Buddy can you spare a dime; or perhaps swipe your credit card -Real Change effort underway in Pasadena

By SHEL SEGAL
The Real Change movement has become a reality.
At a press conference at the Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena on Aug. 13, the Flintridge Center introduced the Real Change movement’s first officially installed donation meter.
The first of its kind in Los Angeles County, the meter will help provide homes for the homeless with the small change and credit card donations made through uniquely designed meters, officials said.
In addition, officials said they hope the bright orange eye-catching donation meters also feature a smiley face, a symbol of help and hope.
Jaylene Moseley, the president of the Flintridge Center, said she is hoping the Real Change movement will really do some good.
“The Real Change movement is not just about generating donations,” Moseley said. “It’s also about raising awareness about the issue of homelessness in our community and about changing the perception and attitude of the public. That’s why we have launched a comprehensive public education campaign.”
Through the meter program, 100 percent of donations received will be distributed to various service providers that work with the homeless, officials said, adding donations can also be made via the website at www.realchangemovement.org, officials said.
In addition, the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, through the Home For Good Funders Collaborative, will leverage the contributions to maximize their use, officials said.
One of the collaborators with the Real Change movement was the Art Center College of Design. Students and faculty from the college were involved with giving the look to the Real Change movement.
Fred Fehlau provost for the college, said the institution likes to have its students give back to the community, whether it’s helping out with design or doing work in any capacity that it can.
“As part of the mission of the college there is this focus we have in all the classes and in all the programs for looking toward creating solutions for things in the real world,” Fehlau said. Specifically, in the social sector we apply that to the homelessness project or the Red Cross.
(Shel Segal can be reached at ssegal@beaconmedianews.com. He can be followed via Twitter @segallanded.)