Giving to panhandler

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whichwaytogo47

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God did say: for whoever did to the least of me, you did directly to me. Thus charity is supposed to be at the top of our list. But sometimes it’s very hard to tell in the wealthy USA whom is truly needy and who isn’t.


That said, panhandlers do have a 1st Amendment right to panhandle and thus I oppose local ordinances prohibiting it. But should you give to someone. You don’t know if 1) the person is truly needy whether it is for food, shelter, transportation, or even a beer, 2) if you are a co-conspirator enabler in someone’s drug habit (i.e. maybe the family threw the person out of the house), or 3) the person is simply a total fraud who’s not in need at all.
 
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If you’re worried about it, you can always hand them a water bottle and/or a can of soup. That way they have something to eat/drink.
 
Maybe a year ago the Pope said to give to such people and don’t worry what they do with the money.

My expectations are not high about what they’re going to do with the money. I’m more worried about the final judgment when I am judged for what I’ve done and not done.

We are besieged with solicitations for worthy causes and at the least we should consider giving to those homeless shelters and soup kitchen or the other charities. We simply don’t know how much good we are doing when we give.

I haven’t tried to put it into words lately. Maybe it’s this. $5 to $10 to a person like in the photo. More to the mailed solicitations.Consider some lifetime donations to very reputable causes, like Cross Catholic or Aid to the Church in Need.

I gave $20 to a retired guy on a bench in South Bend, IN and he got up and hugged me for the respect. Also, be generous with the blind.

in my childhood I would have dearly appreciated charity when my family income was low. There wasn’t much that came my way, I can tell you. My grandmother sent over a quart of cooked food, very often.
 
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Fauken said:
If you’re worried about it, you can always hand them a water bottle and/or a can of soup. That way they have something to eat/drink.
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🙂 I so agree with this!
otrrl said:
I’m more worried about the final judgment when I am judged for what I’ve done and not done.
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That’s a concern if you don’t have a charitable heart. Disposition is everything. That said, it’s in the hands of the recipient to do what is best to steward that money and not necessary the responsibility of the donor to know or worry about.
 
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i don’t know whether to "give’ to them or not

there are panhandlers in my parish parking lot after Mass; should i give “them” $ or let them rely on “social services” for which i am paying boatloads of property taxes for… ??
 
brian_custer said:
there are panhandlers in my parish parking lot after Mass; should i give “them” $ or let them rely on “social services” for which i am paying boatloads of property taxes for… ??
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I’d refer that to your priest or pastor or deacon for advice. I was actually told not to give to them.
 
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Yes, i was admonished in confession when I confessed that I hadn’t given enough. The priest said so, too, to give to the soup kitchen instead.
 
ps: the “panhandlers” ( i know that is semi-derogatory) DON’T attend the MASS
 
brian_custer said:
that is the same advice i was given by my pastor…
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Sometimes you have to go with your gut. I think my greatest fear is that throwing money at the problem doesn’t necessarily fix it especially if money isn’t the reason why the person’s poor. If it’s mental illness or drug issues, than these need to be treated. If it’s money management, than they need to learn how to handle it. If it is money, than social services should be able to help.

If a parent throws out their kids for using drugs, I don’t want to be the reason why those kids still use drugs. That said, it can be hard to tell if someone is genuinely needy (i.e. out of gas) or when someone is in need of a fix (i.e. cash or when they trade a bus / train fare for drugs).
 
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brian_custer said:
i don’t know whether to "give’ to them or not

there are panhandlers in my parish parking lot after Mass; should i give “them” $ or let them rely on “social services” for which i am paying boatloads of property taxes for… ??
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What harm is there in giving them a water bottle?
 
i don’t know;

it is usually one or two adult females clutching young children ; with hand printed signs saying “my husband left me” , etc, etc…

i feel sorry for them…
 
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brian_custer said:
it is usually one or two two adult females clutching young children ; with hand printed signs saying "my husband left me, etc, etc…
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I definitely feel sorry for them too if they genuinely need help. But there’s also only so much help you can provide. Being able to drop them off at a homeless shelter, to see a social worker, or to go to a food pantry is truly offering help. Some of the worst problems in social services is the inability for welfare assistance to be truly proportionate to an individual’s need - i.e. wish there was not a disincentive to work and that people’s benefits were gradually phased out instead of a magic number that below it you get all the assistance and $1 above the number, nothing.
 
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One time a panhandler asked me if I could get him something from Burger King. He actually was going to give me the money he made that day to help pay for it. When I worked at Walmart, most of the beggars we had were also obviously genuine. They would just stand outside and wait (couldn’t have a sign by store policy), and once they got enough money, they’d run inside to get food.

Where I live now doesn’t have a lot of homeless people, though. However, one of the nearby cities has a terrible homelessness problem. Panhandlers there probably are homeless and in need of money. Unfortunately, many have also become drug addicts, though it’s sort of a chicken-and-egg problem. I don’t carry cash anymore, though, so I can’t really help either way. I do plan on helping if/when I get asked to buy a meal at a fast food place.
 
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i recently bought a male “panhandler” a pack of cigarettes (*$8) (not cheap)

wow, yeah me! i probably did more harm than good…

this is getting messed up

i could use more colorful language…
 
brian_custer said:
i recently bought a male “panhandler” a pack of cigarettes (*$8) (not cheap)
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I actually don’t think you harmed him that much. Yes smoking can cause lung cancer, but you were not perpetuating a cycle. Be easy on yourself. I think it was kind.
brian_custer said:
i could use more colorful language…
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I could do on some of the political posts here, lol.
ZMystiCat said:
I do plan on helping if/when I get asked to buy a meal at a fast food place.
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I think that is an awesome idea.
 
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That’s fantastic. I think to give someone hope and to pray for them and know they exist or that someone cares for them is important.
 
leaving Mass; i don’t “have” a “water bottle”; the beggars want “cash” which i do have

should i give to them ? my pastor says NO; what say you?
 
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