Admin. asks students to give food vouchers to panhandlers

University officials are considering a new tactic in the war against panhandling around campus. Carol Scheman, vice president for government, community and public affairs, said the University wants to stop well-meaning students from giving change to beggars who use the money to buy drugs and alcohol. "I don't think it's good for people to hand out money," Scheman said. "And students do it for all the right reasons, because they care." Under the plan, students would purchase vouchers for food and toiletries from local homeless organizations and would give the coupons to panhandlers. Area businesses would donate the goods. Glenn Bryan, director of community relations, said he is talking to students, shelters and local businesses in hopes of gaining support for the plan. According to Bryan, Penn approached the University City Hospitality Coalition, a local soup kitchen, about fundraising by selling the vouchers. And Bryan said the Wawa Food Market at 36th and Chestnut streets has expressed interest in participating in the program. College senior Jennifer Lynch, co-chair of Penn Musicians Against Homeless, said the program would be worthwhile if it prevented students from giving money to beggars. "I think any program that substitutes something tangible for giving change to people on the street is probably a good idea," she said. But while the University is talking to local businesses and homeless shelters about the idea, students are skeptical. Even the official who hatched the plan said they are not sure it would actually reduce panhandling. "Homeless people don't want food vouchers," Scheman said. "They want cash." While the voucher program would advise students against giving money to drug addicts, it would not stifle students' charitable instincts, she said. College senior Danny Gerber, the volunteer coordinator of the hospitality coalition, said he does not understand how the plan would work. "Maybe it would piss off the panhandlers and they would go somewhere else," he said. He added that panhandlers could sell the vouchers or trade them for drugs as well. According to Gerber, the hospitality coalition was forced to stop giving SEPTA tokens to homeless persons going to job interviews because the tokens were being "misused." Lee Anne Draud, president of the hospitality coalition, said she does not think the plan would reduce panhandling. But she said she understands why the University is focusing on beggars. "I think they're trying anything they can do to get rid of panhandlers because they are a problem for students and faculty," she said. Draud added that her organization deals with homeless issues more pervasive than panhandling. "It's just a really broad problem, and panhandling is just a really small part of it," she said. The hospitality coalition has had difficulty raising funds since losing its executive director in April 1994 and would welcome any donations resulting from the voucher program, Draud added.