Homeless people, give or ignore? Options

[AyeVickaye]

Everytime I drive by Target Walmart, Food max, etc. theres always a homeless person asking for money or food. I used to always give change but Now I have second thoughts about them. Because they look young enough to still get a job, they either have a bike or dog with them & some even smoke cigs. Where do they get the markers and supplies to make their "have any spare change" "war veteran, needs help" or "anything will help" signs? I always wonder what they will do with the spare change that I give them because of chances of them spending it on food is '????' Cos some of those homeless people are/were drug addicts

I feel bad for them especially the ones that have a child with them but sometimes I don't.

[Mikeplyts]

There aren't many homeless people around where I live so I don't really have to worry. But, like two times before, my mom and I gave a homeless woman 20 dollars and gave some homeless guy some chicken from where we were eating.

[AyeVickaye]

there's quite a few homeless person roaming around where i live...there's A LOT in San Francisco for sure, basically everywhere you go you'll see one. shopping carts, dirty backpacks and duffle bags, etc. Theres some that talk to themselves or curse outloud, especially outside of macys. their always looking for spare change...yeah I'd prefer to give them food...mcdonalds dollar menu

[none345678]

There is no way in hell I could walk past a homeless guy and not give him something. Nothing less than a 10. I would rather walk around knowing that I may have given money to someone who didn't deserve it or was scamming people than walk around knowing that I did nothing to help someone I was perfectly capable to help.

[Gigi]

NEVER. I know it sounds heartless but I live in Vancouver. If you give money to a homeless person you might as well shower loonies on the streets of the Downtown Eastside for the drug pushers.

[Joanne]

If a homeless person directly asks me and I happen to be feeling generous at the time, I'd give them a few coins. Once a homeless person stopped my friends and me on the street to tell us about his living conditions and guilt-trip us, so we each gave him a few cents. He ended up saying "I guess I can get a pack of gum" and scowled. Ungrateful bastard.

Now I try to give them food instead of money; that way I'll know they'll use it for the right things lol.

[brooklyneast05]

Now I try to give food instead of money; that way I'll know they'll use it for the right things lol.

this is how i feel.

[Gigi]

I would do the food thing, although I'm way more likely to finish whatever food is on me and then have nothing to give people. So it doesn't work out.

I'd rather give to a food bank and to charity than give to homeless people.

[hypnotique]

There is no way in hell I could walk past a homeless guy and not give him something. Nothing less than a 10. I would rather walk around knowing that I may have given money to someone who didn't deserve it or was scamming people than walk around knowing that I did nothing to help someone I was perfectly capable to help.

same.

[sixfive]

Nope. Maybe I was born into a more fortunate circumstance / family, but I don't believe that they're doing the best job they can by begging. Even if they're homeless, they can get a shit job or something, they can find a way to earn some money. I believe anyone can better themselves if they really put their mind to it, minus extreme cases. I don't believe that every homeless person is one of those extremities however who could do nothing better with their life than beg on a corner.

[Teesa]

i feel so awkward in these situations. they don't happen very often at all, but if i have change or single dollar bills, i will give some. but if i only have like 20s or something, i probably won't.

[Simba]

i just hand them a pack of cigs or a bottle of beer or not

[sixfive]

I ignore them. I don't make eye contact, I don't acknowledge them. One time though, this homeless person tried to wash my windshield and I had to tell him to stop.

[pandemonium]

There is no way in hell I could walk past a homeless guy and not give him something. Nothing less than a 10. I would rather walk around knowing that I may have given money to someone who didn't deserve it or was scamming people than walk around knowing that I did nothing to help someone I was perfectly capable to help.

we had a discussion like this back when i used to go was forced to go to church because some use it for drugs or other bad sh*t... so yeah me too i mean i never do because im not the one with the money but if i had the money and chance i'd give.. at least i know that i did something to help.. it's on the persons conscious what they do with it.. at least you did a good deed by trying to help

[Gigi]

Nope. Maybe I was born into a more fortunate circumstance / family, but I don't believe that they're doing the best job they can by begging. Even if they're homeless, they can get a shit job or something, they can find a way to earn some money. I believe anyone can better themselves if they really put their mind to it, minus extreme cases. I don't believe that every homeless person is one of those extremities however who could do nothing better with their life than beg on a corner.

Agreed.

I just think that if you keep giving them money, they're going to keep thinking it's okay to accept money and continuing living this way since there are always the suckers that feel sorry for them. It might seem like you're helping, but I feel like it's just encouragement for an unhealthy lifestyle.

[drinksmokefuck]

There is no way in hell I could walk past a homeless guy and not give him something. Nothing less than a 10.

damn dont mean to sound poor but ima just keep following you around, no creeper

[none345678]

^ Sorry one time deal bro.

[Joanne]

Agreed.

I just think that if you keep giving them money, they're going to keep thinking it's okay to accept money and continuing living this way since there are always the suckers that feel sorry for them. It might seem like you're helping, but I feel like it's just encouragement for an unhealthy lifestyle.

Yeah I totally understand where you and Steven are coming from, but I always think about the slight chance that s/he might have a psychological disorder. I mean, schizophrenics who were already financially unstable to begin with have a small to nonexistent chance of holding a job, or even relationships with people who could help take care of them. And thoughts like that always freak me out (or, I guess, guilt me) into giving them something.

[Gigi]

Valid point, but I don't think that a stranger giving a toonie is really going to help matters. If I let my guilt take over, then I wouldn't be comfortable with just doing that. So what am I supposed to do, offer shelter for every crazy person on Hastings? I would be out of floor space pretty fast.

So I don't really think that individuals can help people who are actually needy, or people with psychological disorders, but that the government should do something about it. I'm not shunting the responsibility and guilt to someone else, but that individuals don't even have the capacity to help, as much as they want to.

[kryogenix]

I give to charities that address the homeless, I don't give directly to beggars.

[-DressYourEyelid...]

i spend every weekend at the soup kitchen cooking/preparing/serving and i am on call for during the week. i rather give that way.

sometimes i hang out with some of the homeless guys, especially the ones doing art for cash and we have a great time. sometimes i give them money and sometimes not... it all depends on their situation.

[fameONE]

Has anyone here ever been homeless? Has anyone here ever really talked to homeless person?

Sometimes its better just to make some small talk than to give them anything at all. You never know what circumstances landed them on the street. And even then, you never know how long they've been there or if there actually is a chance for them to do better for themselves. You also should take into account the number of mentally handicapped individuals that find their way their because they've never received proper treatment.

If I have it, I'll give. If I don't, I don't. But I'll at least try to make small talk depending on the situation.

[superstitious]

I give to charities that address the homeless, I don't give directly to beggars.

Same.

I'm a single parent who gets no child support. I'm barely making ends meet (while enjoying a few little luxuries) as it is. I know that there are cases out there, people that cannot find jobs or earn a steady income. However, those are not the people who typically beg. They're embarrassed to be in their situation, they're not going to advertise their financial crisis on a street corner.

[Herizon Action]

When I was in Austin, two homeless people walked up to my friends and me late one night while we were smoking pot in a park. They came up to me and asked us if they could have a toke. We ended up listening to one of them talk about how they were going to inherit a house and they were going to live there and get all the tattoos they want. The other one talked about how he used to work on a farm picking blueberries or some shit (I can't remember the details, seeing as how my memory was slightly impaired at the time.) They asked us for a cigarette too, and we left and they went to go find somewhere to sleep.
It was nice.

[-DressYourEyelid...]

Has anyone here ever been homeless? Has anyone here ever really talked to homeless person?

i was homeless for two years...
and yes, i agree. a lot of the time, the homeless just want to have a decent, insightful conversation with someone...
when you live on the streets you don't get much of that :/

[Maccabee]

here in africa, at every robot(stop light) there are people that knock on your windows asking for food. Normally we just give if we feel convited to. My friend some teenagers walk out of a store and all of a sudden they started "limping" and asking people for money. Sometimes in america we get asked for money for food outside mcdonalds and so we just say ok ill buy you some, and if they actually want food they accept but if they were going to spend it on drugs they start arguing and storm off. Also in africa having a bag of bulltong(soft jerky usually made from kudu) is useful to have. haha.

[AyeVickaye]

I don't believe that they're doing the best job they can by begging. Even if they're homeless, they can get a shit job or something, they can find a way to earn some money. I believe anyone can better themselves if they really put their mind to it, minus extreme cases. I don't believe that every homeless person is one of those extremities however who could do nothing better with their life than beg on a corner.

thats true

[Simba]

ay sometimes i kinda wanna make 'em do a trick first :X

[AyeVickaye]

I was approached by a middle age homeless woman smoking a cig and asking for money, I looked at her and said that i didn't have any spare change and she glared at me and walked away and across the street on the macys side, there was homeless man walking back and forth plyaing a flute and asking for money. and that was in san fran.

In china I was walking with my mom in a outdoor shopping area and I saw a homeless woman with her child and my mom gave them like $10 in yen or whatever..I felt hella bad for her, plus it was hot that day and hella people ignored them. There was also a homeless blind child on the street and my mom and i gave him money too. gosh that was sad...there was a homeless guy that didn't have legs and couldn't see in one eye who used a skateboard/board with wheels to get around and ask for money.

Back in Cali, my bestfriend and i thought about making sandwiches and passing them out to homeless people...she told her mom about it and her mom called the minister and passed her to phone and said that she was nice for wanting to help them but said not to do it...my friend was sad about it...

[rnicron]

i'll donate to the salvation army when they're out at christmas time.

other than that, i'll give them an application. it's a nice gesture.

[AyeVickaye]

I did community service for salvation army, (I needed hours for my econ. class) and we had to choose a nonprofit organization. the people that worked at salvation army were lazy and rude. They smoked cigs and gossiped while my 2 friends and I carried expired food in boxes to put in the trucks and storage unit. We also had to bag smelly rotten potatoes from a box so they could pass them out to homeless & less fortunate families. (i had to wear a mask it smelled so bad) When people bought in/donated stuff they didn't want anymore; clothes, shoes, picture frames, books, toys...the employees helped themselves to the stuff and kept some of the stuff for themselves when the things are suppose to go to less fortunate families...I shoulda helped at a soup kitchen instead. People in my town are uggggghs.

[-DressYourEyelid...]

i'll donate to the salvation army when they're out at christmas time.

other than that, i'll give them an application. it's a nice gesture.

if you don't have a home address you cannot be hired.
most people are begging because they are homeless and cannot legally get a job. it's not like they have a home and family and can get a job but choose not to. it's either beg or starve.

[illriginal]

If the bum looks about 20-30 years old. f*ck no. Instead I'll roll my window down and tell them to get a effin life and stop begging for change when they could easily get a labor job.


If they're old as shit and look pathetic.. maybe I'll give them change.. depends.

[missnh]

In New York, a homeless man sitting across from me on the subway decided to masturbate. While trying to squeeze into a sweater that was clearly too small for him.

My friend did say that after he managed to get into the sweater, he looked so happy she had never seen anyone smile that way.

I honestly have nothing against homeless people. I enjoy talking to them, and if I see one and I have an almost full pack of cigarettes, I almost always give them one. I was also hit on by a homeless man while sitting in my car with the window down. That was lovely.

[SuckDickNSaveLiv...]

When I walk past a homeless person, my swagga sky rockets through the roof.

I come through with them Js on my feet//
While the bed is they concrete//

[batman]

There is no way in hell I could walk past a homeless guy and not give him something. Nothing less than a 10. I would rather walk around knowing that I may have given money to someone who didn't deserve it or was scamming people than walk around knowing that I did nothing to help someone I was perfectly capable to help.

That's nice and all, but tbh, if I thought the same way, I'd probably be out about $100 every day.

If I'm walking out of a store or whatever and have spare change on me, I wouldn't mind giving it to a homeless guy. But I don't go out of my way to dig into pockets or my bag for spare change and I never give bills unless it's someone who's playing an instrument in the subway or something and is actually good.

[hypnotique]

^I cant stop staring at your sig........

[LoveToMySilas]

My grandmother and I always give here and there but we try not to make it a routine so that they would start to rely on us. Near where I live, there are a lot of homeless people. The only one we give to on a daily is this young girl and her dog in Manhattan...the dog...must be hungry

[Joanne]

Once when I was downtown with my friend, we saw a homeless guy with a dog, and they both looked like they were in pretty bad shape. My friend got really upset about the dog, and wouldn't stop saying things like "It's not the dogs fault... it's so sad the dog has to suffer too!"

[LoveToMySilas]

In New York, a homeless man sitting across from me on the subway decided to masturbate. While trying to squeeze into a sweater that was clearly too small for him.

My friend did say that after he managed to get into the sweater, he looked so happy she had never seen anyone smile that way.

The same thing happened to my friend when she was waiting on the platform for her train, except he was using her to masturbate.

[superstitious]

^I cant stop staring at your sig........

It is hypnotic, isn't it.

/sorry for off topic

[sixfive]

she should have been flattered ^_^"

[kryogenix]

There is no way in hell I could walk past a homeless guy and not give him something.

If you're out of money, do you give him a blowjob?

[ley]

If you're out of money, do you give him a blowjob?

^lol

I give them money if i feel sorry for them, like when they have kids and stuff. If they look like crackheads i usually don't.

[iExquisite]

giving to charities is the best way

[emberfly]

just walk past them and ignore them. if they want help, they can go to one of the countless organizations that were set up to help them.

[AyeVickaye]

there's homeless people that dance for money or play an instrument, i'll give them some money. especially the ones that draw good..

[-DressYourEyelid...]

giving to charities is the best way

not really. only a small percentage actually goes towards helping the homeless. the rest goes to the capitalist bastards in charge who hoard the money for themselves.

[rnicron]

^lol

I give them money if i feel sorry for them, like when they have kids and stuff. If they look like crackheads i usually don't.

so tell me, what constitutes feeling sorry for them? i can feel sorry for a lot of people but that doesn't mean i'll shell out money to them.

[tokyo-rose]

There are a lot of homeless people in New York City, but I've never given money to any of them. I guess I'm just used to seeing them, so I don't feel the need to donate money. (That probably sounds bad, but I'm sure that most other New Yorkers feel the same way.) I never give money to panhandlers on the subway since I don't know if they're actually homeless or not. Interesting fact: You need a panhandling license if you want to beg for money on the subway. I never knew that until a few weeks ago, but I'm guessing that most of the panhandlers I see don't have a license.

[Joanne]

[creole]

[hypnotique]

There are a lot of homeless people in New York City, but I've never given money to any of them. I guess I'm just used to seeing them, so I don't feel the need to donate money. (That probably sounds bad, but I'm sure that most other New Yorkers feel the same way.) I never give money to panhandlers on the subway since I don't know if they're actually homeless or not. Interesting fact: You need a panhandling license if you want to beg for money on the subway. I never knew that until a few weeks ago, but I'm guessing that most of the panhandlers I see don't have a license.

srsly theres licensed panhandlers out there?

"ma'am its ok to give me money i am a certified panhandler for the state of new york you can trust me that i have met all of the required panhandling skills required for such a job"