There are so many great things going on in this world, but there are also many saddening things. Given that we all have special talents and abilities, finding the best way to help empower the world to be the best it can be is an individual pursuit. I’m not a missionary who can spread happiness, or a scientist who can cure disease, but I am a person with ideas that can facilitate change. We’ll, it wasn’t my idea, but…
About two years ago, I was introduced to Jamie Van Leeuwen, the project manager for Denver’s Road Home. At the time, I had just started a new job as the account executive for rabble+rouser. Together with Christina Schroeder, the three of us began discussing an idea that was brought to the table by one of Jamie’s associates–the idea that parking meters could be used to collect funds for Denver’s homeless services.
Placing informative collection meters along downtown streets would give citizens an opportunity to contribute in the right way to the issues of homelessness before them. It would also give them a chance to learn about what Denver is doing to help end homelessness and why panhandling is not all it’s cracked up to be. It was estimated at the onset of Denver’s Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness that Denver citizens were giving an average of $4.5 million to panhandlers each year, and that this was money that 90% of panhandlers were using to fuel their addictions to drugs or alcohol. The three of us agreed that this program provided the city with the ideal change agent for increasing awareness of and funds for Denver’s efforts to end homelessness.
As it turned out, there were a number of other community members that agreed with us. Over the next three months I worked with a small group of these inspired citizens, businesses, and volunteers to coordinate all of our unique talents into what is now Denver’s Donation Meter Program.
rabble+rouser was able to lend our strategic thinking to help message the program right. In addition, we utilized the design genius of our Creative Director, Shum Prats, to coordinate this messaging into a set of printable decals to adorn each meter.
While others rallied meter sponsors, selected meter locations, and coordinated the media, Public Works donated ample retired meters, which seemed to synthesize the teams efforts perfectly. I think all of us were very happy to have the chance to give our hand in aid to such a powerful program–one that would bring immeasurable awareness to Denver’s Road Home and raise donations from an unforeseen segment of the population.
Everyone occupies a place in time and space, and thus everyone has the opportunity to impact the world accordingly. I am lucky enough to have been at the right place at the right time to help facilitate a program that has, and will continue to, bring about great change for the homeless population in the city of Denver.
