College Contributes To Spare Change Fund

Harvard's Office of Government, Community and Public Affairs joined with the Planning and Real Estate Office to pledge $4,000 for Spare Change, a non-profit publication that benefits the homeless.

The donation will fund "operations to expand our capacity to attract more people and print more papers," said Fred Ellis, manager of Spare Change's Mass. Ave. office.

Officials in the community affairs office said that Harvard has contributed to similar groups.

"We've tried to be supportive of homeless organizations, particularly in the Square," said Marianne A. Jarvis, associate director of community relations.

Spare Change is distributed by homeless vendors across the state, including Cambridge, according to Ellis. The current issue of the publication lists a circulation of 10,000.

Jarvis said that Harvard's previous ties to the organization helped motivate the office to make its donation.

"There are Harvard people on the Board, Harvard faculty wrote in the paper and Harvard students are involved in public service programs working with Spare Change employees," she said. "There was interest across the board in the Harvard community."

Employees of Spare Change also expressed gratitude for the gift.

"That was pretty nice to do," said Anthony S. Bynoe, a homeless person selling the newspaper in Harvard Square yesterday. "They took the time out to help some of the less fortunate."

Bynoe said that the money earned by Spare Change employees helps them to get back on their feet.

"This gives you the money to get yourself back into society," he said. "It gives you the opportunity to eat something good that day. If you're sick you can buy some pills."

Spare Change gives homeless people a chance to earn money by selling them newspapers for 35 cents which they resell on the street for $1.

"You're not stealing and you're not begging," Bynoe said. "I'm not going to sit and wait for someone to give me a handout."

The Harvard offices have already provided Spare Change with $2,000 and Jarvis said the other half of the pledge will be fulfilled soon.

Ellis said the newspaper was happy to receive funds from the University.

"It would be nice to have an ongoing financial relationship [with Harvard]," he said. "It would be very pleasing.

"This gives you the money to get yourself back into society," he said. "It gives you the opportunity to eat something good that day. If you're sick you can buy some pills."

Spare Change gives homeless people a chance to earn money by selling them newspapers for 35 cents which they resell on the street for $1.

"You're not stealing and you're not begging," Bynoe said. "I'm not going to sit and wait for someone to give me a handout."

The Harvard offices have already provided Spare Change with $2,000 and Jarvis said the other half of the pledge will be fulfilled soon.

Ellis said the newspaper was happy to receive funds from the University.

"It would be nice to have an ongoing financial relationship [with Harvard]," he said. "It would be very pleasing.