As we approach the holiday season, there is a higher visibility of panhandlers throughout our area. We are a generous community and compassion for others is very much needed, especially given the past year. Unfortunately, one-off donations delivered to street corners, parks, or other locations provide short-lived relief and can delay or divert people from seeking services that can help end their homelessness.
As a result, the Texarkana Homeless Coalition is launching Operation Responsible Compassion. This public community campaign is intended to help educate the public about options to ensure their compassion truly provides sustainable-help to those in need. Responsible Compassion will effectively drive away those looking to take advantage of your goodwill. Working to eliminate panhandling also helps to ensure the safety of drivers, to keep them focused on the road, and keep pedestrians safe. Let us all help to create a better and safer Texarkana, by being responsible as we all try to help those who need assistance.
To learn more, please visit our Texarkana Homeless Coalition website to donate and designate your donation to whichever organization that offers services you are interested in helping with. We will ensure that the donations are used for their intended purpose, helping those who need it most. You can also obtain resources such as our Pocket Pal that includes information for food, shelter, housing opportunity, a place to get clothes and sometimes furniture, medical assistance, and assistance with finding employment.
To learn more about the Texarkana Homeless Coalition and Operation Responsible Compassion, please visit https://www.txkhc.org/responsible-compassion.
The Texarkana Homeless Coalition, is a network of community-based service agencies in Texarkana working to end homelessness by providing critically needed support for our community-wide commitment to the needs and issues surrounding individuals and families who are near homeless or experiencing homelessness. We work with our homeless population every day and we aim to:
•To protect and improve the lives and safety of the homeless and near homeless;
•To actively engage homeless and other stakeholders in developing solutions to achieving self-sufficiency;
•To communicate with funding entities, other organizations, and the public at large to promote the general welfare of the homeless and to increase self-sufficiency; and
•To ensure full development of a continuum of care with the shelter, housing, and programs necessary to meet the needs of all homeless people and efficiently and effectively move them to a self-sufficient life.
