A panhandling alternative: Feed a meter, help the homeless

Miracle Meters are on the move.

The alternative-to-panhandling program, the brainchild of former City Councilman Jerry Heimlicher, has evolved into a community-wide volunteer project that launches this week, after two years of planning.

Local college and high school students, artists from the Smokebrush Gallery & Foundation for the Arts and formerly homeless people hand-decorated 104 used parking meters that will be placed inside businesses around the city.

Customers can feed their loose change into the meters instead of giving it to panhandlers. The meter money will then be turned over to Housing First Pikes Peak, a program that provides transients with housing before addressing their other common problems, such as alcoholism, drug abuse or mental illness.

Bob Holmes, who oversees Housing First Pikes Peak, has 53 businesses committed to participate; 51 more are needed. Interested business owners can select a meter from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Monday at City Hall, on a first-come, first-served basis, and learn how the program operates. City Council will officially kick off the Miracle Meters program 7 p.m. Monday in Council chambers, on the third floor of City Hall, 107 N. Nevada Ave. The event is open to the public.

Volunteer decorators created colorful, whimsical and serious meter designs, from a tooth for a dentist’s office to a life-size woman carrying a sign that says, “Please Help the Homeless.” Twenty Coronado High School students embellished six meters with themes that included Beatles’ songs and getting a fresh start on life.

“It was a good way for them to earn community service hours toward awards and think about the issue of homelessness.” said Sue March, who heads the school’s art department.

 Meter donations will help Housing First pay for case management, which costs about $3,000  a year per client, Holmes said. With meter money and additional federal funding, program officials plan to expand to serve 40 clients, up from 20 now.

Holmes said he no idea how much the meters will net, but even $5 per week would bring in about $27,000 a year. Heimlicher had estimated that Colorado Springs residents give $1.5 million each year to panhandlers, which primarily is spent on alcohol, cigarettes and drugs.

Kym Palomba, owner of Fratelli Ristorante Italiano at 124 N. Nevada Ave., plans to put a meter near the entrance.

Along with being a conversation piece, she said, “I thought it would be a good fundraising commitment without having to ask my guests for money, and a cute way to integrate art into the restaurant, which already has an art gallery atmosphere.”

Volunteers are needed to help collect the money monthly. U.S. Bank will count the money and track revenue gratis, Holmes said. For more information, call Holmes at 955-0731.