Spokane Mayor David Condon, members of City Council, service providers, business and other community members are expected to launch the Give Real Change Program on Tuesday.
The program encourages people to give to a more holistic homelessness solution. The program will provide new opportunities for people to donate their spare change to homeless services when they see someone who is homeless or panhandling on the street. Give help/Need help signs and orange meters are being installed around town as part of the campaign.
Give Real Change benefits a collection of community-based service providers that administer coordinated shelter, outreach, job placement, training and other services for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The program coordinates housing and other resources.
The City funds more than $13 million annually in homeless services and committed an additional $510,000 this summer to the 24/7 emergency shelter system.
The Mayor is expected to announce the launch of the program Tuesday morning during a press conference.
(Matt Pusatory, KHQ Local News Web Producer; photo: KHQ.com)