“Detroit Donates” Places Parking Meters to Fight Homelessness

Detroit City Council’s Homelessness Task Force and the Greektown Preservation Society team up to fight homelessness.

Bre’Anna Tinsley/ WDET

Detroiters can now help fight homelessness though re-purposed parking meters.

Detroit Donate will take all spare change fed into the special meters to support programs that tackle homelessness.

City Councilmember Mary Sheffield announced the program Tuesday. She says donors will always know where the money is going with this program.

“We need a 24 hour hotline, so that people can call to be placed. We also need to conduct street outreach in this immediate area begin to identify the specific needs of the homeless population within this area. So it can be used for that,” Sheffield says.

Sheffield says residents who may be skeptical about giving money to panhandlers will have a clear idea where their money is going. She says 17 old parking meters labeled for donations can be found throughout Downtown Detroit.  

Author

  • Bre'Anna Tinsley
    Bre'Anna Tinsley is a reporter for Detroit Public Radio, 101.9 WDET. She covers city government and housing, as well as co-hosting the "Detroit Evening Report" podcast.