When people homeless beg for money on the street corner, how often do you give them money?

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When homeless beg for money on the street corner how often do you give them money?
How does their begging effect you?

Do sometimes you feel ??? Compassion
 
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billge said:
When homeless beg for money on the street corner how often do you give them money?
How does their begging effect you?

Do sometimes you feel ??? Compassion
Click to expand...
I don’t give them money. They could potentially feed a drug or alcohol addiction with it. I instead give them water and a can of soup. Although recently, it’s been so hot, I have two water bottles to distribute.
 
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A young teenager came up to me at a shopping centre on his bike and asked for money. I told him I don’t have enough anyway myself. And its true.
There is no need to feel guilty. Especially if you donate money to charity already.
 
In the US, never. I notice that they are not at any of the bona fide charities. There is a reason for that. The charities do not hand out cash - and for good, prudential reasons. Money cannot help those with drug, alcohol or mental health problems. Only a certified charity with the resources to assist can help them.

We are called to use the virtue of prudence in dealing with such people. IME of 31 years encountering them in an official capacity, I know that many are fakes, alcoholics, drug addicts, sex offenders, but many are also mentally ill. Giving them money helps them to avoid dealing with their difficulties.

Our priest refers those in need to the regional charity coop.
 
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We should not assume that those begging in public are homeless. Appearances can be deceiving.
 
billge said:
When homeless beg for money on the street corner how often do you give them money?
How does their begging effect you?

Do sometimes you feel ??? Compassion
Click to expand...
I don’t give them money if I doubt their authenticity though it is not an easy thing to.

However, I am always drawn into compassion by poverty and impediment, in which case I will give money.

Nobody would want to beg if they can help it, so it is a dilemma whether by giving we encourage their present lifestyle or that they really just cannot help themselves.
 
Yes I find it a dilemma . should I give or should I not?
 
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Some people who beg are part of gangs and have to hand over the received money to a gangmaster.

I had one very scary incident where I gave money and the man began following and shouting to try and get more.

I little wisdom is good here. Giving to organisations can be more effective.
 
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Indeed! The local news tailed one family and found that they had a new mini-van and a split level home. They used the kids as props.

I have yet to see a beggar who is less healthy and more poorly dressed than I am. New shoes, a well-fed dog. Smokes, you name it.

Real charities? You bet! Money sent to Africa so that the dying can have potable water to drink? Absolutely.
 
I try to keep a ten dollar bill in my pocket at all times just in case.
 
That happened to me like last week and I gave him a dollar and the Starbucks employee lady came outside and gave him some water.
 
billge said:
When homeless beg for money on the street corner how often do you give them money?
Click to expand...
Almost never. I support ten different local charities, and the contributions are deducted automatically from my biweekly paycheck. If people are truly in need, they must avail themselves of the help given by these charities. That way, I know the money is going to aid the needy, rather than for drugs or alcohol or something even worse.
 
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billge said:
When homeless beg for money on the street corner how often do you give them money?
How does their begging effect you?

Do sometimes you feel ??? Compassion
Click to expand...
I always feel compassion, but I don’t always give money. I do what the spirit tells me to do. Sometimes I pray, sometimes I give money, sometimes I buy a meal, sometimes I buy groceries or clothing.

You never know what someone else is going through. Those struggling with addictions are in need of compassion and assistance from time to time. I don’t worry about whether that money is used to feed a bad habit. If the spirit tells me to give, I give and I let God handle the rest.
 
I give when I can, which is usually the case. I make a point of having some cash on me for this purpose.

One thing I discovered, is that I can buy low-value gift cards from a local grocery store. That lets me give a panhandler a few dollars worth of food without actually carrying the food around with me. Since the store is local they just have to walk a block or two to get there.

So I keep a little cash on hand and a couple of gift cards.
 
I give when I can to people who seem legit, like if they are old or disabled, I usually will, and also the phone number for Catholic Charities.

There but for the grace of God…
 
We were told to feed and clothe people. We were not told to analyze that person to see if they were mentally healthy, free from addiction, believers and the poorest person on the earth. $1 could give a mentally ill person trying to medicate through an addiction a banana as likely as another hit. People who have money can make money mistakes, people who don’t have money suffer more when they make money mistakes.

I was in college and chose not to give the rest of my lunch to a homeless person when asked. He was holding a box of Cheerios and looking at it like a kid at Christmas time looking at a present. It was a college located in a major city and the general advice I was given to avoid eye contact and conversation, not to give anything cause I may be asked again and again. I left that man feeling like I had been tested by the Lord and failed. I also noticed at the Newman center where I sometimes bought a hot dog that the priests would often welcome in the homeless and get them something to eat.

Jesus asked us to be generous. A former pastor suggested 5/4/1 parish/other/diocese.
 
I don’t carry cash on me. Unfortunately, that can be hard to explain to some people.

If I did, though, I’d probably be out of quickly depending on where I was. I live in a place with very few homeless, but there are places in the area that have a lot of homeless, and I tend to give money if I have some. Yeah, they might be drug addicts, but I’m concerned that questioning it every time would lead to cynicism towards the poor in general, and I don’t want to inadvertently turn someone down who genuinely just fell on hard times.
 
I don’t ever give them money. I give to St. Vincent de Paul as my primary charity.
 
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