Homeless people/beggars

[ccmcmg]

How do you handle homeless people or others who ask you for help or money?
…
Yet i feel guilty.
How do you handle beggars or homeless individuals? Do you feel we should help them directly? If so, how do you decide when to help someone and when to say no?

Luke 6:30, Jesus says, “Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.”
Now, I don’t give to every single person who asks of me, particularly family, but I sometimes give. May God forgive us for the times we don’t give.

I remember reading an article written by a previously homeless man. He said that one of the hardest parts was that people didn’t treat you like a person. They ignored him or gave dirty looks if any.

If I have nothing to give, I try to at least make eye contact and smile, and wish them a nice day.

I have found that through many years of experience with encountering the homeless, the Holy Spirit seems to direct me to give to certain people, while other I do not have a desire or urge to give to at that time. I always listen for the Spirit to give me direction concerning this.

I’m like many; I don’t give to others as much as I should. I let the Spirit guide me. Once I give someone money, I put out of my mind whether or not that was the right thing to do. I did it, and what is done now is out of my hands.

I usually prefer, if someone asks for lunch money, to buy them lunch directly. (forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=796122) But I have given at the off ramps, or on the sidewalk, occasionally. I’ve also given rides on deserted highways, but that was many years ago when I last did that. (I ended up, late at night, on a country highway with a large family, speaking a foreign language in my van!)

I’m sure I’ve given to scam artists, but if one person has been helped, then we have served a just cause.

 

[Deus_tecum]

I guess it is ok to give willy nilly to beggars whenever they ask if the primary goal is to ease your own conscience. I saw a documentary on street children in eastern Europe, and the money they got from begging was used to buy paint so they could breath the fumes to get high. “Who can blame them?” one might say. “The paint high eases their hunger pangs and helps them feel good.” Well, it also causes permanent brain damage and long term disability. In addition many of the kids refused to get any organized help including a place to live because they would have to give up their paint sniffing habit.

It’s quite easy to give a few dollars and just walk away feeling charitable, and simply ignore that you assisted in the maintenance of a negative self destructive lifestyle.

 

[Eric_Hyom]

My job is to help people. End of story. It is not my job to judge their sincerity, worthiness, or anything else. I live in a city with a large homeless population. Yes, many of them use drugsand alcohol. But when I’m asked for help I give it however I can. If I am leaving the grocery store I’ll give them some food. If I’m in my car with no food I’ll give them cash. If I only have a debit card on me I’ll pop in somewhere to grab them a meal.

Sure, I have no doubt that sometimes I’m taken advantage of. But there are times I’m not, and helping people makes it worth it. Especially since what I’m giving is so inconsequential to me but can make a huge difference to a homeless person.

To the people who think that it’s best to not give them money, only food, I ask you to look at the homeless as people with dignity, not children. While food is helpful there are things that the homeless really do need money for. Feminine products, painkiller and other medicines, clothes, blankets, etc. It is good to give people a way to meet their basic needs at their own discretion.

We have four homeless people in our small town, and I share your thoughts. I am part of the Street Pastor team, we have found they also need practical help dealing with agencies, we do try and spend time with them.

 

[Rdunbar123]

More good advice,I am going to do this!

Best idea I’ve heard in a while for a common problem

 

[27lw]

This is a tricky problem. I know I see this much more in the my Midwestern city in the last 1-2 years. I NEVER saw people begging at intersections for the first 16 years I lived here. (unlike my Washington state home, where it was quite usual to see people sitting and begging at freeway off-ramps, grocery stores, etc.).
I heard a speaker on Catholic radio say that they make little care packages to give to people with nutritious snacks, etc. to give to people, so they could feed hunger without feeding addictions. Poverty and addiction are complex and inter-related problems, I suspect. I think that long term, the best help we could give would be to volunteer at the mission, or St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, etc. where people are getting complex help with housing, employment, language, job training, etc.
I’ve often thought that the best help we could give is at some kind of Christian job training (teach a man to fish, all that). Maybe there could be some ecumenical group that could somehow reach out to people for this? Although I think the government may have increased efforts at subsidized job training.

 

[J_Peterson]

Luke 6:30, Jesus says, “Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.”

Now, I don’t give to every single person who asks of me, particularly family, but I sometimes give. May God forgive us for the times we don’t give.

I tried doing that last Advent. I carried a stack of one dollar bills and would give at least one to everyone who was asking. It became difficult and and a bit expensive. Chistmas bills caused me to stop the practice. Now I’m back to giving selectively.

I think prudence plays a big part in giving directly to the needy. What’s that quote? Let your alms sweat in your hand until you know who to give it to. Something like that anyway.

 

[Robert_Sock]

We must help the homeless! I do it by donating through a church that is involved with a team of people to provide food for the homeless. I seldom provide money directly to the homeless people. I also pray for them, which may be the most useful of all things.

 

[CrossBro]

When I lived in Sacramento and went downtown a lot I would always bring 1 dollar bills and keep them out of my wallet. This way if someone asked I would not pull my wallet out just to have them punch me in the face and take it and run. Just pulled out a single bill, don’t ever pull out a wallet !

But your situation is different being in an office.

In your situation I would have a card or flier of where the local soup kitchens are and have that handy to hand out instead.

 

[JanetF]

I don’t often carry cash, so I usually offer to buy them food, but I have to admit, I don’t get approached very often at all. Usually it’s when I’m at work, and walking to get lunch somewhere. Only one person has ever taken me up on the offer and we walked about a block to Panera together, had an interesting conversation about our children.

I think we should try to give if at all possible, whether the gift is money, food, or a blanket doesn’t really matter. What they do with what they are given is out of our control.

 

[CrossBro]

I don’t often carry cash, so I usually offer to buy them food, but I have to admit, I don’t get approached very often at all. Usually it’s when I’m at work, and walking to get lunch somewhere. Only one person has ever taken me up on the offer and we walked about a block to Panera together, had an interesting conversation about our children.

I think we should try to give if at all possible, whether the gift is money, food, or a blanket doesn’t really matter. What they do with what they are given is out of our control.

I absolutely agree with on the later part, Janet.

I once was coming back from college on a regional transit train and this guy was on there who had just gotten out of jail. He said he was going to have to hitchhike about 80 miles away to another city. Asked someone for a cigarette.

We both got off at the end of the line near the freeway and I went to a nearby 711 and bought a lighter, a pack of cigarettes, a sandwich and a couple of sodas, went back to the onramp where he was thumbing and handed him the bag and left.

Yeah, I bought him cigarettes. He had a long way to go to get back to family and I bet he has never forgotten that a stranger at one time cared even though that was over 20 years ago. Hopefully, he has shared from the example. You just never know.

 

[OliverR]

I give spare change when I can to those I feel won’t spend it on their own personal demons. Obviously I can’t know the outcome of giving but I can use my discretion while trying not to judge the human involved in the hope of not making their situation worse.

TBH the main reason I do it is because the actual act of giving makes it feel like there is a connection there which may help them to know people do still care about them. So in a way the joy it gives me is what I pay them for.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I absolutely agree with on the later part, Janet.

I once was coming back from college on a regional transit train and this guy was on there who had just gotten out of jail. He said he was going to have to hitchhike about 80 miles away to another city. Asked someone for a cigarette.

We both got off at the end of the line near the freeway and I went to a nearby 711 and bought a lighter, a pack of cigarettes, a sandwich and a couple of sodas, went back to the onramp where he was thumbing and handed him the bag and left.

Yeah, I bought him cigarettes. He had a long way to go to get back to family and I bet he has never forgotten that a stranger at one time cared even though that was over 20 years ago. Hopefully, he has shared from the example. You just never know.

Absolutely fabulous story! My God bless you abundantly!

When I worked downtown I kept granola bars in my car and $1 bills to give to the people standing on the ramps. After one bizzare incident, I always gave food to people outside resturants where I had lunch or dinner.

I now live and work in the suburbs where the homeless are hidden and there are very rarely beggars. I have learned that there are people living in tents near where I work so I will be taking them sleeping bags. The winter is supposed to be cold this year.

 

[estesbob]

How do you handle homeless people or others who ask you for help or money?
A middle-aged homeless man wandered into the office where I work the other day. He asked me if there was anything we could hire him to do (there wasn’t). I referred him to the local homeless shelters, and he said he went there everyday to eat but they had no room for him to stay and were not able to help him. He asked me for money. I turned him down, partially because it’s generally not been my practice to give money directly to people, and partially because I think my employer would disapprove if anyone started handing out money to people, especially if “word got out” among the homeless population and others showed up. I told him I would pray for him, which I did, and will continue to. But I can’t shake the feeling of guilt. I felt so sorry for him. I couldn’t help but feel like one of the people in the parable of the Good Samaritan who walks by the man who is hurt on the side of the road.
Yet at the same time, I know that we cannot possibly give money to everyone who asks us, and to my knowledge, the Church does not require this.
I do give money regularly to the Church, I donate food to a food pantry frequently, and I give clothes and other items to charity as well.
Yet i feel guilty.
How do you handle beggars or homeless individuals? Do you feel we should help them directly? If so, how do you decide when to help someone and when to say no?

I usually give the a 20 I don’t care if they are scamming me out not

 

[Newbie2]

When I have money, I buy local fast food gift cards in small amounts to give to those I see in need. I have the peace of mind that the money is going towards a meal, and can give more at ease.

When you get a dirty look from the person that it wasn’t cash, though, it does hurt your faith in people. Can’t trade a giftcard to Del Taco for drugs.

No. But you can sell a $5.00 card for $2.50. There is always a way and those who are insincincere will find it.

Yep, one can trade many things for drugs.

I saw a news story about 20 years ago when we lived near Chicago; there was this guy who dressed up like a homeless person, drove into downtown Chicago, and begged for money. At the end of the day, he went home to the suburbs. According to his estimate, he made…tax free…about $70,000 that year.

Not to say that many people don’t need help. On one hand, you have to be careful not to get yourself beat up or robbed when you pull out your wallet or purse, on the other, how to be generous and charitable? No one answer fits everyone.

I’ve knowingly given money to people that were scamming me, a buck or two each. If they choose to spend it on drugs or booze, that’s their issue, not mine.

 

[hu324b]

I won’t give to aggressive pan-handlers.

 

[Cristiano]

One evening I was on the side chapel of my parish and I was on my knees deep in prayer. At one point a man with no shoes and very dirty clothing walked next to me but I chose to ignore him and to keep praying. After a minute I felt guilty I decided to ask him if he needed help, I just saw him walking into the sacristy, I followed him into the sacristy and once I was in the room he was nowhere to be found, he just disappeared. I felt like a child that disappointed his parents and I wept in sorrow.