Do you give beggars money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't imagine anything more boring than standing on a median with a sign all day.

#whitepeople

Can you imagine being hungry and having no warm place to sleep?

NP

I'm #notwhite, since we're inexplicably using hash tags. I'm lucky to have never experienced homelessness, but unfortunately loved ones have. I agree with the PP that standing in the median with a sign all day would be boring. And I although I do rarely give money to panhandlers, I know I'm actually worsening the problem rather than helping.

Stop trying to turn every thread into a race trolling thing.

[Anonymous]

I usually don't. There's a group of men who beg on my route to work. They take shifts. It's made me kind of jaded. However, I once had a woman outside the grocery store tell me that people who were convicted of drug crimes couldn't qualify for food stamps or welfare in VA. I looked that up on my phone while I was in the store and then I bought her some groceries. That might have been a con too, but at least she had a good story.

[mjsmith]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't imagine anything more boring than standing on a median with a sign all day.

#whitepeople

Can you imagine being hungry and having no warm place to sleep?

not the OP but yes I can imagine being hungry and not having a warm place to sleep. I call it it wilderness or survival camping. And its experiences like that which gave me the kick in the ass as a young adult to know that I would not want to be homeless... so I went to school, got a job, stayed away from drugs/crime and became a productive member of scociety.

and to this day I don't give to street people.... handouts do not help anyone.

the whole...give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach a man to fish he eats for a life time... the problem is the street folks may not have the means or the desire to learn beyond holding out their tin cup waiting for you to fill it...

if you are not willing to help yourself, why should you expect me to want to help you...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never give them money! Ever.

I contribute a lot to recognized charities; as a family we participate in food drives to help local families and the yearly End Hunger Now campaign.

But if you give cash to beggars, it goes right into the pocket of armed drug dealers, alcohol sellers, and the tobacco company RJ Renolds - are those groups you want to support?

profile much?

live in the real world much?

[Anonymous]

mjsmith wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't imagine anything more boring than standing on a median with a sign all day.

#whitepeople

Can you imagine being hungry and having no warm place to sleep?

not the OP but yes I can imagine being hungry and not having a warm place to sleep. I call it it wilderness or survival camping. And its experiences like that which gave me the kick in the ass as a young adult to know that I would not want to be homeless... so I went to school, got a job, stayed away from drugs/crime and became a productive member of scociety.

and to this day I don't give to street people.... handouts do not help anyone.

the whole...give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach a man to fish he eats for a life time... the problem is the street folks may not have the means or the desire to learn beyond holding out their tin cup waiting for you to fill it...

So are you teaching them to fish?

if you are not willing to help yourself, why should you expect me to want to help you...

[Anonymous]

sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've always wondered why people give money to beggars. I see the same people on corners in DC and Maryland year after year with their signs asking for help. On occasion, I've seen some of the beggars who appeared to be handicap, get up out of their wheel chair, walk across the street and get in their car. I see drivers hand money to beggars and I wonder: how do you know this person actually needs this money vs. this is what they do for a living? How do you rationalize it knowing that a lot of people do this as their job, not because they truly need help? Maybe I'm too jaded but I see these people and think: get a real job. Asking for freebies is not a job. But then I know some people really do need the help. How do you tell the difference? I mean, I understand helping a person who is truly homeless, whether living on the streets or in shelters (and I've helped those people), but the people who are begging for a living...do you give them money? Why/Why not?

You are too jaded. Don't give if you don't feel they need your help, give if you do. But either way, don't be judgemental.

Exactly PP. OP if you can afford to give isn't it better to give just in case they really need it, rather than not giving, just in case they don't?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

mjsmith wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't imagine anything more boring than standing on a median with a sign all day.

#whitepeople

Can you imagine being hungry and having no warm place to sleep?

not the OP but yes I can imagine being hungry and not having a warm place to sleep. I call it it wilderness or survival camping. And its experiences like that which gave me the kick in the ass as a young adult to know that I would not want to be homeless... so I went to school, got a job, stayed away from drugs/crime and became a productive member of scociety.

and to this day I don't give to street people.... handouts do not help anyone.

the whole...give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach a man to fish he eats for a life time... the problem is the street folks may not have the means or the desire to learn beyond holding out their tin cup waiting for you to fill it...

if you are not willing to help yourself, why should you expect me to want to help you...

PP didn't repost correctly.
So are you teaching them to fish? How do you know they are not trying to help themselves? A lot of homeless people are vers_ some estimates say 30%. And a lot have mental health issues. Have some empathy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've always wondered why people give money to beggars. I see the same people on corners in DC and Maryland year after year with their signs asking for help. On occasion, I've seen some of the beggars who appeared to be handicap, get up out of their wheel chair, walk across the street and get in their car. I see drivers hand money to beggars and I wonder: how do you know this person actually needs this money vs. this is what they do for a living? How do you rationalize it knowing that a lot of people do this as their job, not because they truly need help? Maybe I'm too jaded but I see these people and think: get a real job. Asking for freebies is not a job. But then I know some people really do need the help. How do you tell the difference? I mean, I understand helping a person who is truly homeless, whether living on the streets or in shelters (and I've helped those people), but the people who are begging for a living...do you give them money? Why/Why not?

You are too jaded. Don't give if you don't feel they need your help, give if you do. But either way, don't be judgemental.

I'm trying not to judge. I'm trying to understand. I don't feel like they need help so I don't give them money. But for those that do give money, I'm interested in why.

Why do you feel like they don't need help? Even if they can walk, wouldn't it be easier/better to have a job than begging?

[Anonymous]

I do.

[Anonymous]

I don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've always wondered why people give money to beggars. I see the same people on corners in DC and Maryland year after year with their signs asking for help. On occasion, I've seen some of the beggars who appeared to be handicap, get up out of their wheel chair, walk across the street and get in their car. I see drivers hand money to beggars and I wonder: how do you know this person actually needs this money vs. this is what they do for a living? How do you rationalize it knowing that a lot of people do this as their job, not because they truly need help? Maybe I'm too jaded but I see these people and think: get a real job. Asking for freebies is not a job. But then I know some people really do need the help. How do you tell the difference? I mean, I understand helping a person who is truly homeless, whether living on the streets or in shelters (and I've helped those people), but the people who are begging for a living...do you give them money? Why/Why not?

You are too jaded. Don't give if you don't feel they need your help, give if you do. But either way, don't be judgemental.

I'm trying not to judge. I'm trying to understand. I don't feel like they need help so I don't give them money. But for those that do give money, I'm interested in why.

Why do you feel like they don't need help? Even if they can walk, wouldn't it be easier/better to have a job than begging?

What if they have no place to live, take showers, or money for transportation (even bus fare) to get to an interview. They have no address. No clean clothes to wear to work every day. No money to then take the bus to work. Throw some kids into that mix. Add in a mental illness.

Now how to they get to their minimum wage job at Burger King or Walmart.

[Anonymous]

I give money almost every day. Working and living in the city I see the same homeless people constantly, many of them have mental issues that would prevent them from holding down a job. I usually give whatever change is in my pocket, or if I have a dollar or two. Sometimes I buy a sandwich/drink if they are hungry. I also buy Street Sense, give to organized charities, help serve meals to the homeless - there are many ways to help.

[Anonymous]

I keep dollars in my glove compartment specifically for beggars on the median. Honestly, a dollar doesn't mean a whole lot to me, and if they want to spend the money on booze or whatever, I don't judge. I am somewhat selective though, and prefer to give to women and older folks.

[Anonymous]

I give money to homeless now and then when I come across them, especially if they ask. Although privately I think they are just supporting a drug or alcohol problem, I give them the benefit of the doubt. I am sure when they were very young they did not contemplate "You know, I hope I get bad luck and become homeless. That would be cool!" No, these people have fallen upon hard times. I help them even though I know it encourages them to beg more, but what would i do in their place? Could I do better when I have dug a hole for myself and cannot get out? Probably not.

But for those who stand at intersections with signs "Feed Me" or whatever, I do not give them money. If that person can stand at an intersection collecting money from cars, that person can stand behind a grill and flip burgers or mop a floor. These people are able-bodied and can work from what I have seen so I do not give.