| By Gina McIntyre
With many North Side neighborhoods facing increasing
numbers of panhandlers, one not-for-profit organization, Chicago Shares,
has banded together to offer a creative way of helping the homeless.
Based on a Berkeley, California, program, Chicago Shares sells books
of ten 50-cent vouchers accepted by approximately 30 merchants in the
Loop, Near North, Old Town and Lincoln Park areas, said president Ann
Klocke, who helped found the organization three years ago with other
members of the congregation from Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State St.
Since 1993, the organization and its 20 volunteers have sold enough
vouchers to account for 12,000 meals. "As people walked to and
from the cathedral, street people would often ask for money, and you
get kind of worried about what they're going to use your money for,"
Klocke said, adding that the vouchers provide an avenue for the homeless
to purchase things such as food and grooming aids to meet their basic
needs.
The vouchers, donated by Kinko's Copies, are small yellow cards printed
on special paper to prevent counterfeiting, accompanied by a pink card
that lists where the vouchers are accepted. Cards can be purchased at
several area churches, including St. James Episcopal Cathedral, 65 E.
Huron St., and Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington St., and some participating
businesses, she said. About 150 people per month buy the vouchers.
Volunteer Ron Polaniecki became involved with the organization a year
and a half ago and helps recruit new merchants into the program. "I
encourage vendors to accept the vouchers and explain the program so
they feel good [about participating]," he said, adding that merchants
are most concerned about the program's stability.
"It's a bona fide thing. It's a carefully thought-out program,
and as more people are volunteering, I think the program has quietly
grown. We think obviously it's good and it's working," Polaniecki
said.
Max Khan, owner of Max's Take Out, 15 E. Washington St., said he has
worked with Chicago Shares for two years because it benefits a variety
of people. "There are quite a few homeless people around the Loop
are, and they sort of intimidate the tourists walking in the area. Chicago
Shares helps people cleanup who want to give be able to. If I accept
these shares, it will help people in turn. I wanted to be part of that,"
Khan said. Eight to 10 people a day use the vouchers at his restaurant,
usually ordering hotdogs, fries and soda, he added.
Ron Kakarala, owner of the Subway restaurant, 43 E. Chicago Ave., also
reported success with the voucher system, with 25 to 30 customers per
month ordering hot and cold items and store specials. "I figured
it provided homeless people with a good way of having food donated to
them directly. Usually it's hard for homeless or displaced people to
enter restaurants because they're not welcome, but we're open until
10 p.m. so it doesn't pose us any problem," he said.
In the future, Klocke said she would like to see a larger variety of
vendors participating in the program. "Like most programs to help
feed the hungry, it's a Band-Aid, not a solution, but this will help
some. People who give out the vouchers, they want to help people, but
people on the street need a lot of things. I think it promotes good
conversation in the street. You don't have to pretend you don't see
a fellow human being," Klocke said.
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