Do you give to panhandlers/homeless?
Most who live in a metropolitan areas have come across panhandlers and the homeless.
Many are a nuisance, especially the windshield cleaners and kids who harass you constantly as you walk by.
Now I'm not talking about the mentally ill, or many of the older folks, but I can't bring myself to helping these kids out.
Maybe I'm missing something, but why don't they get off their ass and look for a job. Instead they'd rather sit all day and collect just enough to buy some smokes. I understand many are just kids from the suburbs who are doing this just as a way of rebelling against their yuppie parents.
I also hear some may have come from sexually abused environments. This is unfortunate, but it doesn't mean you can't attempt to turn your life around. Begging for money is not a good start.
Many are a nuisance, especially the windshield cleaners and kids who harass you constantly as you walk by.
Now I'm not talking about the mentally ill, or many of the older folks, but I can't bring myself to helping these kids out.
Maybe I'm missing something, but why don't they get off their ass and look for a job. Instead they'd rather sit all day and collect just enough to buy some smokes. I understand many are just kids from the suburbs who are doing this just as a way of rebelling against their yuppie parents.
I also hear some may have come from sexually abused environments. This is unfortunate, but it doesn't mean you can't attempt to turn your life around. Begging for money is not a good start.
Comments
There's a homeless woman, 40-ish who used to hang around our neighborhood. Last summer, she was living with an old man across the street from us. My husband and I never bothered the old man, all we knew was his name. We though Lou knew this woman, but over the course of the summer we found out he didn't. She would come over to our house, every other day or so, begging for money, saying her "grandfather" needed gasoline money and whatnot.
My husband gave her $10 once and I told him no more. Turns out, the lady just barged into the old man's home one day, asking the old man for money and then somehow, hung around and hung around. He was either too scared to do anything about it, or actually wanted the company. We don't know which.
In July, Lou had a massive stroke. The homeless lady had by that time, been found out. She was not the man's granddaughter; he had no children and was a widower. My next door neighbor told the homeless lady that all the neighbors knew she was not related to Lou and not to come back or she'd call the police. Lou later died, and soon after the funeral, his stepson visited the house to find the homeless lady and her friend breaking into the house.
On top of that, one day last summer, I walked downstairs from my bedroom and found the same homeless lady standing in my living room. I was alone at the time. She wanted money. Obviously, she scared the sh** of me. I kicked her out and called the police. I later found out she's a crack addict--a very bold one at that. Now, she walks the main roads around here, but doesn't come to my street.
It sounds like I made this up, but I didn't. This lady was such a nuisance, I got so I was afraid to go outside or answer my door.
There have been other problems in my neighborhood with homeless people. The police do what they can but the homeless hang around anyway.
I worry that problems with the homeless will get worse with the bad economy and charities and outreach programs receiving fewer donations.
My mother in law used to help the homeless: If someone came up to her and bummed for money she would take them to a diner and give the waitress money and tell the waitress to make eggs with toast and coffee, or a hamburger. She said she'd rather do that than give money for booze or drugs. This happened about four or five times.
[ 02-10-2003: Message edited by: JustPeachy ]</p>
He's frank about it; he uses the money he gets for beer and bets on major sporting events. I appreciate honesty. I've never given more than 50 cents, probably...
my store had a bay window. (farwell & brady, milwaukee wisconsin, mainstream music, it's a starbucks now!) i saw them 10 hours day, get money......disappear for a while....come back.....get more money....disappear etc. etc.
No. Not anymore. I need to save all my money anyway.
The things that gets me are the homeless guy who are trying to sell their newspaper, "Spare Change". They will physically get in front of you on the street and start talking to you and hand you the newspaper. Only when you start to walk away do they tell you it costs money... at which point you throw the paper back at them.
The worst part is that most of the homeless people here in boston are so damn proactive about it. Really gets on my tits...
[ 02-10-2003: Message edited by: M3D Jack ]</p>
I don't, however, give the guy without a nose anything... I overheard he and a freind discussing which bars they were going to once they had enough money... That's just not right.
[ 02-10-2003: Message edited by: nosey ]</p>
The other was a guy who was "hungry"? He didn't say for what. I'm guessing not food.
If you can't tell I don't give out money to con men and "homeless" people.
One retired cop told me that in Chicago some con men will rent children and drag them all over the city asking for money. It's ****ing sick.
<a href="http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/local/3532299.htm"; target="_blank">Philly Panhandler made $250 - $300 a week...</a>
Christ, that's almost as much as I make a week right now... <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[oyvey]" />
<a href="http://philadelphia.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2002/09/23/story1.html"; target="_blank">Merchants are fed up...</a>
Understandable, especially when some offenders are aggressive or puking/pissing outside your store.
<a href="http://www.centercityphila.org/prelease091902.html"; target="_blank">Center City District Launches Campain Aimed At Reducing Panhandling</a>
So far I don't think I've seen much impact from this. See the same old panhandlers on the same streets...they tend to move around when they are forced to move elswhere...the best solution?
Don't give. Send it to a charity that'll put the money to good use (if you can find one that does...). <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
Wanta see some creative homeless types? Hit the Mall in DC. They'll play some music, read poetry, get right up in your face.
On the other hand, I always turn over ALL of my holiday change, whatever's in my pockets at the time, to the bellringers of the Salvation Army. Plus, an annual check.
[ 02-10-2003: Message edited by: finboy ]</p>
<strong>Thought I'd post some Philly related info:
<a href="http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/local/3532299.htm"; target="_blank">Philly Panhandler made $250 - $300 a week...</a></strong><hr></blockquote>
... tax free.
<strong>On the other hand, I always turn over ALL of my holiday change, whatever's in my pockets at the time, to the bellringers of the Salvation Army. Plus, an annual check.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Salvation Army? The same Salvation Army that already receives $300 million a year in government funds?
What a waste... <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[oyvey]" />
he seemed ok, and i'd give him a few bucks here and there. then one day i was at the student center and he walks in and orders a HUGE meal. turns out he's there every day getting tons of stuff. (a friend worked the register)
he was eating better than i was while i was working 30 hours a week. that was the end of that.
Coupons for food like that were also good.
Not all of them are scam artists but most of them are.
Those that are are usually simply too dumb, as in retarded, to do anything else, or psychologically incapable, or addicted to something
THose that were not scammers didn't panhandle, they tried to do other things for their money like sell things.
So, generally I don't give change unless something leads me to think that this particular panhandler is not a scammer . . . . . and I must admit, that is very infrequently
though, think about it . . .what kind of big 'scamm' are they pulling if they only make 200$ dollars a week and sit outside and are filthy . . . its not like they're making a killing . . .and chances are they really can't do anything else without at least the investment of a shower and some clean clothes
(just a side note: its funny that the last time panhandling entered the public consciousness Bush Sr was in office . . .and there also seemed to be this same kind of dismal anxiety and despair in the air . . .I gues that's what you vote for when you vote for a Bush
And if i do give some money to some crack addict unknowingly? While that would be unfortunate, look on the bright side; that's one less person that might get mugged for some bucks by this person.