The city’s new anti-panhandling campaign for downtown, "Lend a Hand", hopes to dissuade people from giving money directly to street panhandlers; instead, we’re going to be encouraged to donate to charity drop boxes placed throughout the central city. No word on what the plans are for panhandlers everywhere else in the city; somehow I don’t think we’re going to see drop boxes on every corner popular with the panhandlers. But the program is actually a takeoff on a campaign former councilman Gary Griffith promoted several years ago, along with the Lakewood Business Association, to deal with the same issue plaguing Lakewood Village visitors and retailers. His idea at the time was to promote giving panhandlers an apple instead of money, and send the cash to one of the various groups/churches that work to get the homeless back on their feet. Gary’s program had some impact; coupled with more aggressive policing, the panhandling in Lakewood seemed to quiet down a bit. And we’ve all faced the dilemma of helping or walking away; I wish there was a clear-cut answer on this one.