I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kind of guy when it comes to this.

It was an epidemic in Baton Rouge where the same guys would approach me with the same stories of "my car ran out of gas and I'm trying to get home to Alabama to see my kids" type of thing.

Funny how those same guys used the same stories for years...

One guy told me "I'm a drunk and want money to buy alcohol."

I gave him 20 dollars just because he was honest.

I'm struggling financially myself so I pick and choose.

How do y'all react?

I give money to panhandlers if I am in my car. If they come up to me on the street I don't feel safe and so I won't. If they use my loose change to buy alcohol that's their choice. If I can help people I usually will. I know a lady who keeps prepaid resturant giftcards in her purse to give out.

The fellow angrily shot back in a loud voice: "That is such bullsh*t. Everyone nowadays doesn't seem to have change."

I replied calmly, "All I have is a credit card." (also true).

He kept swearing and muttering as we passed each other so I said, "Now, now . . ."

I almost always do not give to panhandlers. It doesn't take the Holy Ghost to pick up on their scam.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2012 09:24PM by steve benson.

I believe there are more effective ways to give and help so I typically choose those.

Aside: In Salt Lake one day I was waiting to meet someone and was watching an intersection. There was a pan-handler who would push the "walk" button over and over to cause it to be red light so that cars would have to stop and hopefully give him money. Also the whole Elizabeth Smart things has soured me to panhandlers.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2012 08:37PM by bc.

With that said - I almost always look them in the eye and say hi. I try to treat them like dignified, equal human beings but I don't feel compelled to give them money.

As a social worker, I was trained to point them to the nearest social service agency. ;-)

I often give cash (which I rarely have.) I give it knowing that they can and most likely will use it for alcohol or drugs.

Other times I tell them that I don't have any cash (which I usually don't) but I have some gum/candy and ask if they like some. They always have.

I thought this was a thread about GC and tithing talks.....

Haha!!

My bro saw a panhandler with an iPhone. The iPhone had a card-reader. You could just swipe your card and make a donation right there.

The beauty of cash is that if I give it away, that's it. If I give somebody my card, how do I know my info is safe?

I listened to a radio special by a guy who runs a midnight mission here in LA. He says that with all the services provided to homeless people, there is no reason to give money to panhandlers. Instead, he suggested that people go to his web site, and print out a flier that had the address and a map to his mission.

I like that idea. He had excellent stats on homelessness in LA, and how they are never at capacity. In his words, never let somebody tell you the mission is full. Give them a flier, and leave the rest up to them.

Some people want to give them money. I have extra money, and I don't claim to not have any money. But I don't give it to panhandlers.

I see the same panhandlers near my downtown office. Once they figured out I don't give them money, they go bother others. They know not to waste time with me. I see people give them money, and they can never get rid of them after that. Of course, there are some who are really not there, and they ask you for change no matter how many times you say no.

T-Bone

That person on the radio was probably talking about his particular part of LA, where there are a number of missions and other services, but in most other places, including other cities in CA, there aren't. Often there is a limit of just a few nights' stay in shelters, and the only one in town could be an hour's bus ride to a very dangerous part of the city. If they've timed out of the limited shelter space available where they are, they often go to better areas to stay because it's safer. And the total cash assistance they can get from social services is something like $150 per month.

Frank Pastore, the host of the show, also went on for a long time about how Andy Bales (urm.org) changed his mind about giving money to the homeless, and giving them directions to a local shelter.

http://www.kkla.com/frankpastore.aspx

Here is the podcast:
http://pastorecentral.com/2012/03/22/frank-pastore-radio-show-20120322-hr-2/

I listened to the podcast, and at about 8 minutes, he goes through discusses why he no longer believes in giving cash to the homeless.

The problem I see is that he says the worst thing to do is give an addict money. He's making it sound like every homeless person is an addict. That's not accurate.

In the end, it's a personal choice. But after hearing this podcast, I felt better about not giving cash to homeless people. Call me selfish, but after being guilted in to giving away 10% of my allowance as a child, and taxed at about 50% of my income as an adult, I am not in the mood to have any more people clamoring for my money, especially those who feel entitled to it.

T-Bone



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2012 03:20AM by T-Bone.

I don't even own one. . . How does a panhandler get the $ to buy an iPhone?? Maybe from the free $ everyone's giving him. . . .

This is funny that this topic came up, because about ten minutes ago my husband and I were approached by a car needing gas money to get home from California to Maryland. My husband looked in the window nonchalantly and saw that they still had a 1/4 tank at least. We directed them to the nearest gas station across the street. They stated that they didn't have money and underestimated the gas prices. If they realky underestimated the prices, then they _way_ underestimated the prices. I said, we have no cash and sent them on their way.

Smiling! 2nd time: A woman approached me in a grocery store parking lot because she needed gas money.Dreadful story with toddlers present. Gave her $20. Watched for her to come out of the grocery store. She Drove right past the store gas tanks. The first time this happened to me in the parking lot of an expensive restaurant. He lost his wallet about 100 miles back. Gave us references we knew to get the money back. Of course we didn't get it back. Two strikes you are out. If it happens again, we will follow you to the gas station and pay for gas after we see the fuel indicator.

My mother always said that if a pack of cigarettes or some booze gave some small comfort to someone who's sleeping on the street, she didn't mind her couple of bucks going toward that.

Knowing how hard it is to get off the streets once one becomes homeless, no matter what the reason, I feel the same, but I don't give if they're pushy or aggressive. I've occasionally bought them some food, like bananas or something, while shopping, if I see them outside a grocery store. It's always been appreciated. I have a friend who collects the small hotel shampoos and soaps when he travels for business, and gives handfuls of them to the homeless. They're always gratefully received.

so I decided to only give to homeless women.

I will buy them a meal or clothes if they want.

I have never given money, but if I see a homeless guy I like, I have been known to buy them a sandwich. I'm kind of in a weird situation where I know which homeless in my area are kind idiots, and which ones are stabbing psychopaths.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2012 10:48PM by forbiddencokedrinker.

I don't think its that weird to know those 'neighbors', they are often part of the community. I used to know all the guys that slept in our apartment garbage bins, I'd give them food and we'd chat when they were more sober and sane.

The predators tend to move around more and you start to learn how to recognize them and stay clear. Actually, I've found the best way to learn who the bad guys are is to ask the pandhandlers you already know or recognize. They learn pretty quick who to avoid.

I just say - S h I t! ... I roll my own cigs and am on Food Stamps, can you kick down? You have a real cigarette? Then I stay and sympathize for abit. Wish them the best and I move on.

but they don't usually approach me ... it is some thing in the eyes. ROFL

It's the kids in Tijuana that I can't resist .. go figure

:)

Years ago I was approached by a pan-handler on State Street and Second South in Salt Lake City. I gave him fifty cents.

A few minutes later I saw him standing in line a Hardees during a "Three Hamburgers for a Buck" sale.

Felt OK about that.

I can and do donate time and money to reputable charities that deal with the needs of the homeless. NEVER give money to anyone on the street to feed an addiction. And there are at least three places within walking distance of my neighborhood to get a meal if they would get off their lazy butt to get there. Overwhelming natives or Metis begging in this city...most could not hold a job if they wanted to as they were born with half a brain due to fetal alcohol syndrome into very disfunctional family situations.

I try to never give money to panhandlers. You can not tell if it's a sham or not.

What I do instead is keep little homeless kits in my car and hand them out. All they are is just a ziploc bag full of travel-sized bottles of shampoo, (alcohol-free) mouthwash, toothpaste, miniature soap, deodorant, green tea bags, and some granola bars.

I think it's only fair--and safer.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2012 12:48AM by liminal state.

I am a sucker for panhandlers. Seeing them just breaks my heart. I always think "There but for the alignment of particles in the universe go I".

I only have cash about 50% of the time, but when I do, I give to every panhandler I see. If I don't have cash, I'm often left in tears that I cannot help.

I carry cat and dog food in my car in case they have pets. I would hate for the animals to go hungry.

On my drive to work at night (about 10pm) I always pass a man setting up his sleeping bag under a building awning. The building owner gave him permission to be there at night. He is trying to find a place to stay dry, but with our cursed never ending Seattle rain, his belongings would inevitably get wet. I have paid for him to get a hotel room on occasion, so he could shower and dry his sleeping bag out. Sometimes I stop by with coffee or a hot meal. I cannot imagine how hard it would be to be homeless in this area, where there is not a dry place to be found 8 months out of the year.

I don't.

I lived in Seattle for five years, at the start of which time I hardly made enough for myself to get by on.
Lived right by the Space Needle, where there are lots of homeless, and got hit up frequently for help.

I couldn't give anything, and when after an apology and refusal, I was met with a verbally abusive backlash a good 50% of the time, well... No, those guys ruined it for the other 50%.
Something about the way I look communicates that my role is to comply, and when I refuse it's like I'm not doing what I'm supposed to and deserve to be told how nasty I am?

After five years living downtown, I moved out of the city core, but got a job as a car courier, which took me back into the city core many times a day.
So then I'm constantly getting hit up by the guys on street intersection corners. And the ones who approach me? Again, half the time I get a lot of shit for even having a job at all. And not complying with their demands. Many of them don't ask, they demand.
What is it about my face that makes the nasty come out? Because I don't see too many others writing about this kind of treatment.


I do not give to panhandlers. And no I don't sneer at them or anything, if that's what you're thinking. I've been in their place, so I don't feel above them or anything. Just wary, now.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2012 09:18AM by WinksWinks.

Wow, WinksWinks, sorry you have such bad experiences. I have never been treated rudely by a panhandler. Maybe because they see 'sucker' written all over my forehead.

I should specify that I don't live in Seattle proper, but rather on the outskirts of Tacoma. Maybe our transients are nicer.

I just say Seattle because people understand about Seattle rain.

I had my bad experiences as a poor college kid.
The first time we were finally celebrating after finals and splurged by going to the Pie. My roomy and I shared a cheese pull-apart, and I ate 1/4, planning on having the other 1/4 for lunch the next day. As we left to walk back to our apartment, we were approached by an older lady saying she was just so hungry. I told her I didn't have any more $, but that my leftovers were untouched and still warm. She took them with a mumbled thanks. When we got to the end of the street I looked back just in time to see her toss it in the trash can.

The next big one was when I had a part-time job near Pioneer Park. My coworker (and fellow student) and I were splurging on lunch and walking down to Wendy's. On the way we passed a guy laying on the grass who asked if we could spare anything. We decided to get him something and drop it off on the way back.
We both ordered off the $1 menu, and ended up sharing a small fry so we could get that guy a burger. When we smilingly handed the bag to him, he took one look inside, said "where are the fries?" and tossed it down. Not a word of thanks.

Now, because of the way I was treated when I tried to help when I had very little of my own, I don't feel bad telling them no. Instead I donate every year to a charity that gives Christmas to the children at the shelters.

Some city I was in they had people who would wash windshields at a stoplight. It was an interesting idea I suppose.

I always yelled and waved them off. It just confused me and I didn't like it so I would start yelling.

The instant response seemed to work ... lol .. Aspergers ftw



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2012 10:18AM by mindlight.

I don't do it. I've been screwed by people I know, why would I give anything to people I don't? I gave a can of spam once to a guy who said he was hungry. He laughed.

I give 'em money pretty much all the time now.

As a TBM I never did because I was worried that I could enable them to do something bad.

...after I left it just became a matter of my own finances. If I have some cash I can spare, I give it to them. Since I carry cash, that means I almost always give panhandlers money.

They can do whatever they want with it.
If it ends up helping someone: awesome.
If not, no big deal... it was spare cash.

If you believe South Park though, I'm going to cause a panhandling epidemic here in Utah valley, because they will all flock to beg off of my spare change.

I work with the homeless in a major metro area. My work employs several former clients, from basic gopher/labor jobs to executive positions - even one of our board members was a homeless prostitute and addict for over a decade before she went through our program, got on track, and ended up getting her master's degree in social work.

Working here has definitely given me a different perspective on homeless people. It's also given me a sort of radar for those who will benefit from a hand-up (never a hand-out) and those who will squander it.

Because of this, I never give out cash to panhandlers. I know that my organization is one of hundreds in the area that are constantly doing outreach to the homeless, and trying to get them to come to a shelter and get themselves cleaned up. Many choose not to. We take them basic toiletries and food, but for the most part they have better options than living on the street, and know it, but haven't yet made the choice to change their lives. If they can earn enough panhandling to survive, then why commit to living at a free shelter where there are rules to abide by?

I don't condemn anyone who does give - there is nobility in it. But far too often, it's just giving the person an excuse to not get themselves real, professional help.

I work in downtown SL, there is a homeless guy that hangs around, most of you Utah peeps may have even seen/heard of him. I call him the creepy cello guy. He carries around a battered cello and plays it and sings (very badly). KSL did a news report on him last year I think it was. I REFUSE to give this man money. He lives in a condo for free, has a cell phone, someone bought him a new bike and a new cello. The story about him is that he comes from money, somewhere in Boston, he was a concert cello player but he lost his mind, started doing drugs and has been living on the streets ever since. He refuses help from him family. He just plays his cello. I know the theater in my building lets him hang out and watch movies for free all day. The deli also feeds him all day long for free and people at the theater give him money all the time. I'm convinced that he is just pretending to be homeless and panhandling is really his job. Call me a *itch all you want but I won't give him one red cent! I also will not give money to people who approach me with an attitude. Most of the time I don't have cash on me but if I have extra I will give it if I can. But I am always repectful and apologize. Most homeless people just ask me for smokes though and I won't give those up...they're too freaking expensive!