Do you give money to pan handlers?

[WhiteDove]

StJeanneDArc:

Well the question is do you think it’s acceptable to do this even if you’re violating the law?

You’re making a judgement that giving handouts to street people is actually helping them. That’s debatable at best. Many of these people are menacing the public and your contributions enable them to continue their lives of crime and anti-social behavior.

I have to say, I’ve never felt menaced by a beggar. Some of them look funky but I’ve never felt threatened by them.

The thing to do with the more aggressive ones is avoid eye contact. That is the street smarts thing to do. I grew up in Los Angeles and learned a thing or two…

Homeless folk are just like the rest of us. There’s a lot of variety. You can’t paint them all with the same broad brushstroke…

 

[Emery]

When I lived in the US, I would sometimes buy them food and eat with them. Many of them are really very good people. But this was back in high school, when I was pretty lonely.

 

[Maranatha]

Emery:

When I lived in the US, I would sometimes buy them food and eat with them. Many of them are really very good people. But this was back in high school, when I was pretty lonely.

Did any ever explain how they came to this lifestyle?

 

[BLB_Oregon]

kamz:

I’ve never actually encountered a panhandler but I think I would give them some money. Whatsoever you do to the least of my brother, you do unto me

Unfortunately, this includes the question of whether you’d give Our Lord spending money to feed his drug or alcohol habit or (less often) just to avoid the human dignity of making a contribution to society. Giving money and time to “soup kitchens” allows you to have a real interaction with someone who is in need of dignity and human kindness, as much as physical sustenance, allows the kitchen to feed more people with the same money (since they can cook from scratch and purchase in bulk) and makes it less likely that the money will be lost to a thief before it achieves its intended good.

On the other hand, sometimes you use your discretion and decide that the person right in front of you is more likely to be helped than harmed by your alms… in which case, yes, give some money! (Or, if in doubt… if they say they want money for food, give them some actual food and spare them the temptation of using the money on something that will hurt them.)

 

[Lisa_N]

Maranatha:

Did any ever explain how they came to this lifestyle?

Well quite honestly it’s relatively lucrative if you have the right spot and have a good spin. We now have virtually every freeway ramp populated by people holding up signs with some variation “Need work, need food, God bless you” Since I drive the same routes everyday I see the same ones day after day. If people weren’t paying them, they’d move on. One guy has a dog and he moves around between two or three ramps. I’ve actually seen people ‘trade’ as one moves to a ramp and another leaves. Unfortunately along with possibly perpetuating a drug or alcohol problem, our freeway ramps now look like garbage dumps. I saw one was picked up the other day and there were thirteen large trash bags full of McDonald’s cups, cigarette butts, water bottles etc.

It’s not so much that I begrudge the person but rather I feel like any subsidizing of this practice will only lead to more of it. Now we see “sign holders” at the outlets for many shopping centers. Unfortunately the store owners can do nothing because they will just step off the store property onto a public sidewalk if confronted. At that point they have “free speech” rights and cannot be moved.

If we want more of this behavior, then let’s reward it. If not, don’t.

Lisa N

 

[BLB_Oregon]

Lisa N:

It’s not so much that I begrudge the person but rather I feel like any subsidizing of this practice will only lead to more of it.

You’re right. Almsgiving at freeway on-ramps is encouraging a practice that is not safe for either those begging or those giving alms. I wouldn’t make it illegal to beg, but there are certain places where it poses a safety problem. You also have to take into account whether your contribution is more likely to help the person or is just giving them a way to dig deeper into their hole. Being good-hearted isn’t good enough. You need to use some judgement.

 

[BLB_Oregon]

Bobby Jim:

One thing that really annoys me though are the people who come up to you and say “My car’s out of gas a mile away, and I need 10 dollars for gas, plus I need another 10 dollars to rent the can, plus it’s a long walk so I need 10 dollars for a cab”. It’s bad that I’m so cynical, but I’ve heard this enough times that I don’t ever believe it anymore.

This is such an old scam. I’ve asked these guys where they live, and they typically name some place 10 miles away. I’ve told these guys “I don’t know what kind of car you drive, but mine will go a long ways on $1-2 worth of gas. Or better yet… give me the phone number of one of your friends, and I’ll call help for you on my cell phone.” Funny, but no one has ever taken me up on that! Not to mention that 5 gallon plastic gas cans do not cost $10. And a cab! At two in the afternoon, you have time to walk back to whereever your car broke down.

PS Be like the “wise virgins”… don’t forget to keep a few bucks for gas hidden in your car somewhere.

 

[Lisa_N]

BLB_Oregon:

You’re right. Almsgiving at freeway on-ramps is encouraging a practice that is not safe for either those begging or those giving alms. I wouldn’t make it illegal to beg, but there are certain places where it poses a safety problem. You also have to take into account whether your contribution is more likely to help the person or is just giving them a way to dig deeper into their hole. Being good-hearted isn’t good enough. You need to use some judgement.

Ironically when police or other officials requested that some of the ‘sign holders’ or panhandlers move along, they were sued and had to pay large (five figure) judgements. So there really isn’t any legal recourse. I keep thinking maybe the DEQ will hit them with a fine for littering! So far though they are there every day, tossing out their McDonald wrappers and cigarette buts on the side of the road. It really gets disgusting as it piles up.

While I certainly don’t begrudge the poor and support several hot meal programs around town, I suspect most of them are not panhandling for food money. Honestly there are MANY hot meal programs around town. I have a multipage directory to all of the social services in the Portland area and there are meal programs every day of the week. There is a place called “Sisters of the Road” that will give anyone food if they work as a volunteer for an hour or two. You can also buy meal coupons from SOTR to pass out. But I find that as with your experiences of people who ‘run out of gas’ the panhanlders aren’t really looking for a meal, they want cash. Offer them a food coupon or directions to a meal program or shelter and they just laugh.

Lisa N

 

[surfinpure]

There was a time when my husband and I lived in a small town with lots of street people that camped in the underpasses of the highway. We put together a number of plastic bags with nonperishable items and kept them within reach in the cab of our truck so that whenever we happened upon one of these fellows, we could just hold a bag of groceries out the window and say “God bless you.”

I used to laugh and tell my friends, “Remember, God never commanded us to PAY the hungry, just to FEED them!”

 

[BLB_Oregon]

Lisa N:

Ironically when police or other officials requested that some of the ‘sign holders’ or panhandlers move along, they were sued and had to pay large (five figure) judgements. So there really isn’t any legal recourse.

I know, I know. Many of them stand at on-ramps and off-ramps where there is a sidewalk at the first stop sign, so you can’t keep them from standing there or stepping into the crosswalk. But as you say… if you can’t pass a law against it, the only way the practice will die out is if we refuse to reward it.

 

[Loboto-Me]

There was no answer for my real choice. We don’t give money, we give food coupons from fast food restaurants. We also keep an eye open for areas where there is an bundle of belonging (under bridges ect) and put a book of coupons among their belongings.

 

[Robin_L.in_TX]

I am with Loboto-Me ( I love your name!).

I have been toying with the idea of making up envelopes in which I would include a fast food coupon, a prayer, and information from our local homeless service about the services they offer. Though not a shelter, they provide showers, suits and haircuts to any homeless person who is seeking employment, and refer to the nearest shelters. At any rate, getting the homeless there gets them to someone with the resources to actually help them.

I am thinking of providing these at my parish, recommending that they place a coupon for food from a fast food restaurant in it and hand them out. I really believe that it is not right to make myself feel better at the risk of enabling another’s addiction. Enabling them to remain on the streets without seeking to help them is criminal. At least with such a packet, I would be helping them without doing harm to them, their lives, or their salvation.

I liked the idea of keeping the peanut butter sandwiches in the car, but our area doesn’t have enough homeless people to make keeping food in the car feasible.

In Christ’s peace and love,

Robin L. in TX

 

[countrylifer]

I did once. Was told it was for gas, ended up being for cigarettes. Usually, I will go and buy a meal for them.

 

[monkeyman89]

I remeber once when my mom gave change to a panhandler and an hour later we saw him at the liquor store. Ever since, my mom carries canned foods and water bottles in her car to give to them.

 

[RockAndHoops]

I usually give something more useful than money, like food. Or, if they are selling a newspaper (as they did in Oxford and some places around here in the US) I will buy those because it is getting them involved in a job. My former girlfriend even had the idea to give her Subway SubClub cards to them once she had a free meal earned.

 

[wcknight]

I used to on a regular basis, but having heard from social workers that the real homeless rarely panhandle, so now I rarely hand out cash directly.

Plus in a recent incident, we were walking a block away from a soup kitchem, and a panhandle asked for a few bucks so they could get something to eat. They claimed the soup kitchen charged $2 for a meal. We offered to walk him to the soup kitchen and pay their way in. We knew of course that there is no charge and he backed off when we got close.

I give to some charities, I hope that is enough to feed those in real need. I feel sorry for those who have to beg for a living, but I don’t want to help sustain an addiction or supplement someone who really doesn’t need it.

 

[iserve]

The social worker was right, the truly homeless rarely pan handle, they are usually too busy trying to procure some kind of permanent situation. Panhandlers tend to be grifters, especially ones that give you the old “I need money for gas story” This is a scam I saw as a social worker numerous times, and they LOVEd to pull it on rectory secretaries, since they were more naieve than people at charities who hear all the familiar stories. Some of these folks have gotten off with over $50 bucks when they claim they are from out of town and stranded! …If they don’t have a roof over their head, the chances are that they don’t have a car, either. Think about it, it costs beaucoup dough (around Massachusetts anyway) to own a car, pay taxes, insurance, gas and maintenance, etc Sad, but most of the panhandlers I know are feeding drug habits and hoping to scam people. They are well experienced in avoiding the responsibilities that the people they try to scam are subject to, especially those which mean contributing to society.

If I could suggest something much more meaningful, many shelters look for volunteers to talk to homeless folks, mentor them, if you will. There are also many Detox and rehab places where you can try to unravel the endless layers of substance abuse. You may not get too far, but this is a way to get to know the issues they face, and you can certainly get to know what is needed and what is not. Giving money is a panacea in this world of ours, your time and compassion is much more helpful. It opens our eyes to the many things that torment the poor, and helps us to be far more responsible citizens. IMHO, giving money seems to be a way to avoid facing the needs of others, head-on, and giving them the kind of attention they deserve. Too many give money without ever knowing or caring if it is doing any good. I would rather have one volunteer with compassion to any mount of funding, as the* person* willing to have a relationship goes the farthest toward healing, if that is possible.

 

[Nan_S]

The City of Shreveport (Louisiana) banned panhandling in the city limits. Violators are picked up by police and escorted to the city limits, with a very long walk back.

The week that went into effect the local paper carried a long interview with a panhandler. His perspective: “I’ve tried ‘regular’ jobs but I don’t like them. I prefer to fly signs for a living. It’s easier and pays more. Why should I deprive someone the chance to be generous to a stranger (meaning him)?”

It’s difficult to feel sympathetic for a guy like that. What’s even worse is what he writes on the signs he “flies”: “Homeless and hungry, veteran, will work for food. God Bless You.”

I saw another one standing on the Interstate’s westbound off-ramp flying a sign that said “Homeless, broke, going to Atlanta,GA, God Bless”. I’ve always wondered how expected to get a ride to Atlanta at the highway off-ramp headed in the wrong direction.

 

[didymus]

Maranatha:

We are expected to give money to the poor. Does that include giving change to pan handlers?

I’m in the “no, never” category. I don’t drive so I ussually get hit up at bus stops by guys who look perfectly young and healthy:

1.) for cigarets. NO! It’s expensive enough supporting my own addiction.

2.) for change. Again, NO!

3.) Often they try to sell me bus tokens, no doubt supplied to them by Social Services or some other agency. It’s funny, not only do they want face value, they get totally infuriated when I refuse.

Btw, I used to give change but several years ago when I worked in Albany my bus stop was in front of a McDonald’s. When people asked for change and gave me the “I’m hungry” routine I’d offer to take them in McD’s & buy them a meal. They ALWAYS refused – often angrily so. Right around the corner from the McD’s was – guess what – a liquor store.

 

[kristinbk]

I do sometimes. I don’t live in a city but I go to Chicago sometimes and there is a lot of it there. I always end up hearing that country song “What if he’s an angel” in the back of my mind. I think of it this way. Even if they use it for the wrong things at least I made an effort and I sacrificed a bit.