From a USPS internal newsletter:
MAKING CHANGE
HELPING TO MAKE DOWNTOWN SAFER
Wilmington, NC, Officer in Charge Rodney Deflumeri and the “Make a Change†meter in front of the city’s main Post Office.
Wilmington, NC, Officer in Charge Rodney Deflumeri is making good use of the city’s first “Make a Change†meter, recently installed near the city’s main Post Office.
He wasn’t paying to park his car. He was participating in Wilmington’s “Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and Reduce Homelessness†in North Carolina’s Cape Fear region.
The area around the main Post Office is one of 11 downtown locations where panhandling is prevalent. The city has installed the black-and-yellow meters to encourage residents to put their spare change in the meters rather than give it to panhandlers. The change deposited in the meters will help agencies that assist the homeless.
Deflumeri says the city is “trying to make downtown safer for residents.†He says customers who want to help the homeless still can, “and they’ll feel more comfortable coming to the Post Office.â€
One of the cities recently profiled by MetroJax had photos of these. Was it Baltimore or somewhere else? Thought it was a very cool idea if you want to help those who truly need it but don't want to enable panhandlers.
Yes, it was Baltimore.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/592132184_jrRvA-M.jpg)
Atlanta has those, too.