After a series of controversial and failed attempts to curtail panhandling in downtown Colorado Springs, a new campaign from the city is asking residents to give money differently.

The city's traffic department hoisted 65 signs at strategic spots around the city Wednesday with the message "HANDOUTS DON'T HELP" and "HELP LOCAL AGENCIES PROVIDE SERVICES," said Andrew Phelps, the city's homelessness prevention and response coordinator. The signs are part of the newly-minted HelpCOS campaign, encouraging people to donate online or by text.

Donations will be held by the Pikes Peak Area United Way, which will grant all of the money annually to the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care, a local consortium of charitable organizations, city spokeswoman Jamie Fabos said. The Continuum of Care will then allocate the donations to different member organizations.

Giving money to those specialized organizations is the best way to know how money will be spent, Phelps said.

"A lot of these programs, like the Springs Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, they have to implement what's called evidence-based practices in order to even get funding from the government, so they have to provide services that are based on evidence," Phelps said. "But when you give your money to just a person on the corner, you have no idea where that money is going."

Handing cash to panhandlers might only sustain their transient lifestyle rather than addressing underlying issues, Fabos said.

But Eric Tars, senior attorney for the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, said the campaign further stigmatizes a population that already suffers much undue criticism.

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