Greater Change: Mobile Donations To The Homeless
Greater Change is a mobile donation system that enables members of the public to give directly to a homeless individual. It was founded by Alex McCallion in 2017.
As a result of ground-level volunteering combined with research, Alex devised a solution that combines cashless technology, support for an individual, and the public’s generosity, to support homeless people who are ready to move off the streets.
Related: Read our guide on how to become a homeless shelter volunteer and our compilation of homelessness facts that help us understand homelessness and our progress to alleviate it.
Greater Change allows an individual to donate to a homeless individual through the Greater Change app. Once the homeless individual wishes to access their fund, they meet with a support worker who ensures the money is spent effectively. Greater Change also allows you to give to organizations that help rough sleepers, the main unique feature here being absolute transparency: Greater Change will feedback to you exactly what your money was spent on.
Alex says " It is easy to become numb to the fact that people sleep on our streets. However, when you pause and take even just a quick moment to reflect on this fact: that in our modern, affluent society people are sleeping rough. People are sleeping rough in freezing temperatures. It is a deeply shocking and unacceptable situation.
We have had significant public support, as shown by the success of the crowdfunding campaign. However, at the moment many members of the public often do not feel able to help someone they see rough sleeping. Many people say they give a little money but wonder if it is really helping or say they fear giving money directly because it might be spent on addictions and not help someone move off the streets. Greater Change will enable people to give and be certain they are helping."
