WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – There’s a new way to help the homeless in downtown West Palm Beach.
The city’s is introducing machines that look like parking meters. But when you deposit coins or a credit card the money goes straight to the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County.
The group promises to use it to place homeless people in West Palm Beach into homes.
The city is one of three in the country with a feed the meter for homeless program.
“It allows for individuals who might want to give and are tempted to give to a panhandler to give to a meter instead because we all know that panhandling can be a way for us to feed addictions, whether it be alcohol or drug abuse, as opposed to actually giving a positive contribution for the homeless,” said
West Palm Beach Housing and Community Development Director Armando Fana.
Ten of the machines are being placed downtown and in CityPlace. After a year the city promises to match whatever’s been donated up to $50 thousand.
