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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 6, 2013 12:57:25 GMT -5
I don't know what cheaphole she is living in but here in Philly people giving freely...
I refuse to give to those who are apparently well and have chosen to mooch off of others for a vocation. It's hard to ante up $$ when you see those panhandling smoking (not uncommon around here). If they were in such bad condition, one would think that the $8 that they pay for a package of cigarettes would be much better spent on food, ya think?
And going along with Phoenix's rant on people giving to animal charities, I am more inclined to get them a bag of dog food if they have a dog with them, or hand them my leftovers/sandwich then hand them $$.
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tskeeter
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Post by tskeeter on Dec 6, 2013 13:19:16 GMT -5
There are panhandlers I see on the el multiple times a month but I just ignore them. I think the one is definitely mentally ill, the other has a good "homeless" vet shtick. There are some notorious high-volume panhandling areas in Philly. I do appreciate the musicians in the train and subway concourses. Some of them are there because the accoustics are great for practicing. But you can tell the people who are playing in public for the love of it (the pocket change doesn't hurt!) and the loonies. There is one guy who knows two songs on the trumpet but he is playing down at the sports complex religiously. He's an institution! Sounds like the string trio we heard in the subway tunnel in Paris. Great accoustics = wonderful sound. If we hadn't been on a touristing mission, it would have been fun to stop and listen for a while.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Dec 6, 2013 13:43:16 GMT -5
We have quite a few panhandlers in my city. Sometimes it seems like there is one at every intersection. One of them has some funny signs like "wive has PMS. I need money or will get shot." I'm not so sure the panhandlers here are homeless. Most of the homeless people are hanging around the city park and talking to people who don't exist. I am not even certain they are capable of making signs... Honestly, the people that really bother me are the groups of people walking up and down the streets at a stoplight collecting money for "charity." They really get on my freaking nerves. At least the people holding up signs don't try to get all in your face and give you some spill about needing quarters to help kids on drugs or whatever... the other day they were walking the intersection asking for money to send some kids to a band thing in some other state. I didn't roll down my window and talk to anyone but they stuck a sign up against my window letting me know what it was for. I waved them off and they finally left. I mean, seriously, this is what we do to raise money now... what happened to bake sales, car washes, etc? It seems to be happening more and more and it is becoming extremely annoying. Now the fire fighters with the boots asking for donations - at least they are giving me something good to look at
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tloonya
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Post by tloonya on Dec 6, 2013 14:22:39 GMT -5
I don't know what cheaphole she is living in but here in Philly people giving freely... Not giving money to panhandlers doesn't have a thing to do with being cheap. Of course it does!
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Dec 6, 2013 14:40:04 GMT -5
Not giving money to panhandlers doesn't have a thing to do with being cheap. Of course it does! No, it doesn't. I don't give to panhandlers because I don't want to contribute to their ultimate demise by supporting their addictions and/or bad choices. And while yes, I'm cheap, that's not why I don't give them money.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 6, 2013 14:52:02 GMT -5
Not giving money to panhandlers doesn't have a thing to do with being cheap. Of course it does! No it doesn't. More than likely you are paying for the panhandler's addictions of drugs, alcohol or tobacco. I prefer to give my money to those institutions where the panhandlers can go and get a bed and a meal, not $$.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Dec 6, 2013 14:56:17 GMT -5
I was really torn on a panhandler that had a sign saying she was a homeless pregnant teen. I felt guilty about not stopping. At the same time though a few blocks away from her there is a Pro-life clinic that focuses on the counseling/aid side of things. I believe they even offer temporary housing.
Planned Parenthood is right across the street from the Pro-life clinic (yes it's on purpose) and they could have provided a lot of the information she'd need as well.
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tloonya
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Post by tloonya on Dec 6, 2013 14:56:26 GMT -5
No, it doesn't. I don't give to panhandlers because I don't want to contribute to their ultimate demise by supporting their addictions and/or bad choices. And while yes, I'm cheap, that's not why I don't give them money. I was told ones...if person is begging and you can give - give and don't ask what for and why.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Dec 6, 2013 15:55:09 GMT -5
I was told once... anybody who gives money to addicts and conmen on the streets is a sucker.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Dec 6, 2013 15:56:22 GMT -5
No, it doesn't. I don't give to panhandlers because I don't want to contribute to their ultimate demise by supporting their addictions and/or bad choices. And while yes, I'm cheap, that's not why I don't give them money. I was told ones...if person is begging and you can give - give and don't ask what for and why. Au contraire. My ability to give has nothing to do with the person's necessity to receive.
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milee
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Post by milee on Dec 6, 2013 15:59:57 GMT -5
No, it doesn't. I don't give to panhandlers because I don't want to contribute to their ultimate demise by supporting their addictions and/or bad choices. And while yes, I'm cheap, that's not why I don't give them money. I was told ones...if person is begging and you can give - give and don't ask what for and why. Whoever told you that was either naïve or an idiot. Our community just hired an expert on homelessness to help craft community wide solutions to a growing homeless problem. His studies indicated that of the cash that people give to panhandlers, 93% of it is spent on alcohol, drugs or prostitutes. Why would you voluntarily give to anyone's alcohol/drug/hooker fund?
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Dec 6, 2013 16:05:09 GMT -5
I almost never see anyone give them money, but granted there aren't that many panhandlers around here.But how long do you watch them? There is almost always one off the intersection of I5 where I get off to go home. If I am in a line of cars at the light to turn onto my road, I almost always see someone hand them money, so maybe 1 in 10 cars? If 300 cars go through the intersection in an hour, that could be as much as $30. I don't know what cheaphole she is living in but here in Philly people giving freely... And btw when it is cold out there - we have subway stations etc. where they are cozily 'working' our minds. I am not sure where suburban panhandlers are going in a winter. Oops! There aren't any here, sorry. How are panhandler's "working your minds?"
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justme
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Post by justme on Dec 6, 2013 16:11:55 GMT -5
I was told ones...if person is begging and you can give - give and don't ask what for and why. Whoever told you that was either naïve or an idiot. Our community just hired an expert on homelessness to help craft community wide solutions to a growing homeless problem. His studies indicated that of the cash that people give to panhandlers, 93% of it is spent on alcohol, drugs or prostitutes. Why would you voluntarily give to anyone's alcohol/drug/hooker fund?
Or than panhandler that was asking her for money
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kilroy
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Post by kilroy on Dec 6, 2013 16:14:22 GMT -5
Not giving money to panhandlers doesn't have a thing to do with being cheap. Of course it does! I just have to chime in and agree with others that say, no, it really doesn't. Not giving my hard earned money to someone who chooses to do nothing more productive than stand on a street corner shaking a cup doesn't make me cheap, it makes me smart. Nobody in NYC genuinely has to panhandle for food, so they must need it for something else.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Dec 6, 2013 16:20:51 GMT -5
I find it hilarious that loony will give money to a panhandler but won't give a customer her money back when she accidentally purchases the wrong product
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Dec 6, 2013 16:24:34 GMT -5
We have quite a few panhandlers in my city. Sometimes it seems like there is one at every intersection. One of them has some funny signs like "wive has PMS. I need money or will get shot." I'm not so sure the panhandlers here are homeless. Most of the homeless people are hanging around the city park and talking to people who don't exist. I am not even certain they are capable of making signs... Honestly, the people that really bother me are the groups of people walking up and down the streets at a stoplight collecting money for "charity." They really get on my freaking nerves. At least the people holding up signs don't try to get all in your face and give you some spill about needing quarters to help kids on drugs or whatever... the other day they were walking the intersection asking for money to send some kids to a band thing in some other state. I didn't roll down my window and talk to anyone but they stuck a sign up against my window letting me know what it was for. I waved them off and they finally left. I mean, seriously, this is what we do to raise money now... what happened to bake sales, car washes, etc? It seems to be happening more and more and it is becoming extremely annoying. Now the fire fighters with the boots asking for donations - at least they are giving me something good to look at Well, it's a bit off topic, but I've always been skeptical about any "charity" that collects money for firefighters/police/the military. I've always operated under the assumption that cops/firefighters/the military should have everything they need provided by their employer. If they don't, then the better option would be to put political pressure on those organizations. And don't cops or firefighters wounded on the job get some type of insurance payments? And disabled veterens get money through the VA. Why do we need to donate to these causes?
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Dec 6, 2013 16:27:38 GMT -5
Prostitutes and drug dealers don't take VA checks yo.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Dec 6, 2013 16:28:58 GMT -5
In Chicago (downtown at least) Several of the local sandwich shops as well as a close by Chinese food place advertise that they donate any remaining food at the end of the day to those on the streets. I have seen disposable trays half full of food just dumped on the sidwalk next to a half empty gallon of milk (next to the dirty paper plates and forks just feet from a garbage can) on lower Wacker. Is it always the freshest and most nutritious? No, but it's filling and better than McDonalds.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 6, 2013 16:58:59 GMT -5
And disabled veterens get money through the VA. Why do we need to donate to these causes?
Because the federal government doesn't move real fast, but the need does. It only took my dad 10 years to get his VA disability payments. It's nice that it was retroactive, but he could have used that 5 figure check a long time ago.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2013 17:08:37 GMT -5
In Chicago (downtown at least) Several of the local sandwich shops as well as a close by Chinese food place advertise that they donate any remaining food at the end of the day to those on the streets. I have seen disposable trays half full of food just dumped on the sidwalk next to a half empty gallon of milk (next to the dirty paper plates and forks just feet from a garbage can) on lower Wacker. Is it always the freshest and most nutritious? No, but it's filling and better than McDonalds. This bothers me. Not the gesture but the image of feeding the strays. Like cats or dogs .
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Dec 6, 2013 17:13:54 GMT -5
Some of the folks on the street have about as much going on upstairs as cats and dogs. A lifetime of drug abuse and untreated mental illness will do that to you.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Dec 6, 2013 18:33:09 GMT -5
In Chicago (downtown at least) Several of the local sandwich shops as well as a close by Chinese food place advertise that they donate any remaining food at the end of the day to those on the streets. I have seen disposable trays half full of food just dumped on the sidwalk next to a half empty gallon of milk (next to the dirty paper plates and forks just feet from a garbage can) on lower Wacker. Is it always the freshest and most nutritious? No, but it's filling and better than McDonalds. This bothers me. Not the gesture but the image of feeding the strays. Like cats or dogs . I can see your point. What would you think may be a better alternative?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2013 18:34:42 GMT -5
I don't know.
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tloonya
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Post by tloonya on Dec 7, 2013 7:38:56 GMT -5
Prostitutes and drug dealers don't take VA checks yo. If they didn\t take yours it doesn\t mean it a rule for everybody! Does it? Plus there are different states, counties...
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milee
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Post by milee on Dec 7, 2013 7:48:02 GMT -5
In Chicago (downtown at least) Several of the local sandwich shops as well as a close by Chinese food place advertise that they donate any remaining food at the end of the day to those on the streets. I have seen disposable trays half full of food just dumped on the sidwalk next to a half empty gallon of milk (next to the dirty paper plates and forks just feet from a garbage can) on lower Wacker. Is it always the freshest and most nutritious? No, but it's filling and better than McDonalds. This bothers me. Not the gesture but the image of feeding the strays. Like cats or dogs . That homelessness expert I mentioned in the prior post also recommended that "street feeding" like that is not helpful. Variety of reasons - creates dependency on resources that aren't always reliable, creates dangerous areas in neighborhoods, exposes homeless people to food that can be contaminated and also helps the homeless people avoid going to the shelters where they can get services like job training, mental health counseling, etc. His overall goal is to have several well-located shelters that have all the needed services on-site. So anybody who is homeless or hungry can always get food and shelter at a place where they can also get other needed services.
It will be interesting to see if the community has the guts and money to implement his recommendations.
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econstudent
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Post by econstudent on Dec 7, 2013 21:39:51 GMT -5
No, it doesn't. I don't give to panhandlers because I don't want to contribute to their ultimate demise by supporting their addictions and/or bad choices. And while yes, I'm cheap, that's not why I don't give them money. For me, it's a safety issue too. I work in a small downtown and I see the same people every day asking for money. If I start giving me money are they really going to leave me alone tomorrow? Plus, I don't keep my money in my pocket, and there's no way I'm going to stop, open my backpack and pull out my wallet just to give them a dollar. Obviously they aren't all dangerous, but I'm not dumb enough to start testing that.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 7, 2013 22:07:58 GMT -5
I never give money to panhandlers.
However... We have a local bum, I've seen him around as long as I can remember. He has always been polite, have never seen him beg for money, etc. I was behind him in the grocery store when he was a few cents short for his bottle of Old E, so I paid for it. Another time, he was trying to buy a lottery ticket from a machine, but it wouldn't take his crumpled dollar, so I gave him a new one.
I've also given extra things to a family where the mom had been on Freecycle trying to find a bathrobe and a toy stroller to give as gifts, used didn't matter, if it could be washed.
So I'm not completely cold-hearted, but I don't buy into panhandling, people hanging out with signs, etc.
I'm amazed that people who's car broke down and they are just trying to get home always have cardboard and a sharpie handy to make their signs.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Dec 8, 2013 8:24:54 GMT -5
Thank GOD Pinellas county has a no begging ordinance. Wish hillsborough would follow their lead but finally only allowed it on Sundays. Some ACLU with nothing better to do that piss away your tax dollars got it allowed in Grand Rapids so now it's all over here. Looks like hell. But since there's so many do-gooders passing out cash, they won't go away. Even when others beg them not to give out cash. Glad it makes them feel better about themselves and continues the cycle of dependency. If they gave that money to places who would actually help these people, that would be a very good thing. But it's all about the giver in these cases.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2013 9:27:26 GMT -5
So I guess the next question is, if it's such a racket, why do people still donate the money? That $60,000+ has to come from somewhere. I think a lot of people do it not so much while thinking that the panhandler really needs it but rather as a way to express thanks that they, themselves, are fortunate enough to have the money to give. There is an old, bent over, homeless man with a dog who lives in our area. Often we will see him, all bundled up from the cold, pushing his cart full of belongings down the road. Many have attempted to give him money but he will not take it. He must have some kind of pension. Oddly, we never seem to see him in stores buying anything. A man like this is who I'd rather give my money to. Not some big able-bodied guy who has the ability to stand on a corner all day but can't find a regular job.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Dec 8, 2013 15:57:19 GMT -5
Amen to that.
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