Are you leaving the house with the money still in it? pocket?
Many stores are now “cashless” and most people don’t have money in their pockets. handout We often end the day empty-handed from strangers.
Many people without homes or jobs say they can no longer take much money from strangers.
John Littlejohn, 62, lives in Washington, D.C., and said he has been homeless for 13 years. In recent years, he said, people have been told they left home without money.
“You could be here for six or seven hours and not get more than $12 to $15,” he said.
people can use app I pay for most things with my mobile phone, so I never leave home with bills or change.People who won’t have a home for a while charity work it depended on spare A change has occurred.
But they are also using technology.
Littlejohn sells copies of a newspaper called. street sense. It was published by a nonprofit organization that helps homeless people. People who want to buy newspapers can now use the app. The money goes directly to the seller.Little John can use the money he receives from the sale to pay for the apartment. street sense And the other work he does too.
People who stand outside public places such as subway stations and ask for money are called panhandlers. Sylvester Harris is one of them. He spoke to reporters near a subway station near a large sports center in Washington, D.C. He said people often look like they’re going to give him money, but they don’t have change or bills.
“Everyone now just has a (credit card) or a cell phone,” he said.
Homeless people often don’t have bank accounts, credit cards, or real identification that allows them to obtain money using mobile phone apps.
A cashless society was once a problem for the Salvation Army charity. The group is known for making people stand in crowded areas with large red cooking pots known as kettles. People walk past the kettle and drop a dollar or a few coins inside.
But as more people started paying with their phones and credit cards, the Salvation Army received less money.
The organization currently allows people to donate in the following ways: knock Their mobile phones were placed on top of the red kettle.
Michelle Wolf is with the Salvation Army in Washington. He said the technology is only available in a few locations in the city, but is already bringing in more revenue.
Most people donate $5, but many donate $20, she said.
head of street sense He said he started noticing the problem about 10 years ago. Those who sold his newspapers said that people did not have money to buy newspapers.
“Sales were down,” Brian Canmore said. “Times were changing and we had to change with them.”
He heard that a similar newspaper in Vancouver, Canada, had developed a payment app. Now, newspapers in Washington are using the same technology.
Thomas Ratliff also works street sense. He is responsible for his 100 dealerships around Washington. He said the big problem started in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic sent many workers home.
He said the paper’s main buyers were people who came to Washington for work. Many of these people have not yet arrived in the city. Sellers now ride the subway to downtown areas in Maryland and Virginia outside Washington, D.C., to sell newspapers.
Ratliff noted that some payment apps that don’t require a bank account (Venmo and Cash App) still require a fixed mobile phone number. However, sellers often change their numbers and then have trouble getting paid.
In a cashless society, there are ways for unemployed homeless people to obtain money. They can use the Samaritan app.it simply allows people to give money to someone scanning special code – QR code – on your mobile phone. People who scan the code can read a story about the person and donate money that can be used to buy food or clothing.
Jon Kumar started the Samaritan app. The charity pays him to use his technology in his work. He said it’s hard to walk past someone when you know their story. His app “personalizes people in need,” he said.
Anyone using the app to request money must meet a case manager to request money. The manager can also assist the person by providing services such as counseling and referral to medication. rehabilitation.
No app or new technology can solve all the problems of homeless people. For example, many people do not have the ability to sell newspapers. Some people resort to begging people for money because they are too old to work. Not everyone has a cell phone.
Kumar said some people are “not well suited” for this type of intervention. Some people need more support than a phone app can provide, he said.
I’m Dan Friedel.
Dan Friedell adapted this story for English learners based on Associated Press reporting.
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words of this story
pocket-yeah.a small cloth container sewn into clothing
App (Application) -yeah. computer application.
charity work-yeah.A non-profit organization whose purpose is to do some good to society.
spare –adjective superfluous
Tap –v. Touch lightly
scan –v. Using machines to take photographs and record images, such as documents or other media.
Code (QR) -yeah.Special signs that can be scanned and direct scanning devices to websites that provide additional information.
rehabilitation -yeah.the process of attempting to return someone to normalcy or health after an illness, drug problem, or similar hardship
we want to hear from you. Have you ever tried to give someone money on the street, only to realize they don’t have it?