The University of Wisconsin-Madison is partnering this winter with the City of Madison and Downtown Madison Inc. on a program to assist Madison’s homeless. The <a href="http://www.madisonreachout.org">ReachOut</a> program is asking members of the campus community to do something counter-intuitive — not give money to panhandlers during this holiday season. Panhandling can become a way of life for some, according to Downtown Madison Inc. President Susan Schmitz. “While many people are truly in need, giving spare change to a person panhandling is only a short-term solution,” she says. “Your kindness may only reinforce negative behavior.” Instead of giving money to a person panhandling, ReachOut encourages the following: <ul> <li>Educate others about how to give and get help to Madison's street community. Get a free ReachOut Resource Guide from a State Street area business. The guide has phone numbers and information about local shelters and other social services.</li> <li>Give a gift of cash. Make a tax-deductible donation directly to the non-profits who are trained to work with those in need.</li> <li>Give a gift of time. Madison's service agencies could not survive without the help of volunteers.</li> <li>Walk with confidence--the streets of Madison belong to all of us.</li> <li>Above all, please do not give directly to people panhandling. Research shows that often  money received from panhandling goes to alcohol, drugs and cigarettes and not to food and shelter.</li> </ul>   UW-Madison is partnering this winter with the City of Madison and Downtown Madison Inc. on a program to assist Madison’s homeless. ReachOut program works on sustainable options for homeless 16043 2008-12-09T14:53:00-06:00

true gjerde@wisc.edu Heather 75 Gjerde 0 true