Do You Give Money to Panhandlers?

universeinabottle:

It depends on whether or not I have change. In my town there aren't many homeless people, so I don't usually get the opportunity to do so.

We don't have many either. Usually the ones we do have are teens who dropped out of school or veterans that refuse to stay at our VA.

Alex;:

I usually give them a dollar because you cant by any drug or form of alcohol with a dollar. You can however by something from McDonald's or a few small things to eat from a store. My mom raised me not to do it but my father said it was fine to because you are being generous.

I still do this except I give them more than just a dollar. I don't like the fact that they could be getting drugs with it but I really don't care either. Whatever will make them happy I suppose. Now when I see them I give them between 2 and 5 dollars. It all depends on how much I have on me. An officer told me it was illegal to give them money though. Aside from in NYC I didn't know my state made it illegal. I'm not even sure if he was being truthful.

I do give but it depends if I have change on me also sometimes when I don't, I have this weird feeling that I'm a bad person. I do know it's not true but it's just a feeling, dunno where it comes from.

Its hard to decide. :think:

I do not see a lot of homeless people, so I don't know that I've ever given one money. I know that a guy on the street asked me for a dollar for bus far once and I gave it to him. There just aren't a lot of homeless people in the area I live in, nor the areas I've visited. But I do donate to the food pantry.

I once gave a man two dollars for breakfast.

I had a teacher once telling me that she would give actual food to a homeless person instead of change for food. Sounds a better alternative because we'd know that they're really getting food instead of drugs or whatever. But it just depends on if they also need change for bus fare or even toiletries.

Sometimes I do, but I've always been advised by my grandfather, " If they can beg on the street, they can get real help or a job." I feel bad for them, but I wonder at the same time would someone give me random change if I needed.

@ ViVi Machine;
I believe the act of charity is giving without any thought for yourself. What you're talking about is quid pro quo or 'tit for tat' and it's not the same.

Also, I don't know what experience your grandfather has with the homeless and I would be interested in know if he understand how the welfare system works and if he would be willing to give a job to someone who has no means of transportation, communication, or clean clothes.

for dru's sins.:

@ ViVi Machine;
I believe the act of charity is giving without any thought for yourself. What you're talking about is quid pro quo or 'tit for tat' and it's not the same.

Also, I don't know what experience your grandfather has with the homeless and I would be interested in know if he understand how the welfare system works and if he would be willing to give a job to someone who has no means of transportation, communication, or clean clothes.

I didn't mean that when I give money away I'm thinking, " I wonder if I'll get something out of this." I try not to ask for money at all if possible. I wonder if the situation was reversed would the same person asking for money give me money if I was homeless.

As for my grandfather. Yes he does understand how the system works. By no means is my family rich and we can't look down our noses on anybody. But we make do with what we have and we work for our living. Yes we struggle, just like many people in America. In the area we live it's very popular for people to stand outside and beg only to go and buy liquor in the grocery store. My grandpa is a very generous man and he'd give the shirt off his back to someone if he could, but he knows that not every homeless person is a good person that really needs help. Some of them lie. Just like some people on welfare lie. Some people go and abuse others good nature.

@ L0V3E
I get that feeling a lot, but I have guilt about a lot of stuff similar to that.

@ ViVi Machine;
Ahhh, see the quote "If they can beg on the street, they can get real help or a job" doesn't make it sound like a very generous statement. I just don't think it's easy to get a job if you're homeless. I mean, from a business perspective you couldn't get a hold of them, they couldn't get to work or the interview, and they would most likely be not the cleanest if they managed to make it to the interview.

@ for dru's sins.
I think your taking it too literally. That was in reference to the people that take the money and spend it on liquor, cigarettes,and drugs. Not to the people who have fallen on hard times and honestly need help. My grandpa is giving, but you become skeptical to giving if you see your charity isn't being used in the right way.

Also, there are shelters,charities, AND churches (especially in the south) that will help homeless get job interviews and give them work appropriate clothes.

@ ViVi Machine;
It's really hard to men to find shelters, a lot harder than it is for women, especially if they have children. I'm not in the south, so I can't comment on that.

@ for dru's sins.
I'm not saying it's not difficult. I know how it is. I've been borderline homeless a few times. I wish there were more shelters for people. I feel terrible for anybody that has to struggle to make ends . I feel terrible that has to suffer without a home. I wish i could help everyone in the world, but it's hard not knowing if the money you give is going to benefit someone or be used for something else.

@ ViVi Machine;
I agree completely. I am skeptical about giving money to homeless people for that reason as well. But I'm not skeptical about giving it to them because I think they could just as easily get a job. I'm sure, given the choice, most people would prefer a job to being homeless, so they'd probably have one if they could.

@ for dru's sins.
Okay, I'm going to try and clear up that comment so you don't have to be so hung up over it. I agree 200% that most people prefer having their own job and items over being homeless and struggling. What I meant was, that my parents work hard for every dime we have. My grandpa works hard for the money he has. If we have extra we try to help. if we don't, we can't. We my step-dad was out of work he could have easily asked for money, but he went and looked for a job and took advantage of services that could help our family. some people have no other option, but to beg on the streets. My grandpa doesn't like able body people who beg for money when they could be trying to benefit themselves. You could argue yes, that those people could be looking for a job, but they can't find one. That's true, but he doesn't know that, so that's why I'm wary of those people. i'd rather donate clothes and food so I know that person can use what I gave them. I wasn't trying to offend anyone you know with that comment. In my experience that's how it is. I answered the question presented by this forum. I think you blew the statement a little out of context, but maybe I didn't present the comment right to begin with. Either way, i hope this is officially cleared up.

For me it depends on if I have any money on me and how the person is dressed. If I see a person who looks very clean and is wearing nice, clean clothes there is no way in hell that I'm going to give them anything. However, if the person truly looks homeless, I'll give them whatever I can. I would rather give a few dollars to someone who is going to waste it than leave someone starving on the side of the road because I'm worried about how they're going to spend my money

I also don't care if the homeless person I give money to uses it for booze. If I were homeless, being drunk would probably help numb the pain.

@ of dru's being.
Agreed fully. I go to art school in Chicago, so I tend to pass a good amount of homeless people who ask for money. When I can, I'll give them a few bucks. If they want to use it on a beer, then so be it. If I could give them that temporary satisfaction, that's good enough for me. I'm giving them money to be kind. Once I hand them those bills, it's their money and they can do with it as they please, in my opinion.

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My fiancee on the other hand, rather than giving them money, will go and buy food in the nearest place (whether it be a sandwich or just a coffee) and will give it to them because he doesn't like that "they'll just go and blow it on booze". With that said, he has more than one experience of getting a sandwich thrown back at him.

I never give monetary handouts. I have very strong feelings about alcohol abuse, and I think everyone has a duty to contribute something to society beyond being a beggar. However, I realize that sometimes good people fall on hard times. I mean sometimes bad shit just happens. So I like to give them food and/or gift cards to nonalcoholic establishments. I also like to handout Target/Wal-Mart give cards so they can get clean clothes and personal hygiene products, and I like to keep contact information cards for shelters in my purse. Obviously, if I'm going to do anything for the homeless, I plan ahead. Rarely do I give out spur of the moment donations. It's nothing personal, but I work very hard for every dime I have and I would hate to think it was being wasted.

I also want to note that just because I don't like the idea of handing out money doesn't mean I'm not generous or sympathetic to their plight. I donate my every other Thursday to working in a soup kitchen, and I try to be as active in local charities as my budget will allow. I care, but I just don't want my efforts to be wasted on someone that doesn't even want to change their ways. Everyone has mouths to feed and bills to pay, and my cash being spent on a bottle of gin just gets under my skin in a really bad way.

The other day, I saw a man playing some drums made out of oil drums or something, and many people were walking past him, and he had a container for money, but nobody was giving him any, and he looked sad, so I had to give him some money. He smiled, which was nice. :)