Utahns donate $20K in spare change to homeless


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SALT LAKE CITY — For the past two years, Salt Lake City has had a program in place to help the homeless. The idea is quite simple and uses old parking meters.

The meters are painted bright red and the coins inserted in go directly to helping the homeless.

"I don't think people realize that when they put their change into these meters that it's really effective and making positive changes in people's lives," said community advocate Pamela Atkinson.

For the past two years, people walking throughout the downtown area have been able to deposit their spare change into the meters that have the catchy slogan: "Turn Spare Change into Real Change."


I don't think people realize that when they put their change into these meters that it's really effective and making positive changes in people's lives.

–community advocate Pamela Atkinson


"The first red meter we put in on the corner of South Temple and Main Street outside of Zion's Bank," Atkinson said.

It's still there, along with a dozen others scattered around town. The meters are managed by the Homeless Outreach Services Team, or HOST, a partnership that includes the Salt Lake Police Department, businesses and local community outreach organizations.

The meter idea, borrowed from a very successful program in Denver, solves the dilemma that some people have: they want to help, but want to make sure their money goes to the right place.

Utahns donate $20K in spare change to homeless

"And they prefer it than giving it to the unknown panhandler on the street. They don't know what happens with that money," she said.

Since the program started, the meters have generated about $20,000, and Zion's Bank has matched that amount for a total of $40,000.

Atkinson, whose foundation oversees the collection, is about to make the very first disbursement, splitting the money among seven Utah organizations which help get the homeless off the street. In the future, disbursements will be made a couple of times a year.

The more meters that are out there means more money that will be collected. HOST is seeking sponsorships to help pay to install additional meters throughout the city. The HOST program just recently received a $50,000 grant from the Department of Justice to publicize the meters. There will be ads soon on UTA buses and TRAX trains.

People who shop at the City Creek Center have also helped the homeless. The coins tossed into the foundtains have been gathered, and they total $1100. That money has also been donated to HOST.

To find out where all the meters are located, visit the Salt Lake City Police Department website.

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Keith McCord

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