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do you ever give homeless people money?

I used to but the ones I see just hang outside of convenience stores getting money for beer and smokes so if I'm in a good mood I may just pick them up a 40 of beer. Around the holidays I give them a six pack.
 
I like to eye out my homeless before I make any kind of donation. I always do show respect, however. I have a couple of favourites, obvious mental patients, that I make sure to give a dollar or two every time. I feel the good will come back to you in one way or another.
God is watching and making your blessings in heaven ; )
 
I usually give snacks/ bread. Especially in my place where most homeless just spend their money on cigarettes/ drugs.
 
I was in baltimore two weekends ago and this guy held a sign that said something along the lines, "I bet you a $1 you saw this sign." I rolled down my window and gave him not only one dollar, but a few. He was super happy and then I think I also maybe scared him a little because I was wearing black devil horns (left a rave) and had a closed septum piercing (he told me to read up on the meaning of that). Hey, if they want to spend money on drugs then so be it. If they want to spend money on food... then so be it.
 
I used to. But bums have gotten so bad in my city that I just can't anymore. There is literally someone on every corner with a sign asking for money. I get approached in parking lots and now they are even waiting outside banks asking for money.. The majority of them aren't even old and unable.. Just lazy... And it pisses me off when I see them on the corners with signs talking about "parent of 3" or even worse, they have their kids WITH them.. I know people fall on hard times.. But seeing the same people for months using the same excuse makes me angry.. Get a f*ing job and take care of your family.. There are plenty of jobs where I live, so their excuses are invalid.. If you can stand on a corner in the Florida heat then you can stand in a kitchen and flip burgers.. Truth be told, they actually make more an hour than I do panhandling.. That's why they don't stop..
 
If I have, I give. But, for now, those days (days of having) have been gone for about 10 years.
 
my cup is half full, but his is empty....there's a hole in the bucket, dear liza, a hole

 
When I didn't have a car and had to take an early morning bus to the methadone clinic , I would see this older homeless guy going through the trash cans picking out cans to take to the recycle/metal place. This was at like 6-6:15 am. I didn't go every day but the days I went I'd always see him. He was so so skinny, legs were like sticks, same clothes on every time I saw him, pushing his shopping cart with his few possessions in it.

But you know, I respected the fact that he made an effort. Probably how he got his morning fix...get enough cans to take to the recycle place when they opened. He'd never ask for any money either.

So one day I saw him walking up the street really slow like he was in pain ...probably sick...when he walked past me I said "hey I think you dropped this", and handed him a $20 bill. He looked at me, knew I knew he didn't drop it but was giving it to him and looked me in the eye and said "thank you so much".

He walked up the street with a little more energy...

I've been there, on days when I was so dope sick and broke and happened to find money I forgot
I had in a pocket, or someone loaned me a few $, and yeah even though I'm 95% sure the man went and copped....well, it made his day easier.


Anyway, mostly if I have change sometimes I'll give it...sometimes I really don't have it to spare, and I won't give to people who literally demand money as though they're entitled. I think the funniest was one time I had a dope habit and was broke and someone came up to me and started on the "can you spare $2 for the bus" while looking at me with pupils the size of saucers and broke out in a sneezing fit. I said "buddy I'm in the same boat as you sorry". Kind of funny to me at the time--like you are totally targeting the absolute wrong potential donor haha


But I think the reason I wanted to give the can collecting guy $ was just because I saw him all the time and he didn't ask, he just did his collecting ....
 
I usually don't give them money. I feel that giving them money directly just makes them complacent in the fact that people are willing to help them sustain this lifestyle. I would rather give them resources to get back on their feet like a public transit pass so that they can access things like shelters and job programs. Just recently I saw a guy outside of a McDonald's asking for money for food and when I offered to get him some he refused the offer. It made me wonder about the real motive behind asking for the money.
 
I once gave $40 to a homeless person 'cause i was just going to spend that money on getting high. They were one of the few non-addict homeless and he spent it on food.

Usually i just give a dollar.
 
Small town so I don't encounter the homeless much.
Visiting New Orleans recently I would give to street performs but a lot of the "bums" looked like hipster college kids who bought an army jacket at a surplus store. Most had dogs who looked healthy and well fed and wearing rabies tags.
Back when gas was so high I was living in Orlando and a lot of people stood outside gas stations begging for gas money. I would try to help but I was a broke college kid getting two gallons of gas that I paid for with quarters.
 
To women. They face obvious risks. When I have it, to women's abuse shelters and legal groups that defend them.
 
I actually did this morning again here in LB, getting a pack of cigs. The homeless guy saw me carrying change in my hand (two dollars) so I gave it to him. I feel dumb though cuz it was almost automatic, and once again I didn't even get a thank you. Just turned around and walked off.

Oh well. I just hope he doesn't use it to buy a beer. (Buy a sandwich, damn it).
 
I have done but I've connected more when I've given my pack of smokes. I feel bad because I can be kind of a hermit so I leave it to the last minute before I leave for work and I'm literally running all the way. Thankfully it's all downhill until you remember the trek home is all up hill. I dont take the time to chat to some of the homeless in the area any more. Makes me realise what a dick I am.

Maybe I should leave a bit earlier... Always a sound idea.
 
Where I live, we really don't see any. Used to buy Big Issue when in London. Yesterday as I was leaving Barcelona I noticed something nice. Empty sleeping bag in shop doorway, occupant obviously off doing something else somewhere else, someone had dropped off two bottles of Innocent on the sleeping bag.
 
I stopped buying the big issue years ago. Really I think it's all down to time management on my part. But on an honestly selfish level I don't buy any media. I forget the humanity behind the paper. :\
 
yes. whenever possible

and i never give people food, except sometimes in the summer when its a heat wave i give out cash and ill give out water bottles too.
having money is important, it gives a person some autonomy. and i dont give a fuck if they do drugs or drink with it.
 
Nice one love. I think people feel the need to dictate where their money goes or how it's spent. Naw, if you're giving away that money it stops being yours. It becomes the recipients to spend how they wish. Just my two p anyway...
 
withlove said:
yes. whenever possible

and i never give people food, except sometimes in the summer when its a heat wave i give out cash and ill give out water bottles too.
having money is important, it gives a person some autonomy. and i dont give a fuck if they do drugs or drink with it.
Click to expand...

Neither do I (give a fuck what they spend money on) but it's not a question of either/or is it? Giving money. Cool. Giving food. Cool. Asking Big Issue seller where to score smack. Cool. Autonomy comes in many forms.
 
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