The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ has a new campaign to encourage people not to give their spare change directly to panhandlers.

The agency is urging Winnipeggers to donate their money instead to groups that provide food, clothing and shelter to people living on the street.

"We appreciate the fact that you want to give," safety and development manager, Rick Joyal told CBC News.

"But if you want a better bang for your buck, you know, you can guarantee that your money is going to go towards either employment or housing or to do something that will go directly towards supporting them."

The anti-panhandling campaign officially kicks off at 10 a.m. CT Monday at Holy Trinity Church on Smith Street.

The downtown BIZ is setting up kiosks in the downtown area to educate the public on groups that help the homeless, like Agape Table and Lighthouse Mission.

Joyal said research has shown that most panhandlers don't always use the money they receive for survival purposes.

"When you give to a person out on the street, is your money going towards taking care of them, or is it going to feed their addiction?" he said.

"Past research has shown us that 70 per cent of the people admit [to] using the money to feed their addiction."

The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ represents businesses in the area and runs programs to bolster downtown image, cleanliness, safety, transportation and parking.

In 2003, the agency started a similar campaign in which Winnipeggers could exchange a donation for "blue keys" they give to panhandlers instead of spare change.

Those who received the keys could redeem them for a meal, a shower or a change of clothing from several service agencies. The program ran for several years.