Each also contains a directory of local services including shelters, food providers, employment assistance and help for veterans.
Texas-side police officers and other city employees carry the packages in their vehicles and give them to any panhandlers they encounter. They are also available at the Texarkana Public Library. More than 1,000 have been distributed since the program began just before Thanksgiving last year, Fernandez said.
The program also aims to get its message to the public, using large, lit traffic signs at two major intersections — where Interstate 30 crosses Richmond Road and North State Line Avenue — to ask drivers to avoid giving to panhandlers and instead visit the Homeless Coalition’s website to learn about different ways to help.
The next step is to request local businesses to post signs reinforcing the message.
“One-off donations to panhandlers provide short-lived relief and can delay or divert people from seeking services that can help end their homelessness,” the signs read.
A wide variety of such services is available at Randy Sams, Lacefield said.
“Alternative options readily available during the entirety of their stay at our shelter are case management services, life skills classes covering a variety of topics, job training programs, assistance with applications for financial assistance (food stamps, disability, veteran assistance), rapid rehousing (apartments), job search and resume building, assistance with obtaining transportation and identification documents, and access to mental and physical health medication and appointments. We also make referrals for other helpful programs in the community such as obtaining their GEDs,” she said.