Fredericton panhandlers offered vouchers for odd jobs

The City of Frederictonhopes a pilotprogramwill ease problems caused by panhandling on downtown streets.

The program in New Brunswick's capital provides downtown merchants with vouchers redeemable for food and other necessities that they can hand out to panhandlers willing to do odd jobs, such as snow removal andwindow washing.

Store owner Luke Randall hopes the pilot project willturn confrontations between business owners and panhandlers into"a conversation between the people who are at need and businesses."

Suzanne Barry, chairwoman of the Fredericton Community Planning Group on Homelessness, whichis behind the pilot project, says it will be entirely up to panhandlers to take part.

"We have a chance to have people say, 'Yes, I want to be a part of that program,' or 'No, I don't want to be,' rather than going out and targeting people, because everybody's reason for panhandling is different. So, some people this may work for and others it may not."

Money for the pilot project comes from private donations. Organizers hope that if it's successful, permanent funding can be found to keep it going.