I`m starting a thread for just this topic in an effort to focus upon it.

It has already been discussed on another thread with other ideas to aid the Homeless.

A few days ago I happened, purely by accident (or fortune) to be speaking with an owner of an Italian Restaurant whom I had no idea owned a Restaurant.  At one point she brought up the fact that her son, her partner in the restaurant, always contributes to charities at Christmas time to help the Homeless.

I of course mentioned the recent discussion we had been having about the possibility of Restaurants starting a gift certificate program to help the Homeless.

She was very excited about this idea! It had not occured to her that their Restaurant could get directly involved in helping the Homeless in this way. She wanted us to contact her & her son to discuss it further.

I`m thinking we need to formulate some sort of organized program that can be presented to Restaurants all over.

Any ideas?

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Are you referring to people buying gift certificates, that will be donated money-wise to the homeless... or is it that you buy a meal for a homless individual at the restaurant, or... is it that the restaurant is handing out a number of free tickets to the homeless?

One idea also -- is that restaurants have left over food each night I am sure, that gets tossed.... either staying open an extra hour to serve that food 1-7 days a week, or making sure it gets sent somewhere where it can be used would be a good thing.

We originally started discussing this in the IDEAS FOR HELPING IN COMMUNITIES thread. We tossed a lot of ideas back and forth there. I brought it to this thread to make it easier to concentrate on possible goals for Restaurant Coupon aid for the Homeless.

Let us know your views on the possibilities.

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I looked at the discussion briefly.  Was it ever discussed the difference in cost of getting a homeless person a ticket to a restaurant, and buying food?  My concern is -- though I think getting to sit at a restaurant would feel nice perhaps -- yet, in looking at the Needs first -- if it is the regular price of a common restaurant meal, then you could feel perhaps 10-20 homless by getting things, and preparing large meals, rather then handing one individual a ticket to a restaurant.  That is only if the restaurants are saying they are still charging regular price, or even if they are deducting a little, consider how much they are deducting and see if it is still a rational idea.

This is assuming I understood what is going on -- where people buy a ticket for a homeless person to have a meal at a restaurant?

what an awesome idea! i volunteer often and do some seasonal work at my local homeless shelter, which is also a member of the association of gospel rescue missions.

i'll talk with the director there and see what we may be able to do in our area to 'petition' local restaurants for food coupons/gift cards.

when we come up with a plan, i'll definitely share it here!

That is wonderful.

Please let your Director know that the Restaurants won`t be "giving" the food away but coming up with a wholesome, economical menu that will be either prepaid by the Charities/Churches or Orgs or paid for by them once a coupon is redeemed.

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Community soup kitchens are of course nothing new but they are few and far between, not even coming close to meeting the need.

Plus they have schedules where some Homeless can`t make it on time for meals, especially if they can`t get to that location. Restaurants, however, are everywhere and have long hours. Soup kitchens can continue to operate meeting the needs of those able to avail themselves of it but Restaurants are a viable option.

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There are point systems where you can redeem points or donate them to charity..

One I joined just in case I end up on the streets is called My points. I been accumulating points for 3 months with it. You can either accumulate points purchasing things from adds they send you or do it like I do. Clicking their ads and reading the websites about their products and doing their surveys.

You can redeem points for resturant certificates I am saving as many of mine as I can to redeem for burger bucks, and you can give these certificates to others to use.

I noticed Yahoo.com has a points system too they earn 1 point per dollar spent on their yahoo visa.. so if someone uses a visa alot they can earn points to donate to charities through there.

My points

http://www.mypoints.com/emp/u/index.vm

Yahoo Points

http://points.yahoo.com

I posted this under resturant coupons because most I hear of it people use to redeem their points for those.

You could always start a coupon club. Everyone brings in all their coupons and club members trade coupons among eachother.

- Dana C. L.

"DNatureofDTrain"

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I just read about the Restaurant Coupon idea and I think it is a great idea. I hope one of the HCA Community groups on Care2 takes that ball and runs with it.

In the meantime you can get coupons from McDonalds and give them to the Homeless you come in contact with. I know their food isn't the healthiest but when people are literally starving they have to eat something.

If this healthy food thing is of real concern to you and there is a restaurant that serves up natural food, go there and see if they will make up some coupons for you to give out to the Homeless in their area. Give it a try. Why would the restaurant turn away your money?

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