Daytona officials envision putting panhandlers to work

Daytona officials envision putting panhandlers to work

By SARA KIESLER
Staff Writer

DAYTONA BEACH -- Imagine this: You're ambling down Beach Street, looking for a restaurant or shop, and instead of coming across a panhandler begging for money you see a small crew of men cleaning the streets.

That's the image a group of community leaders are coming closer to making a reality.

The Downtown Daytona Streets Team -- an initiative inspired by the city of Palo Alto, Calif., and brought forward by City Commissioner Rick Shiver -- is within months of recruiting homeless people and panhandlers to clean the downtown area, earn room and board, and develop work habits so they can re-enter the work force.

Most crucial to the team's success right now is funding. It's expected to cost $2,500 to put someone through the program, plus $30,000 to $60,000 in administrative expenses a year, Shiver said.

Businesses, however, are so fed up with panhandlers they should line up to help pay for the program, said Donna Sue Sanders, director of community affairs at International Speedway Corp.

In fact, she said, S2 Advertising on Ridgewood Avenue already said the business would "absolutely" donate.

"Anything we can do to keep the community moving forward," S2 owner Chris Scali said.

"Transients are part of the community. If we can find a better way of dealing with them, wonderful."
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