Do You Give To Panhandlers?

[JayCeeKy]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Police say a woman was trying to do a kind deed for a homeless man -- but he repaid her by stealing her purse.

 

According to an arrest report, the incident took place just after 12 p.m. on Tuesday at the McDonald's at 4306 Bardstown Road, near S. Watterson Trail.

 

Police say 28-year-old Shawn Mattingly, a homeless man, asked a woman to buy him some food at the McDonald's. The woman, along with one of her elderly family members, went inside with Mattingly and bought him lunch.

 

After Mattingly ate, police say the woman got up from the table and left her purse with her elderly family member.

 

That's when police say Mattingly struck.

 

"While the victim was up from the table, Mr. Mattingly took the purse and fled the location on foot," the arrest report states.

[edjames]

Here in NYC it is a constant struggle and effort to walk down almost any street in Manhattan without being accosted at the bus stop, subway station or street corner. Hundreds of homeless sit on city streets with signs that are bogus and written to illicit funds for situations that do not exist.

The most popular seems to be "Trying to raise $35 for a bus ticket home to attend my mother's/father's funeral." Of course when you walk past a week or two later, the beggar is still there with the same sign, a month later, same sign, same beggar.. You and I know that there never was a funeral and it's long finished by now.

The other common plea is "Kicked out of my home. Trying to find a job." The monies these beggars raise goes to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and other illegal activities. They often have cats or dogs with them to illicit more sympathy. If they can sit on a street corner all day, why can't they find work? There are many agencies and charities that are willing to help and some of these folks are beyond help. Many require mental health care. Laziness and stupidity abound.

The NYPost ran an expose on beggars in NYC a few years back. There was a thin/skinny, African-American woman who used to sit on a piece of cardboard on Fifth Avenue, dressed in nothing but a black garbage bag. She had dirt smeared on her face, hands and legs. Her short hair was sticking up. The NYPost reporter took up surveillance for several days and watched her. Every evening around 7PM, she would get up, walk herself a couple of blocks away and open the trunk of a expensive import car, change her clothes into attractive, clean designer duds, wash her face and hands and drive off! The story made the front pages of the paper.

Another tale is of a older woman who stood on the Fulton St and Broadway asking for small change. I passed her every day. I was shocked when I saw her at an upscale restaurant having Sunday brunch one time!

However, tourists are easy marks and fall prey to this behavior. Believe it or not some of these more savvy beggars can earn hundreds of dollars a day if they are in the right place, hence the overwhelming number at locations like Penn Station, Grand Central Station and Port Authority.

My advice, keep walking. Give your money to a reputable charity that deals with homelessness, or veterans. Write a check and take the tax deduction.

[+ Avalon]

At the grocery store I frequent there is an electric outlet on the outside of the building. And one cold day, this was in the morning, there was a young man wrapped up in an electric blanket sleeping on the ground.

[Guest]

I give generously to local food banks, Feeding America (rated 4* by Charity Navigator) and other such charities. I also volunteer at a free clinic (which treats mostly illegal aliens). But giving directly to beggars on the street is a big mistake. I work (in my regular job) a lot with the homeless. Most of them are either active substance abusers, or psychotics who prefer not to take their medications. If you want to help the homeless, give to the professionals who are trained to help those who want help. Otherwise, you're just promoting aberrant behavior, and, probably unwittingly, contributing to their early death. I see these people who get dilated cardiomyopathies and heart failure at the age of 39. If you want to help these people, there are plenty of reputable charities there to help. Don't promote unhealthy lifestyles.

[Epigonos]

When I give someone something whether a purchased gift or money I believe it is theirs to do with as they wish. I am only concerned with my intention in giving NOT theirs in using. I prefer to buy food or a meal but will occasionally give money.

[Cyd_StVincent]

I worked at a clinic with homeless clients. Yes people sometimes buy drugs - sometimes in the task of staying awake during the night so they don't get raped, beaten up, get their shit stolen because sleeping outdoors is very dangerous for everyone. Against popular train of thought drugs are very rarely the REASON someone is homeless however. Many were kicked out of home as young LGBT people or escaped abusive parenting or fostering, some are adults with low literacy and or mental health conditions that make it difficult to obtain or keep work, others are people who did jail time and because of discrimination are unable to find employment so its either going back to selling drugs or homelessness, and finally sometimes a health issue or a major financial or emotional setback (wrecking your car that you run your business out of, your house burning down, loosing your partner or parent) is what makes people homeless. I think people see the world from their eyes and can't imagine something like that happening to them, but thats because they have a safety net that not every has.

 

I give money to people every day, sometimes if I've had a well paying session I'll give 20 dollars to someone. Yes, obviously I have my preferences and biases of who I give to but I try to do it without judgement of what I think they should buy with it, because they, not I, know what they need to do to survive.

 

Also I would ask - how many people here smoke weed, drink, do cocaine or other drugs, smoke a lot, spend your money on sex workers? What makes your vices sanctified and another persons disgusting? I think we all have a self protective narrative about pulling yourself up from your bootstraps - and the reality is that is a lot harder for some people to do because of the circumstances of their life than others. And a lot of people don't particularly want to be sober while being looked at/talked to/spit on like useless failure every day, can you blame them?

Edited November 16, 2017 by Cyd_StVincent

[+ glutes]

I give generously to local food banks, Feeding America (rated 4* by Charity Navigator) and other such charities.

 

I volunteer at a food bank.

[+ Avalon]

Its illegal in Nevada to give to panhandlers if you are in your car. I almost got a ticket. Was given a warning, and firmly told that Nevada offers many services for the homeless and etc if they want help.

 

More cities and states should do that. Because of "free speech" a person can't be stopped from asking but a law prohibiting giving - I love it!

[+ sniper]

More cities and states should do that. Because of "free speech" a person can't be stopped from asking but a law prohibiting giving - I love it!

The law in that case is about traffic safety. Why the hell shouldn't someone be able to give someone else money if they want to?

[+ Avalon]

The law in that case is about traffic safety. Why the hell shouldn't someone be able to give someone else money if they want to?

 

Because like so many others have said many will use it for drugs and alcohol.

[Gadfly22]

I give generously to local food banks, Feeding America (rated 4* by Charity Navigator) and other such charities. I also volunteer at a free clinic (which treats mostly illegal aliens). But giving directly to beggars on the street is a big mistake. I work (in my regular job) a lot with the homeless. Most of them are either active substance abusers, or psychotics who prefer not to take their medications. If you want to help the homeless, give to the professionals who are trained to help those who want help. Otherwise, you're just promoting aberrant behavior, and, probably unwittingly, contributing to their early death. I see these people who get dilated cardiomyopathies and heart failure at the age of 39. If you want to help these people, there are plenty of reputable charities there to help. Don't promote unhealthy lifestyles.

 

Wish I could agree but I trust my eyes and nose and some of your comments don't pass the sight and smell test. I admire volunteers who work at food banks and food rescue organizations, but I don't even believe that homeless panhandlers are their "target market" to misuse a phrase badly, but rather the working poor so they can have a little more disposable cash in their pockets. Not necessarily a bad thing but to solicit donations by spending large sums of money on crazy advertisements such as having celebrities weep and wail "AMERICA IS STARVING TO DEATH!!!!" is reprehensible in my opinion. If you cant raise money by honestly stating the facts just go do something else.

 

And I don't mean to disparage your career (honestly, I don't know what you do) but in NYC we have a left wing (borderline communist) mayor just re-elected in a landslide who's only idea is to throw even more money at the problem than previous administrations and yet the homeless problem is worse than ever! I believe all these people hired to "reach out" to the homeless are nothing more than political patronage jobs handed out to loyal democrat supporters of hizzoner that do very little to help out these poor people. I am much more comfortable just giving them money out of my own pocket and hope they do the right thing with it. Sorry but that's how I feel.

[Guest]

Also I would ask - how many people here smoke weed, drink, do cocaine or other drugs, smoke a lot, spend your money on sex workers? What makes your vices sanctified and another persons disgusting? I think we all have a self protective narrative about pulling yourself up from your bootstraps - and the reality is that is a lot harder for some people to do because of the circumstances of their life than others. And a lot of people don't particularly want to be sober while being looked at/talked to/spit on like useless failure every day, can you blame them?

Also I would ask - how many people here smoke weed, drink, do cocaine or other drugs, smoke a lot, spend your money on sex workers?

All right, since you ask, no I don't do any of those things, other than spending some money on sex workers, obviously (and some responsible drinking).

What makes your vices sanctified and another persons disgusting?

First of all, I disagree with your premise that enjoying sex is a vice. It's a natural biological function that all mammals enjoy (at least all of the mammals I can think of). Are eating, breathing, and taking dumps vices? Also, I don't think that doing drugs and so on is "disgusting." However, choosing to spend one's money on that over shelter is certainly pretty pathetic. And asking others to pay for the habit--well, maybe that's disgusting, or at least highly objectionable in my mind.

And a lot of people don't particularly want to be sober while being looked at/talked to/spit on like useless failure every day, can you blame them?

Anyone who spits on another person should be arrested for battery. Perhaps the drunk/stoned/high people might consider that the reason others look at them the way they do is because they're drunk/stoned/high. I also don't side with the drunken spouse who wails "I drink because your criticism of my drinking leads me to drink." So yes, I not only can, but do blame them.

[bigvalboy]

I don't give to panhandlers. I think that is "feel good" money. It makes the giver feel good about themselves and does little to really help the recipient....But that's just my opinion, and whether or not I'm correct or not isn't something that I ponder for long. I volunteered for years at shelters and church groups that helped the street kids of Hollywood. Yes there were users and addicts and some that had fallen through the cracks of the mental health system, and yes, some said they were homeless by choice, but I don't honestly believe that anyone really wants to be homeless.

 

I think the streets are worse than they used to be. Drug use is more rampant, more pervasive, and that alone makes street survival more dangerous. Talking with many of these kids, the stories were usually all the same. They had been tossed out of their house somewhere because their parents found out they were gay or they came from toxic households full of mental and physical abuse, were they had become a burden or an inconvenience. Not all the stories were the same of course, but what was the main constant in all the stories, is that they all had headed west, wanting and looking for the same thing most everyone else wants in life.

 

These days I am far removed from that environment, and I prefer to spend my extra time and money at animal shelters, where homelessness was never a choice, and street survival is a death sentence.

[Cyd_StVincent]

Also I would ask - how many people here smoke weed, drink, do cocaine or other drugs, smoke a lot, spend your money on sex workers?

All right, since you ask, no I don't do any of those things, other than spending some money on sex workers, obviously (and some responsible drinking).

What makes your vices sanctified and another persons disgusting?

First of all, I disagree with your premise that enjoying sex is a vice. It's a natural biological function that all mammals enjoy (at least all of the mammals I can think of). Are eating, breathing, and taking dumps vices? Also, I don't think that doing drugs and so on is "disgusting." However, choosing to spend one's money on that over shelter is certainly pretty pathetic. And asking others to pay for the habit--well, maybe that's disgusting, or at least highly objectionable in my mind.

And a lot of people don't particularly want to be sober while being looked at/talked to/spit on like useless failure every day, can you blame them?

Anyone who spits on another person should be arrested for battery. Perhaps the drunk/stoned/high people might consider that the reason others look at them the way they do is because they're drunk/stoned/high. I also don't side with the drunken spouse who wails "I drink because your criticism of my drinking leads me to drink." So yes, I not only can, but do blame them.

 

What I'm saying is that homeless people are already treated as if they are junkies who are trying to live life for free on someone elses dime, regardless of if they use or they are a teetotaler (and yes they do exist) . The life of a homeless person is, as I am sure you know, is more complicated than that. Most people who use substances excessively don't do it for 'fun' they do it to cope, not saying its a healthy strategy but its a strategy, when you are treated like trash from the get go its hard to resist doing something to dull the feeling of being humiliated and so the cycle begins.

 

I'm not invested in getting anyone to give money to homeless people. Its your money - you do what you want with it. But the assumptions that people are making about an experience that nobody seems to have had first hand make me a little sad for what I had seen as a pretty open minded group.

Edited November 17, 2017 by Cyd_StVincent

[marylander1940]

Depends on what he's asking for...

 

 

So many handsome guys begging in Portland (Or) I know a Sean Cody recruiter who offered a job to some of them.

[marylander1940]

And that's why you are loved! I always give money to musicians on the street and as far as others, it just depends on how I feel. On my previous trip to DC, a presumably homeless woman helped me to figure out the Metro card machine, then asked if I could spare a dollar, the smallest bill I had was a $20, so I gave it to her. I especially find that if I'm traveling and doing well financially, than I want to share that blessing with others.

 

You should leave a tip for the maid at your hotel room.

 

One more thing: musicians and artists aren't begging, they're working on the streets.

[+ Avalon]

I was once with friends in Tijuana. There was an old lady sitting on the sidewalk. I went and exchanged US money for Mexican and gave her a few pesos. My friends scolded me; they said that it was racket.

[Gadfly22]

I was once with friends in Tijuana. There was an old lady sitting on the sidewalk. I went and exchanged US money for Mexican and gave her a few pesos. My friends scolded me; they said that it was racket.

 

I was walking down the street near Grand Central Station in NY a couple years back and saw a guy with a sign in a doorway. Don't recall exactly what it was about him that moved me but I really felt bad for him and decided to give him some $$. I went to the bank machine and by the time I returned there was a different guy sitting in the doorway - same sign! Didn't give him the money as I thought this clearly was a racket. Didn't feel bad about it at the time but looking back maybe I should have..........

[+ Avalon]

I was walking down the street near Grand Central Station in NY a couple years back and saw a guy with a sign in a doorway. Don't recall exactly what it was about him that moved me but I really felt bad for him and decided to give him some $$. I went to the bank machine and by the time I returned there was a different guy sitting in the doorway - same sign! Didn't give him the money as I thought this clearly was a racket. Didn't feel bad about it at the time but looking back maybe I should have..........

 

I think you did the right thing in not giving.

[Guest]

I was once with friends in Tijuana. There was an old lady sitting on the sidewalk. I went and exchanged US money for Mexican and gave her a few pesos. My friends scolded me; they said that it was racket.

Not too long ago, one of our local TV stations followed some people who were panhandling on our local BART (local rail) trains. These "beggars" were driving BMW's and Audis, living in fairly well-to-do neighborhoods.

[Guest]

Most people who use substances excessively don't do it for 'fun' they do it to cope, not saying its a healthy strategy but its a strategy, when you are treated like trash from the get go its hard to resist doing something to dull the feeling of being humiliated and so the cycle begins.

I think you may have the timing a bit off. The homeless aren't using substances to cope with the fact that they're homeless and getting dirty looks. In most cases, the substance abuse comes way before. The substance abusers first burn their bridges with all of their friends and relatives because they either steal from them, abuse them, or do other maladaptive behaviors associated with the substance abuse. It's after the substance abuse has caused those who care for them realize that enabling is not helpful, that these people become homeless.

[Frequentflier]

I often see panhandlers with dogs. About one year ago I started buying Petsmart gift cards and I give them out about once every two weeks. Where I usually see panhandlers there is a store about 3 blocks away. I love the reaction I get from the dogs owner and I feel really good afterwards. I buy them in larger dollar amounts in the winter in case the dogs owner wants to buy sweaters, coats or other items to keep their pet warm. Fortunately I've never see a dog with a panhandler that doesn't appear to be well cared for. I can imagine for these people how important their dog is; probably as important to them as mine is to me.

 

I feel a little bad I didn't think of this idea sooner.

[+ GregM]

I often see panhandlers with dogs. About one year ago I started buying Petsmart gift cards and I give them out about once every two weeks. Where I usually see panhandlers there is a store about 3 blocks away. I love the reaction I get from the dogs owner and I feel really good afterwards. I buy them in larger dollar amounts in the winter in case the dogs owner wants to buy sweaters, coats or other items to keep their pet warm. Fortunately I've never see a dog with a panhandler that doesn't appear to be well cared for. I can imagine for these people how important their dog is; probably as important to them as mine is to me.

 

I feel a little bad I didn't think of this idea sooner.

 

When I worked at a grocer as a checker in Seattle so.e homeless with pdogs would beg outside the store. People would buy some pet food give the bag to the person and they'd turn around and try to return it for the cash. We caught on to what was going on and quit refunds for these types of people. Now of course if they wanted to exchange the item for a different brand (pets do have preferences) we would have done this but that never happened.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[samhexum]