Anti-panhandling effort set for Saturday Palo Alto Issues, posted by Editor, Palo Alto Online, on Jun 7, 2007 at 10:51 am
Palo Alto Mayor Yoriko Kishimoto and other city officials will be part of an effort Saturday afternoon and evening to convince people to not give money to downtown panhandlers.
Posted by mike, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Jun 8, 2007 at 5:14 pm
I have a sneaking admiration for our council members who will take part in this effort. But only from 4 to 8 in the evening? A lot of the action takes place during the day. I agree that care, not cash, is more effective in the long run.
Maybe the Downtown Street Team can be enlisted to help. They seemed to have been willing to help the police catch the flasher.
PS What has Restoration Hardware, 281 University Ave., got to do with the story? Or was this a bit of levity referring to "restorative policing" in the article?
Posted by Howdy, a resident of the Fairmeadow neighborhood, on Jun 10, 2007 at 9:00 am
Sounds a little like: Don't Feed the Bears. "It's killing them," are mayor says. Really? Keep paying your taxes though, and make sure that we keep spending more on military defense than every other nation in the world combined. How did the fashion show turnout?
Posted by Norm, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Jun 11, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Just some feedback on the Saturday event -
Some people were struck by the dichotomy of the “haves” showing off their best to benefit the “have-nots” they would rather not see.
One unhoused person actually used the word ”obscene” to describe the clash between the event and it’s intent – using new clothes to raise money for people expected to wear used clothes.
Two questions I was asked by “normal” people:
“Wouldn’t it have been better to donate the money spent on this to the homeless?”
“Do any of these restaurants donate food to the homeless?”