The Contributor draws nothing but praise from the Metropolitan Nashville Homelessness Commission and its 501c3 fund-raising arm, The Key Alliance.

“When we go out and talk to community groups, everybody talks about The Contributor,” says Judy Tackett, communications coordinator.

“It’s probably the biggest and fastest awareness tool for homelessness,” she says. “And beyond that, it really gives a person hope. That’s a big thing. It’s kind of a job-training first step.”

By following the rules and regulations to be a Contributor vendor, the men and women are, by necessity, learning what it takes to succeed in the working world.

The Key Alliance has its own, very visible homelessness-awareness tool out there right now.

About a year ago, the “Adopt-a-Meter” program was launched.

The idea of the meters – the last of the total of 30 will be installed soon – is two-fold.

No. 1, it raises income for outreach programs to help the homeless and formerly homeless.

This comes in from the change – so far a few hundred dollars worth of nickels and dimes dropped in the meters – and from “adoptions.”

A company or organization may “adopt” a meter for $1,000 annually. So far, adoption fees have netted $24,000, according to Tackett.

The adopting organizations are credited for their generosity by signs on the meters.

Perhaps the biggest thing about the meters is not the money raised but in the awareness created.

“I was really happy when I was going to a Predators game and I saw some young girls out there, looking at the meter, reading it,” Tackett says. “One opened her purse and dug out some change and put it in.

“It’s a great awareness tool.”