Do you give money to beggars?

[Lucy__lou]

And I'm most interested to know your reasons, philosophies and thinking when you do or don't.

 

I'm talking about the reality of people asking you for money on the street. In my town, it's predominantly drug/alcohol/petrol addicts who you can spot a mile off by the way they carry themselves, some white, most indigenous - not specifically homeless, just messed up and scabbing for change (I'm in Australia, and I'm of European descent). And more often than not, I don't give, but occasionally, like today I did give, but it wasn't out of generosity, as much as the fact that the man was looking a bit out of it and was bigger than me and came up really close, and I was alone and felt a bit threatened by his body language. I have mixed feelings about it, and whether I am helping or not, and how often, if at all I should give etc.

 

The issues are very different internationally, so I'd like to ask that anyone who reads this says where they are and what the main issues are where they live.

 

I'm sure these issues are very touchy in many places where racial inequality comes into it. But as I said, I don't want this to get political, I just want to hear people's thought processes when they decide to give or not to give to someone.

 

Thank you

[tmp0620]

Southern California... not many homeless around here, but when I'm travelling I'll often give if I have change or bills in my pockets...

 

Where I've seen homeless people they're either white or African-American... lots of vets it seems.

[Haven]

I usually don't carry cash, so I rarely give money to people on the street. Also I'm really paranoid, so I feel like if I do open my purse/wallet to give money to a stranger, they might try to take it.

 

I've also had experiences where the person was very ungrateful and seemed disgusted that more money wasn't given. That makes me less likely to give money to someone.

[CaptainPlanet]

I do give money to beggars.

 

Melbourne Australia, main issue is unemployable people in the CBD. Not a lot of beggars.

[KileOriginal]

Here's a twist:

 

Here in Colorado, it was realized by some people that if you pick the right street corner to beg on you can actually make a fair bit of money and some of the supposed homless are not really homeless but gaming people's sympathy.

 

A thing we've done here in the metro area is to set up what look like parking meters that are actually donations to charitable organizations that help the homless and encourage people to put their money there and not into the hands of a panhandler (beggar).

 

I given up to twenty dollars as a handout to some one before, but more often than not I am pissed off by panhandlers.

 

Don't get me wrong, I really do care about the less fortunate and have given volunteer hours down at the local rescue mission, but all my time around the homless has only made me less likely to want to give them money.

 

Besides, this day in age, I rarely have cash on me as opposed to having a wallet of cards.

 

As far a race goes, they're usually white, black or native american. I figure its not high with the hispanics cause if you were illegal and without a job you wouldn't want stay around too long and with a few exceptions the asian community seems to keep fairly close family networks.

[tmp0620]

The parking meter thing is a great idea. Those should be scattered throughout most major cities.

[CaptainPlanet]

I was reading that in some places in the USA it is actually more profitable to beg on the street than to work for minimum wage. Especially once you take into account the expense of getting to work.

 

That is a bit of a lolzer.

[tmp0620]

^ It might be a good idea for me to look into that pretty soon.

[TENNFOLD1974]

I'm from Nashville TN.In my area most of the street people are either alcoholics or drug addicts,some(but not many)are ones with just mental problems.I don't like to give cash,but if the person or persons say they are hungry I try to purchase or give them food(out of my own lunch)that way if they refuse to accept the food that means their whole intentions were to obtain money from you then go purchase drugs or alcohol.God says to help the poor and suffering but I refuse to contribute to someones poor habits.I would say the majority(not all)of people have put themselves on the street.I care deeply for the needy,its the ones that don't wanna get off their * * * * and get a job is the ones I do not care for.

[livinginsbi]

I would have to say in general, no. Most of the ones I see are at the mall and I can't help but wonder if they have ever tried to get a job, especially since 65% of the stores have help wanted signs? And these are some of the best dressed beggars I've seen.

 

Another place that makes me wonder .... there is usually a guy standing at this particular intersection (usually on the weekend). The thing is this intersection is like in BFE, no bus service or public transpo goes near the place and also happens to be in a quite affluent area. I often wonder how he gets there, he is also pretty well dressed.

 

One time a lady came knocking on my door, crying saying that she needed to 'scrape some money together' to go to some location I don't remember, because her grandchild was dying. She was willing to give me how many ever cd's I wanted (she had like 10 in her hand). I rarely have cash, but I did have a ten, so I gave it to her and told her to keep her cd's. I still wonder about that one, as she drove off in her 30K SUV.

[livinginsbi]

While this isn't begging, I was also very surprised when I was sitting at a pizza hut in New Mexico and about 15 teen age boys came in and started going to each table to sell candles to support their outreach group. This is unheard of where I'm from, they would have been kicked out of the pizza hut in my neighborhood. I was very uncomfortable with the invasion of my personal space.

 

I did buy two candles from him, mostly because this boy was so sweet and charming, I coudn't say no. The candles were nice too.

[Snoopy24]

No way.

 

I live on long Island, and there aren't many homeless people. I think the very few times I came accross one I gave them food. Because I know in most cases they will use any money for dugs or alcohol.

 

I live about 30 minutes of Manhattan though..and that is a different story. Homeless people EVERYWHERE. I just walk past them. I don't even look at them.

[itsallgrand]

I used to, and do so very rarely now.

 

Lucy, I can understand why you might feel mixed about the exchange you mentioned. It sounds like you felt bullied into giving; so that tends to take the good feeling out of it for a person.

 

It's happened to me before, and I had felt embarrassed and slightly manipulated that I would allow it.

 

I've also given out of guilt before too, and that wasn't a good feeling either.

 

So now I try to focus on better ways to help, give, support, whathaveyou.

[Portage]

I used to years ago but now i refuse. I worked in the rougher end of town and was constantly approached by the homeless. I gave a couple of bucks to a homeless man in a wheel chair. He looked at it, looked back up at me with a frown, and had the nerve to say "If you give me another buck i could get a hot meal at the Salvation Army a couple blocks up" Pleasssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

Here i am, working my ass off and it wasn't enough. That was the icing on the cake. I'll contribute canned goods and other forms of charity, but i will no longer hand out money.

 

I prefer volunteering at the animal shelter. Unconditional love.

[itsallgrand]

^ In regards to working your ass off...

 

One time when a particular person had tried to guilt or bully me into giving, and not leave me alone, for whatever reason I started telling her about what I did for a living...

 

My job was not at all glamorous, and she was perfectly capable of doing it herself too..

 

I was a better candidate for charity than her at that time, yet here she was begging and I was trying to hit the next bus to go an hour away for a job that involved listening to a lady scream all day long...

 

Talk about perspective! We had about the same and yet she chose one way and me another.

 

Anyways, that's one of the experiences that truly turned my head as to not giving money or bus passes or even my food or mittens to folk anymore!

 

Start to get to know em a bit, then decide if you are going to give. That'd be my advice. Some people do need and others just want.

[CallingAllAngels]

I don't. Because it's usually for drug money.

 

Not to sound unkind, but people where I live "stake out" the same corner with the same sign week after week after week: "Will work for food" I guarantee you if you asked them to come to some work around your yard for that $20 they are looking for, they would be appauled. (NOT that anyone would want to bring a stranger home)

 

But I see the same people at the same corner every week. And they look "fine" to me.

 

Last week, when Stamber and I were out for dinner, we were approached by a man with another scam...it went like this:

 

"My wife and baby are in the car...I need a jump...do you have $3 so I can give it to the tow truck driver?" I said no. As soon as Stambler (being more kind hearted than I am) took out his wallet, the price went from "$3 to $8 to $20", with the PROMISE, of course that he would "mail him back the money in the mail" if Stambler would just provide him his address.

 

Trust me...this man was a crack addict, and the only thing he had in his car was probably his dealer waiting for him. Luckily Stambler only gave him the $3.

 

Now...I WILL give to a homeless shelters and things of that nature. I donate to my food pantry and such. But I don't just give money to strangers on the street.

 

Maybe I am jaded, but that's just my opinion on the matter.

 

~Allie

[Portage]

^^ Great point IAG, i even stopped giving to UNICEF during Halloween. I've heard such horror stories regarding the money never making it over to support disaster relief, but lining the pockets of the organization.

 

First hand experience and proof, well then, i have no problems contributing. Esp if you can see effort and determination to succeed. It turns me into mush.

[itsallgrand]

Really? Unicef!

 

After spending some time at the food bank, that is not a place I give to anymore.

 

Organizing to give to a particular family throughout the year? SURE!

 

But I've seen some of those people who abuse food banks, and it makes me ill. I need to know now where time, effort, and generosity goes.

 

Abusing people's generous nature has to be one of the lowest of lows a person can go to. It's sad.

[CaptainPlanet]

Begging = an enterprise.

If wages from job = too low people beg. Or they find other ways of making money.

A fact that traditional economic models tend to conveniently ignore.

Australia had that problem in the 90's where jobs were paying less than or equal to the dole so people just stayed on the dole.

[hers]

I absolutely do not give money to beggars. Atlanta has some overly aggressive panhandlers, and they all give you a sob story of what happened to them. Near where I live, one guy stands at a corner every day holding a sign that says "Have AIDS, please help". He started talking to me at a red light one day and I said "You're not homeless, get away from me" once he asked me for money. He said "No, I ain't homeless, but I gotta make a living like everyone else". As far as I'm concerned, a good bit of them in this town are liars that make me completely unsympathetic for the ones who actually are on hard times through no fault of their own.

 

I used to give food to a guy with one leg when I lived back in Florida. He was always up near the intersection by my house, but I didn't mind giving to him, for obvious reasons. I never gave him money just b/c you don't know waht they do with the money, but food I never had a problem with.

[hers]

 

But I've seen some of those people who abuse food banks, and it makes me ill. I need to know now where time, effort, and generosity goes.

 

Abusing people's generous nature has to be one of the lowest of lows a person can go to. It's sad.

 

My mom was a single mom who got a very generous payment of child support from my dad, and we lived in a house my grandparents owned (ie very little to no rent). My mom had a good job at a very busy restaurant and made very decent money. With all of that, for some reason we were still on food stamps and got stuff from food banks. There's no way we were that poor. I know for a fact, now that I'm older and watch what she's actually putting her money to (drugs and alcohol), I realized that my own mother abused the system as well. I have no sympathy for people like that, even if I am a product of it. It makes me sick as well, especially knowing that I was part of it.

[TheBrokenOne]

I never give them any of my money... my feeling is that I work so hard for every dollar I make so why should I give it to someone that is just going to buy a pack of cigarettes, some marijuana, or alcohol with it? One time I went to MacDonalds, buy a hamburger meal with fries and a coke. Gave it to a beggar and guess what he did when I drove away? THREW IT IN THE BUSHES BEHIND HIM! Ever since then, I have realized the ones around my area aren't interested in food they want us to support their bad habits. Sorry, but I'm not supporting them - I can barely support my self these days!!

 

One time I saw a beggar with a sign saying "Come on man, I need a beer!" I wonder if anyone gave him money for beer...

[Luke Skywalker]

My typical philisophy is I"d rather do a throrough investigation of a person that's begging. For example, I'd ask what exactly does he or she want to do with the money? If they say they need a specific item, and a store is nearby, then I'd go to the store, purchase the item, keep the receipt, and give them the item for free, especially if the item if food or some legimetimate item that they need. Or if it's too inconveniant for me to make purchases for them, and the begging is anomalous, then I may just give them something to get rid of them.

 

Weaknesses of this system:

 

Does not work with professional ladies that are dressed with Muslim clothes that are giving out cards saying they cant speak English, have a daughter next to them, and they have writing on those cards. They have an easy out since they claim they cant speak very good English.

 

Further research indicates this is a scam from other people that I have interviewed saying they put the same lines virtually everyone in some systematic fashion. The food-test doesn't work with them because they can wrack up a large grocery bill (which means you have to keep the receipt since they can always refund the groceries and collect the money back)

 

Other person begging for change have alterted me to a person saying she's not serious and is just scamming people. I gave the beggar a couple of bucks for giving me that tip.

 

This beggar subsequentally asked me to buy bottles of alcohol for him in a store from all the change he collected from other succers who felt sorry for him and collected his money. He gave me something like $ 20-40 - and told me to go to the store and buy alcohol for him. Shock and dumbfounded I complied with his request under condition that he doesn't bother me for change any more, and that I will never give him any change again. We had agreement and I no longer give change to this beggar.

 

- Some people may have took me to a grocery store and racked up bills for over $ 100.00. For example, one lady put a $ 20.00 chicken, and started shoopping around the store saying she needed more items. I freaked out gave her $ 20.00 and ran.

 

Another case, a guy came to me with a liver cancer problem and wanted change for food. I'd normally give him $ 20.00 bills because I felt sorry for him, or that I felt a connection with him and didn't mind helping him out since he waited for me outside my office for help.

 

Other than this, there has been no other recent documented cases that I have to offer here. Most beggar put up signs on the highway or roadway asking for money, but I think it's dangerous. If someone has a specific issue and needs help that's one thing, but to make this out into a daily routine is another thing, and again, if cant do a thorough investigation on a person if he's asking for change outside my car.

[metrogirl]

If I suspect that they were going to drink or do drugs with the money then no. If the person seems just like a poor soul down and out and hungry then I will try to give what I can. More times than not, I will buy them food somewhere.

 

When I was 17 I worked at McDonalds and on the weekends I had to work the drive thru. It was located right next to a Greyhound bus station and I would see these two homeless guys begging for money to eat. So when the drive thru slowed down, I would pack up a bag of food and a couple cups of hot coffee for the two of them to enjoy. Without fail, they were there every weekend to see me. They were actually very pleasant people to talk with and I still wonder about them 20 years later.

[Superfreak]

Absolutely not, and I think anyone that does is a moron. I could understand it if I was in a country with no social safety net at all, but where I live every homeless person has access to food, shelter, clothing and government assistance but they choose not to use any of it. Their is absolutely no reason to be on the street aside from mental disorder and alcoholism around here.

 

I'm a big supporter of welfare and other forms of social assistance and help for lower income people always factors in to my voting decision, but giving to someone on the street is totally moronic around here.