An increasing number of panhandlers in the capital city, along with concerns from residents, has a local organization taking a research approach to the issue.

Ellie Jones, Outreach Program Coordinator with Thrive, says by taking on the issue of panhandling with a poverty-reduction lens, it can create a solution that is “made in Newfoundland and Labrador.”

Jones says both community members and business owners were concerned. She says people were looking for a way to respond, but didn’t know what to do with the information.

She says they’ve already interviewed six panhandlers. The broad overlay, Jones says, is that people will not go hungry in the city, but that the panhandlers want to be acknowledged. They heard from a lot of people that, “a chat is just as good as change.”

Jones says for many people, panhandling is a “top up” from their income, and does not usually cover meals and housing—something they are getting elsewhere.

Thrive is looking for the public’s help with their survey as well, which is available at this link.