I sometimes give to the ones that look like beggars.

But not the ones who look well fed and like they have been working out. I also don't give to the 20-something beggars with nice shoes who look like they spent as much or more on their haircuts as I do.

Seeing people beg with dogs and children for "pity points" was very common in Cambridge, MA. They never allowed them to do that on the Boston side of the river.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Yes, what I mean is that most people would prefer to work, rather than beg, IF they could. OP assumes that they don't need help and prefer begging as a job. That makes no sense to me.

I did when I was younger.

Anonymous wrote:It depends. In Paris (we are French but live in DC) I give to the Syrian refugees, it is heartbreaking, especially if they have children. But not Roma. Roma beggars are in the DMV now too, and if you have a lot of experience with them you can recognized them a mile away. But usually they try to scam. They are now doing a similar scam here that they've been doing in the EU for a long time: pretending to be broken down on the side of the road, waving drivers to pull over to help, and asking for money to pay for a repair or gas or taxi or tow (or saying I don't have any cash but need it for a tow, if I sell you my watch here On the side of the road will you give me some cash). I think there was even a story about this in the post.

Anyway, I will always buy them something to eat, but often if the beggar has a mental issue they may not want anyone to buy them food because they are skeptical (I've been yelled at for trying to poison them, is it dirty, etc.). I won't give to the people who hold the signs on street corners usually, especially since they all have signs that look like they are written by the same person with the same handwriting.

Similar experience. We are French too, and I steel myself never to give to Roma, but those little kids are heartbreaking. They would never get a whiff of my money anyway, but I wish something could be done about their enslavement. Because this is really what it is.

I only see them at dangerous intersections, so never, because I want to discourage anyone from risking their life there.

Im going to give you a very honest answer that I am sure will get flamed - I dont alwasy give money, I know there are lots of scammers and drug addicts among those on corners seeking handouts but, on the occaisions I do give cash, its because I think two things: "That could be me" and some bible quote I wont get exactly right, but was basically Jesus telling us that any beggar could be him.

I have never been poor, I have never been hungry, I have never worried overly much about money, at least not for basics. I am white from an upper midle class background and I dont for a minute think its because I did anything to deserve my life, my luck, my good fortune. Life isnt that simple and its isnt that linear, that I do know with absolute certainty. I am very vgrateful to have the life I have and know it could, with the right twist of circumstance, a string of of poor decisions, or just the the vagarieties of fate, disappear in an instant. So I try to be compassionate and open minded and kind in the hope that someone would give me the same.

It depends. In Paris (we are French but live in DC) I give to the Syrian refugees, it is heartbreaking, especially if they have children. But not Roma. Roma beggars are in the DMV now too, and if you have a lot of experience with them you can recognized them a mile away. But usually they try to scam. They are now doing a similar scam here that they've been doing in the EU for a long time: pretending to be broken down on the side of the road, waving drivers to pull over to help, and asking for money to pay for a repair or gas or taxi or tow (or saying I don't have any cash but need it for a tow, if I sell you my watch here On the side of the road will you give me some cash). I think there was even a story about this in the post.

Anyway, I will always buy them something to eat, but often if the beggar has a mental issue they may not want anyone to buy them food because they are skeptical (I've been yelled at for trying to poison them, is it dirty, etc.). I won't give to the people who hold the signs on street corners usually, especially since they all have signs that look like they are written by the same person with the same handwriting.

I always give food if I have it, but never money.

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...

Yep, this sums it up. Homeless people did not get a survival camp experience so they chose to be homeless. Each and every one of them. Too bad they did not have a smart, hardworking American like yourself to mentor them in pulling themselves up by their big ole' boot straps.
Hail to the Chief!

https://www.arlnow.com/2015/09/18/police-dont-give-to-roadside-panhandlers/


“There’s no telling what the cash will be used for,” said an ACPD captain, referring specifically to those to beg for money on traffic medians. “Officers have even seen those who appear to be indigent drive off in their own cars after working an intersection.”

“Most panhandlers are not homeless, and most homeless are not panhandlers,” Kathy Sibert, CEO of A-SPAN, told the Arlington Connection newspaper earlier this summer.

No, because in MD/DC/VA we have a huge support system in terms of shelters, housing programs, food (WIC and food stamps) and much much more that many don't realize even exists. Many of them choose not to use services, although sometimes it is that they are not capable because of mental health issues. Others are heavy drug users. Most are getting some kind of gov't help.

most homeless have mental issues that are not addressed because they cannot afford care and/or they have no family. It is no secret that the homeless abuse alcohol - not hard to blame them since living on the street in hunger is hard to deal with. I almost always give money - how they choose to spend the money is up to them. I feel if you are a point where you are asking others for help, completely putting yourself out there, then yes, those more fortunate should help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 11 years of living in San Francisco, I have never given money. I have given leftover food from a restaurant. And once I bought a guy a sandwich at Trader Joe's.

Pro tip for travelers to SF: In Union Square, there is a guy who hangs around outside Macy's around dinnertime, and if he sees you walk out with a bag from Cheesecake Factory, he will ask for it. If you say no, he'll move on, but if you hesitate he gets super aggressive and scares people into giving him their food.

San Francisco is an example of what happens when everyone hands cash to beggars, and the majority of voters elect extremist progressives / SJWs into complete political control.

Shame too. It used to be a nice place.

It's the TOURISTS giving the homeless money. We (locals) know better.

+1

There was a post on dcum maybe a year or two ago from some woman who gave a teenage beggar like $40 and then was stunned when the girl started harassing her. She was like, "she had a dog!" and all the bay area folks responded, "OF COURSE SHE HAD A DOG!" hilarious.

i do not give panhandlers money. i also stopped offering food because it just resulted in scary confrontations.

So if a cop wants to arrest a homeless person who has a dog, the cop has to take the dog to a no-kill shelter. Thus, having a dog protects you from being arrested for loitering or pandhandling.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

I cannot understand this thinking. You are okay with contributing to their alcohol or drug addiction that has them stuck in this hole?

Every homeless person out there is an alcoholic drug user? I do not think this is true.