Panhandlers in Los Angeles are being surprised by handouts in the form of paper, not paper money but coupons good for a meal at the Weingart Center Cafe. The idea was dreamed up by Maxene Johnston, president of the 600-bed center in L.A.'s skid row, as a new way of encouraging businesses to help the homeless.
% Johnston figured that donors would give more cheerfully if they were sure the handouts would go to a good purpose. In a pilot program last March, she asked businesses to buy books of the $2.50 coupons to be distributed to street people instead of...
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