What is the goal of this campaign?

• To educate the public on the reality of panhandling in order to stop perpetrating it.
• To provide a positive alternative to giving spare change to panhandlers. “Give a hand up not a hand out.”
• To improve safety in our community and improve the Downtown experience for visitors and regular users.
• To support social service agencies providing fundamental resources to people in need.
• To help get individuals on the streets into a safer environment.
• This campaign is not about saying “no” to panhandlers or about decreasing the public’s compassion toward the panhandlers. The campaign offers a way the public can truly help.

Change for the Better seeks to educate the public of the many resources already available to homeless and panhandling individuals. Social service agencies in Anchorage provide an array of fundamental basics - including food, clothing and shelter – and are well-supported by businesses and the public.

No one needs to panhandle in order to feed themselves. Spare change is only a short-term solution and does not create long-term results.

Change for the Better also seeks to provide an alternative to the accepted behavior of panhandlers and those who give money to panhandlers. The program encourages the public to contribute directly to social service providers instead of giving spare change to panhandlers who may use the money to buy alcohol, drugs or cigarettes.

People who give money to panhandlers cannot be sure where the money will go – but donors who give money to social service agencies know exactly where their funds are going and what their money is doing to help the problem.