Panhandling Goes Digital

by Shannon Moriarty · 2009-10-26 12:09:00 UTC
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You know that we are living in a digital world when even panhandling goes online. Thanks to homeless web forums, blogs, and social media sites - combined with the increasing criminalization of panhandling - cardboard signs could soon be a thing of the past. Is this the age of Panhandling 2.0?

Today, the Boston Globe detailed the story of Kevin Boudrou, a laid off chef who has been using Craigslist postings to find free winter camping gear. He has been using public computers in medical facilities, libraries, and shelters to try and find tents, warm clothes, and other equipment. "I've always looked on Craigslist for odd jobs," he told the Globe, "So the idea to post a classified ad was just there."

Craigslist isn't the only online forum being used to solicit donations, according to the Globe. There's the International Homeless Forum, where homeless people and advocates exchange tips and advice. There are a host of sites like DonateMoney2Me.com, which allows users to design their own page and plea for help. And then there's social media sites, like Twitter and Facebook, where homeless people and service providers alike post pleas for donations.

It's no wonder that struggling individuals are having to resort to online tools to survive. Just as shelters are filling up and struggling to meet the needs of growing numbers of homeless individuals, it's getting tougher for homeless folks to ask for money on the streets. Increasing numbers of cities are outlawing panhandling in city centers. In some cities, panhandling can even land a person with a hefty fine or a prison stay. At the same time, computers are becoming more accessible to those without a home than ever before.

No matter what your take is on this new phenomenon, e-panhandling doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon. It's a creative utilization of available resources. It allows individuals to avoid the humiliation of begging on the streets and hide behind the anonymity of the web.

It's survival... in the digital age.

Image: lassi.kirkijavi

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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