There, but for the grace of god, go i?

[Osmer_Toby]

was confronted with this scenario yesterday...

 

[voodoocat]

I voted buy a meal. I can't afford to do it with every homeless person I come across but I have done that before.

I did give money to a guy that sayd "Will take care of mother-in-law for money" or something like that. I had change from a 20 in my pocket and gave him what I thought was a $1. When I looked in the rearview mirror he was all jumping up and down with a huge smile. Later on when I went to buy something I noticed I gave him a $10 instead. d'oh

 

[graigdavis]

I said I would wait for the green light and drive by. I cant help out every homeless person I see. I wish I could. I would like nothing more than to give them a job so they can eat and have a home. But I cant and thats how life goes. I have gone with my church group and given away clothes and such. You can give them money, buy them food, even put clothes on their back. But eventualy they need to commit to taking the steps to get off the streets.

I was walking around Cleveland one afternoon when a homeless man came up to me. I was expecting him to ask for money or something. But all he really wanted was someone to talk to. We talked for a good hour. He told me his story and how he got where he is now. And he admited that him and the other homeless people he knew were just lazy. They could just get by on shelters and what people give them, so why try to do more? I ran into the same man a few weeks ago while down town. I gave him some of the food I had in my back pack and we exchanged hellos.

 

[terri]

I keep going. I know what I've done, the effort I've put into my life, my job. No one told me it was going to be easy, I didn't expect it to be, and it hasn't been. But I do what I have to do to take care of myself and my family. It all comes down to self-respect. I'm all for shelters as temporary lodging for those who, really and truly, have been dealt a terrible hand.

But I tend to believe more of them than not are just coasters, like Graig outlined up there. Especially the ones who are walking up and down between cars. I remember one guy who staked out a place on an exit ramp with a sign that proclaimed he was hitchhiking home to get to his kids, who needed him. He was there for 8 months, with a folding chair, a cooler and a little umbrella staked into the dirt. What a gig, huh?

We all look out for #1. Some of us have different ways of doing it.

 

[photong]

I would either buy him some food, or give him a few dollars. I would be afraid of what he would spend the money or so the food giving is mroe likely.

But I wouldn't stop while driving unless it was in a parking lot, you know what I mean? I would stop traffic *redlight or not*

 

[oriecat]

I see probably at least one homeless person with a sign a day. There is just no way to help them all, so I generally don't do anything. One time I was going to work on the weekend, and I had a couple bananas with me to snack on, so I asked the guy if he would like them. He thanked me and immediately walked over to the bus bench to sit down and eat them. I was glad I got to help him out that way. I have often thought of just buying an extra loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter to give to someone, as it could probably feed them for a couple days, but I haven't remembered to do it yet... but who knows, they might not like it. My bf was walking around town one day, and saw a homeless man digging in a trash can, looking for food. So he offered him a Clif bar that he had on him. Guy turned him down, said Nah, don't like em. Kind of amazing to me, that someone would rather eat something partially eaten in the trash than a fresh Clif bar just because he doesn't like them. I would think freshness and cleanliness would override taste any day!

 

[manda]

I used to give people money but there seem to be so many I come across nowadays, I generally just keep walking.

Obviously if someone was hurt or looked in need of desperate help, I'd stop. I don't think I'd stop my car to give someone money.
I also don't think it makes us bad people if we don't.

 

[drlynn]

My experience has been that many of these people with signs are making more sitting there than we are going to work.

We have pulled over and offered people food a few times, and only one person ever took the food. Most will tell you quickly that they don't want your %$##$*& food, they want money.

 

[Sharkbait]

I saw a thing on 20/20 or some such news show a few years ago. They did some hidden camera interviews with 'bums' on the street. They fight and squabble (there's a whole hidden hierarchy to that life) for the choice spots, and some of them in those rich, high-traffic areas pull in enough begging (all tax free, remember), that at the end of the day, they put away their collection cup and drove off in a brand new mercedes. :shock:

 

[danalec99]

I voted for #1.

If he a crippled man, I would love to help him. But in all other cases, if we give money to them, we would be breeding an army of lazy ppl. And I think that is so unproductive.

 

[karissa]

My issue is as a young female... I'm worried about safety.

 

[malachite]

I give to the honest only. Last week I gave a guy a dollar because his sign was truthful. It read "Why lie, need a drink".

There was a thing on the local news a few years back about these people. One of the most recognizable ones was a woman who just sat on the ground at two of the more busy intersections in town with her two kids. They interviewed her right at Christmas time and she was dumb enough to admit that she was averaging $300-$500 a day, only having to sit for about 4 hours. The last thing she was quoted saying, "why work?". She was never seen again after that...........

 

[danalec99]

she was averaging $300-$500 a day, only having to sit for about 4 hours. The last thing she was quoted saying, "why work?". She was never seen again after that...........

:shock:

 

[airgunr]

The few of times I've been confronted with this. I've gone so far as to offer the guy a job in my restaurant. He can bus tables, dishwash, etc. If he showed any inititive I would move him up in position and salary. So far only one wanted the job and then quit after 2 days, actually never showed up again.......

I believe in the old adage of "teaching a man to fish" so he can support himself and not just handing out food or money as that does no good in the long run.

 

[Walt]

One fellow in particular that I noticed at a street corner when I first moved to the coast to work is still at the same corner three years later. The guy is probably mid thirties and by all accounts healthy and fit (although dirty and unkept). There are many more like him down here. A lot of it, I believe comes down to personal responsibility. Some people just don't want to work. They don't like the responsibility and commitments. There are people who are down on their luck and have had a few bad turns in their lives but is generally not these people who are perpetually looking for handouts.
As far as buying food for them, I've also heard of several cases where people have offered food to panhandlers and been met with righteous indignation.