More accurately, the tablets do not collect money for homeless people <i>per se</i>. They collect for <i>charities</i> that benefit the homeless.<p>As an alternative to giving to the homeless directly.<p>(Oh my will this ever be misconstrued!)<p>> "The problem is, people throw change in the cup but can’t really know where it’s going," she said. "A lot of times, that money is used for illicit behavior, whether its drugs or alcohol. But by giving to the agencies, we can make sure homeless get the care they need in a transparent, trackable way."<p>This sounds great.<p>Though I'm OK with giving to homeless people knowing they'll spend it on things like cigarettes. I don't think its useful to deride them for that. I'm fortunate enough to enjoy much more complicated and expensive pleasures, I would hate to deny anyone their own sources of pleasure and anxiety relief.<p>(of course addiction is another issue altogether, and isn't limited to the homeless).<p>~~~~~~~~~~<p>On a slightly related note, the Salvation Army bell-ringers seem much more obnoxious to me than actual homeless people when it comes to begging. I would be much more inclined to give to a monk-like figure merely sitting than someone clamoring away (in what I perceive as disrespectful noise-making for the sake of attention).
It has also been covered by BostInno<p><a href="http://bostinno.com/2013/03/01/leaf-harvard-square-donations-homeless/" rel="nofollow">http://bostinno.com/2013/03/01/leaf-harvard-square-donations...</a>