Who here gives to the homeless? (page 3)

CoonDawg

The homeless often would prefer to use those same monies on such things as alcohol and cigarettes,

I figure, what the hell? That's what I was gonna use it for myself, anyway!

Seriously, though...Since I drive a truck, most hard luck cases assume we are all softies. When I'm at the end of my week, if someone is standing at the freeway exit ramp holding a sign saying that they are homeless and hungry, I'm more than happy to hand them a couple of food items that I always have in the truck. It weed out those who are money whores from those who would genuinely accept help. A can of soup (pop - top, of course...can you imagine the cruelty of giving someone a can of soup with no can opener? That's just MEAN) and a spoon can mean a lot. Also, if I see a young girl at a truckstop trying to bum a ride...I always give what change I can or buy them a burger and urge them not to debase themselves by getting rides in exchange for sexual favors. I had a family member who did that once and I only wish that she hadn't felt the need to venture into that lifestyle to survive.

As one of you mentioned, when someone is asking for money, if I have some loose bills, I'll give them a couple. Two bucks is pretty much my limit...but I don't know their situation and who knows? maybe that two bucks will make a difference for them.

"I was gonna give a homeless guy some money, but he didn't have change for a $10." -- Comedian Craig Shoemaker

buffalosrfree

My wife and I give to them almost daily, the indigent and the homeless. In fact today we took 50lbs of rice a couple of cans of stew, and 6 cans of spam to a couple whio had almost nothing. They have kids and I didn't want them to go hungry.

HappyDad

I make several trips a year to visit my daughter in Florida. (where I am now)

When I was here on one of my visits, I drove to the local WalMart and there was a guy sitting out on the corner of the main road and the entrance to WM. He was in his late 40's or early 50's and was sitting there with his duffel bag, wiping his eyes and I could tell that he was crying. The carboard sign he had said something like "Lost my job, lost my home, lost my family. Please help."

Now I don't usually come across homeless people and the few times I did, I would not give them anything because of the perception I had of them. But there were a few I did give something to. This guy was on my mind the whole time I was in WM and I could not put a finger on why I felt for him, but when I was leaving a half hour later, he was still there.

I caught the red light right near him and I was compelled to pull out my wallet and call him over. I gave him $20.00 and told him that I hope things get better for him. Crazy thing is that the tears were rolling down my cheek by this time. When he told me "God Bless You", that was all I needed to know that I hopefully did something good.

If he was a fraud, it is on him. But for some reason, I feel he was genuine.

My later life has been good, but some years ago I knew what it is like to not have a job and not know how I was going to feed my family. The emotional anguish is too much! There are some on this forum who also know this feeling of being cash strapped and almost homeless. I can only hope that this guy is doing better today. How many of us are just one or two paychecks away from being homeless?

HappyDad

sonnyboy

I'll give them some change every now and then. I often wonder what they're going to buy with it though...

The only time I see homeless people is when I venture into the city.

lola28

When I was younger my mom and I went through some very hard times, during the 1994 earthquake we lost our home and had no place to go. I was only about nine or ten and still remember what it feels like to not know where you will be spending the night. It wasn't that my mom was lazy or a drug addict or anything like that but she just could not make due with the funds she had. Everytime I see a homeless person I remember that I too was in that situation, you have no idea how much some people helped us it was the kindness of strangers that helped us make it and I will always be greatful to those that provided us with their homes and food.

A few years ago when my sister was about five we began to notice that we where running out of food really fast, it seems like we had to go to the grocery every other day well one day we where out side playing baseball and see a homeless man go by, my sister called him and he came over to say hello to her, she then intruduced him to us as her "friend". Well we figured out why we had to go to the store more often, my sister had been giving food to this man for several weeks when she saw him behind our building looking for soda cans to recycle. Sure maybe this was not the safest thing for a five year old to do and my mom told her so but my sister insisted that we give her friend some food. We did so for aout two more months and then one day he just did not show up anymore. We never saw him again.

A while back we had gone to a doctors appointment and stoped at a Del Taco to get something to eat, a few tables away was a homeless man, he was just sitting there drinking some water, he got up and asked my mother for some change to buy coffe my mother told him she didn't have change but that she would get him his coffe, she went up and ordered our food she also got the man his coffee and some lunch and gave him the change she got back after paying, my mos frinde who was with us asked my mom why she had given the "bum" money he said that this man was probably a drug user who didn't want to work. My mom looked at her friend and said " Maybe he is but I don't know that for certain, I can't sit here and eat while there is some one in the same room thats hungry". Thats what I always carry with me, I don't know what other people are going through and I have no right to judge any one. I know that we had hard times and made it because some one helped us instead of judging our situation.

lola (of the gives chage to homeless people class)

shera

I will give to them when my pocket can let some spare money go. I do prefer to give them food tho,because you know at times it can go towards unhealthy crap.

Just have to watch some of em..lol They make a good living of begging all day!

I remeber being in toronto a few yrs back,there is alot of homeless there and my heart was just aching for many of them! What sad situations many people get themselves into. I think I must have handed out about 30 bucks in one day.

Gill

If someone's begging in the street I always give them the benefit of the doubt and hand over some cash!

We donate regularly to Oxfam by direct debit from our bank every month and they also get the tax back on the money.

If someone asks, we give.

It was the same when we were JWs.

The only people we NEVER gave to was any religion, including the WTBTS. We knew they were very wealthy and didn't need the money. When literature became free, (in theory) we NEVER contributed towards it.

roybatty

I do more often then not. My kids and I pulled into a truckstop on our way to Wisconsin and there was a dude there with a sign, asking for money. I gave him a few bucks. Yeah, he might have used it to buy beer but he might also use it to buy food. IMO either way the guy looked in bad shape so what is it to me to give him something that might make him happy for a little bit.

whyamihere

I do.

I do not insult them with spare change nor do I give them cash so they can buy something they shouldn't use such as drugs or drinking etc. I give them something useful. Blankets, extra warm items for cold winters or food.

Last time I was in Chicago I saw a guy who had a sign that said "I am just hungry"...It made me feel bad. I had all these shopping bags staying in a very nice hotel. I felt sad. I know I work hard for what I have but I felt a little guilty. I also thought that in life things that I have are just things and it all could be taken away. So I went down to the bakery that was near by and I got alot of muffins. I did not do the give and run thing. I sat down and ate with him. He didn't say much but I got him to smile. I just said I hate to eat alone and I asked him if he would eat with me. I got alot of stares from others. I didn't care. I was doing something good for someone and not ignoring a human in need. For what ever reason they are in the situation I don't care they are still humans with feelings.

Brooke

Fangorn

I regularly give money to two charities that have particular meaning to me. I do not give money to grifters with their hands out. Almost all of these people are scam artists, some of them are aggressive and dangerous. For the truly homeless there are plenty of agencies that will help them.

Who here gives to the homeless?

Share this