If you visit downtown Bend over this holiday season, you will see a similar holiday decor in many of the businesses, some silver coins.

Chuck Arnold with the Downtown Bend Business Association says their "Christmas of Change" program will benefit a lot of needy Central Oregonians.  "What you'll see when you come into downtown Bend is the big Christmas tree at Newport and Wall will be illuminated with silver coins on it.  And then you'll see those coins carried out in business windows downtown. And what those businesses are doing is: they are collecting change to help fund social service non profits that help struggling families in Central Oregon."

Arnold says the downtown streets will come alive Friday with the annual Christmas tree lighting and on Saturday with the Christmas Parade.

Also, parking will be free on weekends in the parking garage off of Lava Street all through the month of December.