Similar to how technological changes brought about the cashless society, current developments are enabling nonprofit organizations and homeless advocacy groups to reach the people who are most at risk of falling behind.
John Littlejohn recalls a time when many people could afford to buy a copy of Street Sense, the neighborhood newspaper that publishes articles about homelessness and hires homeless people as its vendors, for a few bucks.
He notices that fewer people are out and about these days carrying spare change. According to him, even well-intentioned people who wish to assist are likely to pat themselves on the back and apologize.
“I would spend six or seven hours here and barely receive $12 to $15,” remarked Littlejohn, 62, a 13-year homeless veteran. “I don’t leave the house with cash,” people say.
However, just as technological developments contributed to the problem’s creation, they are also making it easier for advocacy organizations and charity groups working with the homeless to reach those most at risk of being left behind in a cashless society.
People can purchase a copy electronically through a special Street Sense phone app, with all proceeds going directly to him. Littlejohn is now able to afford his own apartment because of Social Security, his earnings from Street Sense, and other side jobs.
The decrease in cash transactions over the past 20 years has been one of the more significant changes in Western society. It all began with more people paying for necessities like coffee with credit cards. It quickened as smartphone technology developed to the point where many people started making purchases without cash.
The street-level charitable giving has seen a significant change, as evidenced by the red Salvation Army donation kettles outside grocery stores, street musicians, panhandlers, and individual donations.
“It seems like everyone has their phones or cards these days,” Sylvester Harris, a 54-year-old native of Washington, stated while begging close to Capital One Arena. Even those who genuinely want to assist you can be identified, but they still can’t.
For the homeless, the cashless society can be especially intimidating. Even though electronic payment apps like Venmo and PayPal are widely used, many of these options require things that are out of their reach, like bank accounts, credit cards, identity documents, or fixed mailing addresses.
Charity has had difficulty changing. Donors can now pay directly by simply tapping their phones on the kettle thanks to a system developed by The Salvation Army.
Although the new system is only in place in 2% of the collection kettles in the greater Washington area, Michelle Wolfe, director of development for the Salvation Army in Washington, said it has already increased donations. According to Wolfe, the current minimum cashless donation is $5, but donors frequently give up to $20.
Similar developments were required at Street Sense to adapt to shifting consumer preferences. Executive director Brian Camore stated he began receiving “anecdotal reports left and right” from vendors in 2013 or so, stating that customers wanted to purchase a copy but were cash-strapped. Every vendor pays 50 cents to Street Sense for the copies, which they then resell for $2.
One of Kumar’s initial initiatives involved distributing Bluetooth beacon devices to homeless individuals, allowing app users to identify nearby beacon holders and make donations to them. However, the model was eventually dropped because the beacons required frequent battery changes.
Many people are still being left behind, and none of these solutions are ideal. Many people, according to Ratliff, just lack the right temperament or personality for the position.
He said, “To sell a paper and draw in customers, you have to have nerve.” Others “not up for the physical stresses of selling out there” because they are weak or disabled.
“We’re trying to help a lot of people, but many of them need more intensive, maybe long-term mental health support,” he stated. “Those people are always falling behind because of the polychronic nature of their challenges.”
