He says people frequently spit on or curse at vendors and tell them to get a job, but he adds that selling Spare Change is no different from selling any other paper.
“That is their job. It’s not slumming,” Weems says. “They wouldn’t do that to someone selling the [Boston] Globe or the [Boston] Herald.”
CAMPUS CELEBRITY
Taking a short break in Au Bon Pain earlier this month on one of the coldest days of the year, Daugherty, bundled in a bulky blue coat, says he appreciates having a dignified way to earn money.
“[Spare Change] is a good thing for the homeless who don’t have a job,” he says. “It gives them motivation, a chance to see life in a different way—that’s what it was like for me.”
Daugherty says when he came to Cambridge in 1991, he started out by distributing coupon books on Brattle Street before becoming a Spare Change vendor. He originally received 10 papers to sell and used the profits to buy 40 more.
He says it is difficult to estimate how many papers he sells now, because so much depends on outside factors like the season, the weather, and the mood of his customers. He says some days he might sell 100 papers, while others days he sells fewer.
Daugherty says the HEP sent him to San Francisco three years ago for a conference on homeless newspapers, and after seeing the conditions of homeless people there, he believes Cambridge does a better job providing help for its homeless population.
Daugherty says it’s hard to guess how many of his regular customers attend Harvard, but he notes that the Square is a profitable spot for the homeless from all over Cambridge.
Daugherty adds that he appreciates both the wealth and diversity of the Square community.
“Harvard is a rich place to be,” he says. “Where else can you see so many cultures of people?”
Weems also says that vendors enjoy working in a college town and attribute much of their profits to college students.
Daugherty says that after more than a decade, he doesn’t intend to continue selling Spare Change newspapers for much longer, adding that he hopes to find another sales job.
But in the meantime, he continues to be a campus celebrity. Over 75 students belong to the “Spare Change Guy Fan Club” on thefacebook.com, which pays tribute to Daugherty’s trademark sales pitches, including “Pretty lady, show me a smile,” and “Sister, can you spare a dime?”
“He’s an essential part of the Harvard experience,” says Anna L. Dickerman ’05, the group’s co-founder, who adds that she always greets Daugherty when she passes him in the Square. “He paid me a compliment and it really brightened my day.”