"Kindness Meters"

[Dizzy1]

"Kindness" meters? Seriously?

Newsflash - panhandlers don't want your money coming from a social foundation, they want your money and they want it when they ask you for it.

Honestly? While I have no problem with this idea but to answer of those who think it's going to deter to panhandling is off their rocker.

http://www.castanet.net/news/Vernon/169 ... -of-orange

[Smurf]

Exactly what I thought Dizzy (my wife also) as soon as I saw it. Someone is as dumb as a sack of hammers. The idea of collecting money for those places is great but does it not just come straight out of city coffers, no actual gain. Can anyone with a brain even imagine all the panhandlers sitting there thinking "look at all the money I am making"and saying "thank you for your generosity thank you so much". These people already attend those places for their needs. What they want is money for their own use. Dumb, dumb, dumb idea. If anything I believe it will cause even more problems when these people get ignored even more.

[Bsuds]

So now you have a Pan handler sitting under a kindness meter so where do you put your money?

Mine stays in my pocket!

[Dizzy1]

The one up side I see to it is that it might keep all the panhandlers hovering around one area now.

[Gixxer]

These kindness meters are right up there with rainbow cross walks, and pianos

[Verminator]

I'm sure it's got nothing to do with those silly 'kindness meters', but I have noticed that the medians on 48th Ave at 27th St and on Anderson Way have been mercifully free lately of people panhandling cars. One positive anyway, hopefully it'll stay that way.

[Gixxer]

I'm sure it's got nothing to do with those silly 'kindness meters', but I have noticed that the medians on 48th Ave at 27th St and on Anderson Way have been mercifully free lately of people panhandling cars. One positive anyway, hopefully it'll stay that way.

The undercover cops are on days off

[Loki2u]

While I don't see this as being an immediate solution to diminish panhandling....I see this as a great long term solution. The money goes to agencies that can better support those in need of panhandling. With more funding comes more services being offered by these agencies, which can help the need for people to resort to panhandling.

Its not perfect...but it helps.

Or we could just sit around on the internet complaining about it instead of doing something right?

Nice to see some forward thinking minds out there and people trying to make a difference, unlike the faceless negative commentary to often seen online.

My .05 (cause pennies don't count anymore)

[puttrench]

Don't know who's idea this was but it's ridiculous! Much like paying your parking meter with a cell phone. Also, ridiculous. Not everyone has a cell phone.

[Gixxer]

Don't know who's idea this was but it's ridiculous! Much like paying your parking meter with a cell phone. Also, ridiculous. Not everyone has a cell phone.

Ya but you still can pay with money if you dont have a cell phone.

[mcorg]

I have to wonder just how much the city has invested in the so-called "kindness"meter as well as the professional signs installed at various intersections targeting panhandlers. Seems the city's efforts to chase away panhandlers who often aren't doing anything illegal has resulted in some $450 in funds raised through the "kindness meter", which suggests that if the meter is being used as an alternative to panhandling, it's not much of an issue if only $450 has been raised in two months.

Just how many panhandlers would survive for two months on all that not-so-good-will from folks who think the poor should just disappear out of sight and out of mind? Let's see; 60 days = $450, 1 day = $7.50. That's success? How much has Vernon spent on this exercise in mean-spiritness?

[Solipsistic]

well for what it's worth, I've actually seen a decrease in panhandling since those kindness meters have been put up.
though i'm sure those panhandlers don't like them much, it may lead to people not giving them a handout as readily, making them more likely to seek help with one of the nonprofit organizations we have that are trying to help them out.
atleast when you put your money in a kindness meter you know its going towards food, shelter, etc... where-as when you hand it to a panhandler it's most likely going towards an addiction.
if you wanna help a homeless person, don't hand them money... buy them a sandwich or a bottle of water...

personally I think we should ban "panhandling" altogether.... make them do work programs that help clean up our city in exchange for food and a roof over their head. they might have mental illness or addiction but guaranteed they can still pick up trash off the street instead of adding to it.

[Nasturtium]

http://www.castanet.net/news/Vernon/175788/Kindness-meters-a-hit

Vernon -

Kindness meters a hit
Darren Handschuh - Sep 14, 2016"

It would seem kindness meters are doing the job.

More than $500 has been collected since the meters were installed a couple months ago.

Quiring said the program is also creating greater awareness of some of the social issues people face.

"Awareness is sometimes a gradual process and curiosity about the kindness meters is a great first step in awareness," Tanya Laing-Gahr, City of Vernon spokesperson, said shortly after the meters were installed. "I've already received a lot of positive comments about the positive measures we are taking to provide alternatives for people who want to help others."

Vernon - you are way, way ahead of Kelowna with this. Kudos

Edited to add - note to self - search headline prior to posting new thread