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

[JW55]

We have had a drop in the number of vietnam vets in their 30s over the past decade

Yes, we have that too. Amazing the number of 30 to 40 year old Vietnam vets we still have out there. The last American soldiers left Vietnam in 1973 and there were some involved in the removal of individuals from the rooftop of the American Embassy in 1975 when Saigon fell, so this indeed was quite amazing how these individuals look so youthful after events that ended 40-45 yrs ago. Rather miraculous you might say.

 

[signit]

So you have no compassion to help anybody at all?

Good question.

Of course I have compassion.

But the situation is different in the 21st century U.S. than it was in Biblical times.

I’m not going to have a poor person coming to me at my tent in the middle of the night begging for food.

Today we have a social safety net for people in need. If you don’t have food, don’t have housing, don’t have clothing, there are programs for you. I pay and you pay for these programs through our tax dollars. I don’t have a problem paying that.

I recognize that by not giving money I might not help the one person in a hundred who is truly needy and has somehow “slipped through the cracks,” but that’s the way it has to be, based on my prior experience. I will not forget, when I was in a precarious financial position myself, giving money to two men with a sob story, and then seeing them buy alcohol with it. I won’t do that again.

 

[Fuerza]

My wife and I carry around cereal bars or granola bars to hand out when we come across beggars, as we prefer not to give money. Public begging, or panhandling, is actually illegal in my area though since it very often creates dangerous traffic situations. When I am called to respond to a panhandler when I am working, I typically try to direct them to a food pantry (although under our local ordinance panhandlers can be arrested, especially if they have received multiple warnings). As I’m sure any police officer can tell you, though, not every beggar is legitimate. We actually have a woman in our area who used to park her new Mercedes in the Target lot and go beg for money at the bus stop, often claiming to need food for her newborn (she was in her sixties). Needless to say, she did not have a newborn and was not homeless. She just preferred to spend a few hours asking for money to actually getting a job.

 

[ConstantLearner]

I don’t give them anything because they usually use it for cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol. I want no part of those things. They tend to congregate downtown, in front of our court buildings. If they are thirsty, we have plenty of public water fountains, and they no doubt qualify for food stamps. I am not unsympathetic to them at all, there is just a limit to what I can do. I donate to food pantries and volunteer at a homeless shelter. But give money to beggars, no, I don’t do that. I don’t carry any money anyway, just credit cards.

 

[otrrl]

I’ve been giving money to one disheveled guy who appears to be almost self destructive, the way he neglects himself. He hangs around the local Salvation Army church which is two blocks from the rescue mission. I think he turns down help from them, rejecting the most minimal supervision that they may attach to their aid.

I’m switching to donating to my parish’s St Vincent DePaul collection, which accepts donations of food or money. We have a local migrant ministry as well, which I think is very worthwhile. My conscience bothers me when I’m hiding out in my air-conditioned home watching netflix on my widescreen tv.

 

[ConstantLearner]

Today we have a social safety net for people in need. If you don’t have food, don’t have housing, don’t have clothing, there are programs for you. I pay and you pay for these programs through our tax dollars. I don’t have a problem paying that.

I have to say, the programs aren’t very good. Would you like to live that way? I wouldn’t. Most of the homeless can get adequate food, but there is not enough clothing to go around, and people who apply for low cost housing often have to wait for years. Too many doctors and almost all dentists are refusing to accept Medicaid. I don’t give money to beggars, either, but the programs we have in place now are not fulfilling the needs of the homeless. We need to do more, but I don’t believe giving to beggars is the answer.

 

[Rozellelily]

I agree.
I was more referring to homeless with mental illnesses,not homeless with substance abuse issues.

 

[EvangelistVictor]

Just because you had a bad experience doesn’t mean you still shouldn’t help. Again, God might be testing your faith with an Angel in the fear future.

 

[TheLittleLady]

While I’m at that, in discussions with a friend who actually is a social worker . . . if you see someone claiming to be a vet, he’s either a fraud, or you’re about the first one who has seen him. He has a number to call, and I assume that’s true in other cities, which gets near instant help for actual vets. Even without that, I have the cell numbers for a couple of guys in veterans organizations who would, well, not deploy a swat team, but actually get a vet where he needed to be.

This, this. The toll free number works anywhere in the US.

 

[PetraG]

There is a lot of overlap between mental health issues and drug issues, both because people use drugs to self-medicate social difficulty and inner pain and confusion–so many people say that they finally “at ease” the first time the used–because of the psychological damage done by addiction and all the interpersonal conflict it causes.

People rarely solve their problems just by getting money given to them, but especially not addicts and the mentally ill. Even those who really lack only money and the means to make it need help getting onto disability. This isn’t the first century. People still need human contact, though.

I have heard some say that one of the worst parts of being homeless is that no one looks at you the same. They either won’t look at you or they stare like you are a zoo animal with no humanity.

 

[PetraG]

I would often offer food and they just want money, which is a sign that they are looking for money to buy drugs.

If I were an addict, I’d do the same thing and feel the same way. Once I got clean and sober, I’d be thankful that people didn’t give me enough money to get all the drugs I needed to kill myself before I straightened out.

I think we have to think about this from the standpoint of: If I were an addict right now, what would I need? Not what would I want, not what would keep me from getting angry, but what would really be in my best interest?

 

[Zaccheus]

So you have no compassion to help anybody at all?

I have been lied to and taken advantage of. It happens. There are two or three panhandlers I won’t listen to any more.
That of course is not a reason to refuse help to everybody. It may be a reason to give help in a different way, such as giving to organized charities.

 

[AdamP88]

I think we have to think about this from the standpoint of: If I were an addict right now, what would I need? Not what would I want , not what would keep me from getting angry, but what would really be in my best interest?

Yeah. Exactly.

And there are some who will come up and ask you to give them money for drugs/booze straight out.
I had one woman approach my wife in a chapel in Dublin and just say “please would you buy me a few cans?”

I did wonder whether the better thing would have been to just buy her drink. But really that wouldn’t have helped her ultimately.

 

[PetraG]

Yeah. Exactly.

And there are some who will come up and ask you to give them money for drugs/booze straight out.
I had one woman approach my wife in a chapel in Dublin and just say “please would you buy me a few cans?”

I did wonder whether the better thing would have been to just buy her drink. But really that wouldn’t have helped her ultimately.

I have often thought I should take the time to answer, “No, but I can buy us both a cola and give you someone to talk to for an hour, if you like.” I have not done that, but it is probably what someone alone on the streets could use. If they don’t want that, well, in their place surely as an addict there would be some time when I wasn’t ready to give up obsessing about that substance long enough to connect with people again. Another time, maybe.

 

[CelticWarlord]

I have felt moved to do so on a couple of occasions but no more than that.

 

[otrrl]

I’m reading Proverbs and I just read a verse – The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD.

I suppose all sinners, all of us, are wicked. I have mixed feelings about giving to homeless people in my home town. There’s a Salvation Army nearby and a rescue mission. The man who I have given to in the past is very dirty – doesn’t seem to have the sense to wash his hands. I see that other people have given him food. But, instead of using the trash receptacle 30 feet away, he throws the debris, like a pizza box, on the ground in front of him. I feel guilty for passing him by, but the man seems to be doing nothing for himself. I can’t understand his point of view.

He hangs around the chapel that is supposed to be dedicated for Eucharistic adoration. That could be a problem in two ways. For one thing, he knows my car.

 

[toddy]

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

cheap military P38 can opener.

 

[toddy]

They are misfortune. Many are nice. They look like HOLOCUST victims after 4 years on the street, just bones! Some of them live in tunnels under ground like animals.

 

[causer00000]

I have on occasion usually when it’s safe to do so and I wouldn’t have to run across a busy intersection. What has surprised me lately is the amount of women standing out there. There was even a time when I saw and woman and child. I couldn’t help but to think, Jesus and Mary. Heartbreaking to see this.

 

[toddy]

They have plenty clothes, but not enough nutrition foods if they live on the streets. Church gave them free meals, but often not in the weekend, holidays. So help them days without meals services. Whatever sin they had, run away, addiction, etc. some of them looks like holocust Jews after 4 years, just bones.

No longer have time with Vincent de Paul, or go through charity of foods pantries system, just cook meals fast, and race my bike around to deliver meals for them, and give rosaries or Divine Mercy cards.

Occasionally I must ask neighbors from 7 Days church for cooking meals.

If they starve, women can sell sex, men can commit other sins; etc.