-Simply say “No” or “Sorry” or “No, have a good day”.
Everyone should be treated with respect and dignity. A sarcastic comment or argumentative tone can provoke aggression, while ignoring a request can make someone feel invisible; something street people may already experience.
-You don’t need to engage with panhandlers if they approach you, it’s okay to walk away.
-If someone is aggressively panhandling you - loudly say “No” several times. Panhandlers don’t like to draw attention. If you are followed, walk in to the nearest business and report the incident. Calling 911 in Chapel Hill is not just for emergencies! It is okay to call 911 simply to report a safety situation or concern.
-Act confident; your attitude is a powerful tool in dealing with aggressive panhandlers.
-If you ever feel threatened or harassed by a panhandler, don’t hesitate to call 911 as soon as you can.
was formed in 2005 with the purpose of addressing the following goals:
- To educate the community by dispelling myths and putting a face on the homeless
- To develop a long term plan to end homelessness in Orange County
- To encourage personal responsibility by inviting the community to address this issue individually
Orange County Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness
The following is an excerpt from the Orange County Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness
Nature of Homelessness in Orange County: A point-in-time survey was conducted by the Orange County Community Initiative to End Homelessness on January 25, 2006. Although the figures are incomplete because not all of the street counters and/or agencies were able to assess and thereby account for mental illness and substance abuse, they provide a good estimate of the homeless population in Orange County. A new point-in-time survey was conducted in 2007, which reported 224 homeless persons in the county, of which 71 persons were chronically homeless.
- 237 individuals were counted on January 26, 2006
- 154 of those experiencing homelessness were single individuals and persons in households without children
- 27 families with children were counted, accounting for 83 individuals
- 39 people were considered to be chronically homeless
- 54 were identified as being severely mentally ill
- 88 were identified as being chronic substance abusers
- 11 were veterans
- 11 were identified as persons with HIV/AIDS
- 27 were victims of domestic violence
For more information please visit:
Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness
National Coalition for the Homeless
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
National Alliance to End Homelessness
Homelessness-HUD
National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership
308 West Rosemary Street, Suite 202
Chapel Hill, NC 27516 919-967-9440
partnership@downtownchapelhill.com
http://www.downtownchapelhill.com
Hosted by McMaston.com