City of Springfield to put up “Say No to Panhandling” signs Claire Overton — WWLP

The City of Springfield will soon be putting up signs around the city that read “Say No to panhandling, there’s a better way to give”.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass (WWLP) – The City of Springfield will soon be putting up signs around the city that read “Say No to panhandling, there’s a better way to give”.

Springfield is continuing to address the problem with panhandlers. They have launched a new project in collaboration with United Way Pioneer Valley.

“Instead of giving an individual cash, going to United Way, to our online portal to give to the United Way so we can use that funding to support increased outreach in the community to address the panhandling needs,” said Megan Moynihan, President & CEO of United Way Pioneer Valley.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said he will be meeting with neighborhood councils to plan where the signs will go.

“Those signs are going to start to go up on those corners and it is saying there, no to panhandling, here is where you can call to help out these individuals,” said Mayor Sarno.

Panhandling is protected under the first amendment, but many panhandlers don’t use the money received for the intended purposes.

“What the majority of these individuals are doing with your hard-earned money is they are going to go get drugs or do illicit activities, right back on the street. So you are not helping them at all, you’re not helping them at all. We want to help them, we want to help them in a structured way” said Mayor Sarno.

“It can be very dangerous and it just perpetuates the crisis that the city is having with homelessness and drug use,” said Moynihan.

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