Panhandlers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For all of those who give directly to panhandlers, you are enablers. Give directly to a charity who will provide food and shelter not continue to enable these panhandlers to buy drugs, alcohol, or not contribute to society by not working.

You feel good about yourself after giving a few bucks so why not walk by the soup kitchen or shelter and give a few bucks to them to buy more food. Stop enabling!!

I can give to a charity and directly assist a person with whom I have contact with. My funds are not limited. Secondly, I like knowing that my direct contribution went to the person in need rather than some expensive frilly charity ball event all in the namesake of fundraising for the poor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is there’s no term for panhandler-givers.

Begees?

Anyway the worst begees are the ones who give money out their car windows. Having people begging on medians is dangerous and distracting.

AND YES I INCLUDE ANY FIREMEN WITH A BOOT, kids with buckets, whatever.

The road is not a good place to solicit money.

There is a guy who fully set up some kind of water store/begging situation on Military Road at Georgia. That is already a tricky intersection. It’s just another sign of the city’s decline that they allow an illegal business in the median there. It’s also a big middle finger to all the nearby businesses complying with the law.

I give— although 90+% of the money I give is to Street Sense vendors— but I totally agree with this.

Never give while waiting for a red light in my car (including those firefighters!)

[Anonymous]

If you give anything, you should offer food. If they turn it down and ask for cash or gift cards, you know they’re professional panhandlers. One of the regulars at cathedral commons takes a ride share service every day. Commuting to her job.

[Anonymous]

I give generously to soup kitchens, food pantries, make and distribute sandwiches. I don’t give to panhandlers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you rather they steal or turn tricks?

I give them money. If they purchase drugs or alcohol, so be it.

They are working by standing outside all day. Obviously something is very wrong with them.

The few dollars you provide gives you a dopamine hit. But it gives the panhandler nothing but another excuse to not try to get long term help. Try to break this cycle. Stop making this about you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you rather they steal or turn tricks?

I give them money. If they purchase drugs or alcohol, so be it.

They are working by standing outside all day. Obviously something is very wrong with them.

The few dollars you provide gives you a dopamine hit. But it gives the panhandler nothing but another excuse to not try to get long term help. Try to break this cycle. Stop making this about you.

This. Totally narcissistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you rather they steal or turn tricks?

I give them money. If they purchase drugs or alcohol, so be it.

They are working by standing outside all day. Obviously something is very wrong with them.

The few dollars you provide gives you a dopamine hit. But it gives the panhandler nothing but another excuse to not try to get long term help. Try to break this cycle. Stop making this about you.

This. Totally narcissistic.

Yeah, the person who knows all the homeless people on the street for ten years by name, have you ever been concerned by why they have been on the street for TEN YEARS? That's what needs to change. If you really care deeply that would be your focus.

[Anonymous]

The city gives homeless free housing, sometimes apartments that are better than residents can afford. Free healthcare. Free food, free hygiene products. On top of the free food given out by city centers and numerous food kitchens, they additionally get free food from SNAP. Lots of places have free clothing (just about every free donation bin I’ve seen is stuffed). Lots of additional services on top of this.

Over the past decade D.C. has done all the things that people told us would fix the problem, things have just gotten worse, and the people who have been completely wrong in the past act like machines that are stuck in a loop. “These people are starving to death! We need to double the amount we give them!” “We’ve tried that and things have just gotten worse, what do we do now?” “These people are starving to death! We need to double the amount we give them!”

Facts don’t matter to these people, there’s no use arguing with them. It doesn’t matter how many times their policies completely fail, the answer is always that we need to double the amount of failed policies. They care more about virtue signalling than solutions, which is why they like the idea of publicly handing out money, even though that doesn’t solve anything and is much worse for everyone than just giving that money to a charity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The city gives homeless free housing, sometimes apartments that are better than residents can afford. Free healthcare. Free food, free hygiene products. On top of the free food given out by city centers and numerous food kitchens, they additionally get free food from SNAP. Lots of places have free clothing (just about every free donation bin I’ve seen is stuffed). Lots of additional services on top of this.

Over the past decade D.C. has done all the things that people told us would fix the problem, things have just gotten worse, and the people who have been completely wrong in the past act like machines that are stuck in a loop. “These people are starving to death! We need to double the amount we give them!” “We’ve tried that and things have just gotten worse, what do we do now?” “These people are starving to death! We need to double the amount we give them!”

Facts don’t matter to these people, there’s no use arguing with them. It doesn’t matter how many times their policies completely fail, the answer is always that we need to double the amount of failed policies. They care more about virtue signalling than solutions, which is why they like the idea of publicly handing out money, even though that doesn’t solve anything and is much worse for everyone than just giving that money to a charity.

You think you know a lot more than you actually do. Try having a little humility and learning before opening your mouth. It's hard to take you seriously when you have such shallow understanding.

[Anonymous]

The suggestion that any homeless person can have all their long term housing and food needs met if they want it is so wrong it makes me wonder what’s the point of this thread

[Anonymous]

Please show me the homeless people in D.C. who aren’t allowed to go to homeless shelters or soup kitchens. Are the services listed are well documented and exist, just pretending that they don’t because it’s inconvenient only underscores how little some people care about reality. No matters what gets provided, you folks will say “No these programs don’t exist anyone who thinks that is an idiot.”

We actually have more people in voucher housing right now than the entire homeless population from a decade ago.

https://www.foresthillsconnection.com/home-front/from-0-to-7000-one-dc-agency-charts-voucher-renters-in-its-programs-since-2016/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please show me the homeless people in D.C. who aren’t allowed to go to homeless shelters or soup kitchens. Are the services listed are well documented and exist, just pretending that they don’t because it’s inconvenient only underscores how little some people care about reality. No matters what gets provided, you folks will say “No these programs don’t exist anyone who thinks that is an idiot.”

We actually have more people in voucher housing right now than the entire homeless population from a decade ago.

https://www.foresthillsconnection.com/home-front/from-0-to-7000-one-dc-agency-charts-voucher-renters-in-its-programs-since-2016/

You think soup kitchens provide 100% of someone's food needs at any time of day and location that they want it? They're a great resource and keep a lot of people from starving to death. But it's not everything.

I really wish the "well if I were homeless I would just..." crowd would realize they have no idea what they are talking about. It is not an easy system to navigate. I have helped people trying to get on their feet and it's just not what you're portraying it to be. Is it ignorance? Malice? Why do you spout this garbage?

[Anonymous]

You are all missing the point. I am specifically trying to avoid the smug judgmental attitude where you think you know what the panhandler needs better than the person asking for themselves. I think that is a nasty attitude and would not want anyone to hold back assistance that I am desperately asking for if I am ever in need. I practice the golden rule. I really don't care about fear mongering assumptions about what horrible immoral actions a person will take if I give them a dollar. Unless you know the person intimately then it's all just BS in your own mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally see no reason why I cannot donate a dollar or two for a person in need. Also soup kitchens may not provide adequate edible food or may have limited hours, thus the reason for why people may panhandle. It's no small sweat off anyone's back to be kind and give a dollar or two.


I will never understand why wealthy people are bothered by a person in need. I guess the would rather have the money funneled into 503(c)(s) and potentially mismanaged than to actually do good when the need is right in front of them???

How do you know they are really in need?

You seem sweet, PP, but very naive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the pp, you should move to the suburbs or on a farm if you cannot handle a pandhandler who is grumpy. Obviously, if you were poor, hungry, cold and tired, you would have an attitude as well. It's mind blowing how "scared" you are to be nice and yet you also want to be a city dweller. Panhandlers come with the territory.
Being kind has nothing to do with being a savior.

Panhandlers come with the territory.

Spoken like a true progressive leftist. PP, you would love California.