The donation meters set up to raise money for the Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry have failed.
They have collected ,101.70 in two months. The Web site, www.gainesvillegives.org, has received ,40 in donations.
But that's not what's failed. What's failed is how the coalition has advertised Gainesville's "Give a Better Way!" program. It has six donation meters, but unless you actually log on to the Web site, you probably have no idea where they are. And at that point, you might as well donate through the site - you could even donate naked.
We'd like to believe that people are willing to donate money for the homeless. But if people come across the meters, they may not want to spend five minutes dropping their spare change into one. Five of the six meters are in the downtown area. The other is near West University Avenue and 13th Street.
The coalition could work more closely with the local homeless shelters to combine resources in the best ways possible.
The coalition needs to focus on raising money through the Web site. People would donate more, which would mean more benefits for those who need help the most.
As the Web site says, "A few coins may buy a cup of coffee, but donations … will be combined … to provide entire meals for entire families." The spare change in your pockets may not be enough to fund a warm bed on a cold night, but a larger donation might.
By redirecting how the coalition raises funds, it could actually make a difference, instead of not even raising enough money to offset the ,259 it spent refurbishing the meters for donations.
The coalition could set up tables at community events to solicit donations. It could advertise its Web site. It's going to take more than a MySpace profile - yes, it already has that. But 37 friends as of Monday night just won't work.
