I often see homeless people in Denver panhandling at major intersections, usually displaying cardboard signs with various slogans written in marker: VIETNAM VET NEEDS FOOD, EVEN A QUARTER HELPS GOD BLESS YOU, WHY LIE? IT'S FOR BEER, and so forth.

The cardboard would be easy to get, from dumpsters or whatever. But markers seem too expensive for homeless people to buy. So where do they get the markers? Is there a city program that gives free markers to homeless people? Maybe a marker-exchange program, like with needles? If they do buy the markers themselves, are the markers deductible as a business expense?

+posted by Lawrence @ 9/30/2003 12:02:00 PM