Oak Park announced this week that it will not be continuing a program it launched this year to discourage people from giving money to panhandlers.
The village launched its “Make Real Change, Not Spare Change” campaign in February with the goal of reducing panhandling while raising money for people experiencing homelessness. The program encouraged residents to donate to a fund benefitting homeless people rather than giving money to people asking for it on the street.
On Monday, Dec. 8, the village announced it would be “sunsetting” the program. In the announcement, the village said the program raised $1,400 which was used to purchase gift cards for people experiencing homelessness that had engaged with village services.
“Over the past several months, the Make Real Change campaign has served as a meaningful way for our community to support unhoused residents in Oak Park. The campaign encouraged donations that could be used to provide immediate, low-barrier assistance to individuals seeking help and engaging with village staff,” the village said in a statement. “These small but impactful resources often helped individuals meet essential daily needs while building trust and stability. As the village concludes the Make Real Change campaign, we want to extend our sincere appreciation to every resident who chose to contribute. Your generosity made a direct and positive difference in the lives of unhoused neighbors and supported a compassionate, community-centered approach to outreach.”
Vanessa Matheny, Oak Park’s community services manager, said the village launched the program in part to educate residents that the vast majority of panhandlers in Oak Park are not unhoused people, and do not live in Oak Park.
“We do know that the individuals panhandling primarily in Downtown Oak Park or in the Arts District, they are not unhoused,” she told Wednesday Journal last March. “They come here, they stay for the day and then they get in their cars and leave and go somewhere else. We think it’s important that we share that feedback with our community members.”
“They come because Oak Park residents give, and we’re trying to redirect that conversation.”
The program was launched alongside a revamped effort in Oak Park to provide social services to homeless people and others in need as the village started up its Engaging Community For Healthy Outcomes pilot program, otherwise known as ECHO.
The program’s development followed a 2022 study by consultant group BerryDunn that the village commissioned to help outline a vision for alternative response in Oak Park.
According to a village board presentation, ECHO has received referrals to clients from a wide variety of sources, although they are most commonly connected to clients via the Oak Park Police Department, the Oak Park Fire Department and through people walking in for service.
Of the types of issues that ECHO staffers help provide services for, staffers most often helped clients needing help with senior services issues, homelessness, housing instability and mental health issues, according to the village.
