Deleted
Joined: Oct 12, 2024 19:23:22 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Beggars
Aug 17, 2015 12:20:43 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2015 12:20:43 GMT -5
If the kids are actually his and hers, then they have no business hanging around a small town (?) and away from larger city services that would provide food and shelter for the children. The children are the bait to get people to donate. Our town is small, but not tiny (about 26K). While we don't have a huge homeless problem, I know it has shelters and emergency care services. For sure the kids would qualify for all kinds of help and shouldn't have to be sitting in a ditch at high noon on one of the hottest days of the year. I don't know. That really bugged me. Here, if you call the police for the ones with their kids on the medians, they come and take the kids away and get CPS intervention. Most often drug addicts do this. They don't care about the kids, just how to use them to get money. I do not give to street pan handlers. Mostly because they use the money for drugs and I'm not supporting someone's addiction. Addicts can't get into shelters or tent cities. You have to be drug free to use many services. Do the kids a favor & report to police.
|
|
Tiny
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 29, 2010 21:22:34 GMT -5
Posts: 13,494
|
Beggars
Aug 17, 2015 14:06:49 GMT -5
Post by Tiny on Aug 17, 2015 14:06:49 GMT -5
There seem to be several kinds of "panhandlers" there are the guys that most likely are "homeless" - in that they are living at some type of "shelter". I suspect they couldn't hold down a job. I have heard 'rumors' that there are places where they do have to pay a minimimal amount per day to stay. They may have some sort of 'welfare' check or some sort of government sponsored 'income' which gets them into the "pay as you go" place... these guys tend to be a bit less raggedy and scary than the truly homeless. They panhandle for extra money - which might be for food, alcohol, drugs, or to keep them IN the "pay as you go place". I have no idea what the raggedy truly homeless do with the money they get or if they even get money - they are usually ranting or just plain look scary. I suspect the 'regular begger' guys do get regular handouts from their regular contributors. After all, it's the same stream of people every business day. There are also the younger guys - who are 'traveling' and need money for a bus/train ticket. I suspect they are indeed traveling and will use the $$ for food, drugs or their ticket. Then there are the guys at the highway exit ramps (or certain stop lights) I assume this is their 'job' and that they get money from their 'regulars'. I have no idea if they are homeless or just trying to get extra money (beyond their SS or Disability or small pension). I suspect that these guys also aren't capable of holding down a job - for whatever reason. There are the occasional "OMG! I've run out of gas, can you help - my 3 kids are in the car" people, the occasional woman dressed very religiously conservative (maybe a head scarf, long sleeves, skirt to top of shoes, plain shoes) with 2 or more kids - begging for money - this disturbs me - cause I suspect she's a 'professional' - ie she's part of a group of beggers and thus being exploited in someway... I don't carry cash - so I don't have to make a decision to give or not give. I suspect that there are very few "homeless" living double lives - begger by day - family man by night. I think they all have some issue or problem that ultimately prevents them from 'joining the workforce' or participating (in a "normal" way) as a member of a family.
|
|
whoisjohngalt
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 14:12:07 GMT -5
Posts: 9,140
|
Beggars
Aug 17, 2015 14:16:02 GMT -5
Post by whoisjohngalt on Aug 17, 2015 14:16:02 GMT -5
Didn't read the thread yet, but wanted to tell you my "cute" story
Working in Baltimore City for years, I was beyond used to them. Then we moved to rural New England and I haven't seen them for ages.
About 2 yrs ago I am driving and see this guy with "2 kids, unemployed, will work for food" sign and my heart breaks. He is standing at the kind of intersection where people turn to go to Walmart and there is Wendy's on the corner as well.
So, while my heart is breaking, I am still the skeptical and cynical person that I always was and didn't want to give him cash, but asked him if he would like some food. He says "yes", I go and buy him a sandwich from Wendy's and feel great about myself.
A few months ago I see him again, at the exact same spot, with the exact same sign. Except now, right next to him, in HUGE HUGE HUGE letters is a sign that Wendy's put out "Hiring, all positions, apply inside".
Needless to say my heart wasn't breaking anymore. Now I am just back to being skeptical and cynical.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,912
|
Beggars
Aug 17, 2015 16:11:15 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by zibazinski on Aug 17, 2015 16:11:15 GMT -5
I live in the land of more jobs than people to fill them. Not a dime leaves my pocket except to appropriate charities. I also don't feel you have a right to live wherever you want to and try to collect welfare or unemployment. It was funny the guy I fired was denied unemployment because he was "employable!" Not my call. I wouldn't have fought the claim
|
|
TheOtherMe
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 14:40:52 GMT -5
Posts: 28,113
Mini-Profile Name Color: e619e6
|
Beggars
Aug 17, 2015 17:52:57 GMT -5
Post by TheOtherMe on Aug 17, 2015 17:52:57 GMT -5
milee, I understand about dignity, but I have seen too many stories in my neck of the woods where parents can not get help for their children. In one case, the son murdered his high school football coach. The parents had been trying to get him institutionalized because they feared for his safety, their safety and the safety of others. Turned out they were correct.
I don't know what the answer is but we do need to help the mentally ill who can't pay for assistance. Around here, it is very difficult for a new patient to even find a provider to see them.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 12, 2024 19:23:23 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Beggars
Aug 17, 2015 18:59:50 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2015 18:59:50 GMT -5
There's a man thats always asking for change at the corner store near my house. He's been there almost every day since I bought my house over 10 years ago. He has some kind of issue but I don't think its drugs. he's always groomed and has clean clothes on, he's not homeless. I've seen him pumping gas or running inside to make a purchase for people, I guess when they don't want to get out of their cars. He's harmless, and he doesn't bother me.
One day he asked a lady that was going in the store for a quarter. She told him she didn't have one, but she needed 30 cents. He reached in his pocket and gave it to her without a word. When she came out the store she gave him his 30 cents back plus a dollar and told him she was just playing with him, she didn't need his money.
Some years ago, I didn't see him for some months which was very unusual. The guys at the store said somebody had robbed him and shot him. :-( I don't know where it happened, but I figured it was probably someone that knows he begs and was likely to have some cash on him. I can't see anybody picking him to rob if they didn't know that part.
|
|
tskeeter
Junior Associate
Joined: Mar 20, 2011 19:37:45 GMT -5
Posts: 6,831
|
Post by tskeeter on Aug 17, 2015 21:01:17 GMT -5
We don't get many where I live, so whenever I do see one it kind of sticks with me and bothers me. Yesterday when I was in town I noticed a man with a sign saying to please help. They had two children and he was out of work. And he actually HAD the two children (maybe 6 and 8) and a woman sitting out there with him. Now, it has been ungodly hot here the past few days. Yesterday it had to be in the 90's with 70% humidity. Really awful. My first reaction when I saw this guy with his kids sitting out in the median of the highway wasn't pity, but anger. WTH does that to their kids?? Is begging really that lucrative? I just can't see where anyone would really have to do that in this country with all the social services available. Plus, the town I'm in has an abundance of entry level factory jobs, anyone that wants to work here can. They might not make a lot, but they won't be begging on the highway. I don't know. I tend to be out of touch with a lot of things, but to me it just seemed like a bad way to deal with the problem and I didn't give them any money (I don't ever carry cash anyhow). Do people really depend on panhandling or were they probably just looking for some extra beer money on a hot Saturday afternoon?
A few years back, the Oregonian reported that beggars in Portland were collecting in the neighborhood of $260 a day. Or, if you worked five days a week (about 250 days a year, after holidays) $65K. Tax Free. Or the equivalent of a job paying about $80K. Not a bad income, considering that most beggars don't work 8 hours a day. Three to five hours a day are more common. So, translated to a 40 hour week equivalent, the $80K pretax equivalent converts to about $127K. Not a bad return on a business capitalized with a Sharpie and a scrap of ragged cardboard.
I suspect that, more and more, begging is becoming considered legitimate employment in the US, as it is in some other countries.
|
|
Phoenix84
Senior Associate
Joined: Feb 17, 2011 21:42:35 GMT -5
Posts: 10,056
|
Post by Phoenix84 on Aug 18, 2015 7:33:06 GMT -5
Wow. I've never seen that. Is it actually put on by the organization or is it just begging kids? Around here the boy/girl scouts will sell things outside of stores, but never just stand and ask for money. I guess it is put on by the organizations. It's the usual cheerleaders, dance team, youth sports teams, choirs, band, church youth groups, and so on. There is always someone outside our local Walmart with a bucket in hand.
I think it is the wrong message to send to kids. You don't have to earn the money; just ask random, total strangers for it. Oh, wait, that is sort of like GoFundMe, right?
Back in my day, the parents were expected to pay for kids activities.
|
|
tskeeter
Junior Associate
Joined: Mar 20, 2011 19:37:45 GMT -5
Posts: 6,831
|
Post by tskeeter on Aug 18, 2015 12:30:41 GMT -5
milee, I understand about dignity, but I have seen too many stories in my neck of the woods where parents can not get help for their children. In one case, the son murdered his high school football coach. The parents had been trying to get him institutionalized because they feared for his safety, their safety and the safety of others. Turned out they were correct. I don't know what the answer is but we do need to help the mentally ill who can't pay for assistance. Around here, it is very difficult for a new patient to even find a provider to see them. Obviously we have gotten too PC to effectively deal with situations where people are not mentally competent enough to meet their own needs. So, rather than having institutions that are able to support the mentally incompentent, we expect inadequately trained police, fire, emergency services personnel, and the public to provide support. Not a good strategy for helping the incompetent. Expecting the general population to acquire the skills to effectively assist the incompetent. Even though they may be a danger to themselves or others. The fact that people who are actualy incompetent at providing for themselves are interspersed with even more people who do not support themselves as a lifestyle choice makes it even more difficult to provide appropriately for those who need, and should get, our support.
|
|
TheOtherMe
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 14:40:52 GMT -5
Posts: 28,113
Mini-Profile Name Color: e619e6
|
Beggars
Aug 18, 2015 14:02:07 GMT -5
Post by TheOtherMe on Aug 18, 2015 14:02:07 GMT -5
I do volunteer work with a woman who is mentally ill and was released from institutional care. Right now I am battling with her to meet me to sign the paperwork to recertify her SSI. She'd rather sleep all day. She needs way more help than I give her as all I do is pay her bills. She misses her therapy appointments on a regular basis. She was supposed to meet me this morning and didn't show. Called her when I got home and woke her up. Told her she will lose her SSI if she doesn't go complete the paperwork. I left it with the paid employee.
|
|
milee
Senior Associate
Joined: Jan 17, 2012 13:20:00 GMT -5
Posts: 12,344
|
Beggars
Aug 18, 2015 14:59:48 GMT -5
Post by milee on Aug 18, 2015 14:59:48 GMT -5
Obviously we have gotten too PC to effectively deal with situations where people are not mentally competent enough to meet their own needs. But the rub is figuring out what they thing their needs are versus what we think their needs are. Totally agree on the issue of people that are likely to do harm to other people - there should be a way to institutionalize them to protect others. But those are much less common than the garden variety crazies who are just stinky and inconvenient for the rest of us to look at.
Society may think these people can't meet their own needs, but the people in question might have a different view. And as long as they're not a danger to others, I'll gladly defer to letting each of us (adults) decide for ourselves what needs we want met and what we're OK with letting slide.
|
|
TheOtherMe
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 14:40:52 GMT -5
Posts: 28,113
Mini-Profile Name Color: e619e6
|
Beggars
Aug 18, 2015 19:04:54 GMT -5
Post by TheOtherMe on Aug 18, 2015 19:04:54 GMT -5
My client showed up at 1:30 PM and signed the paperwork. Said she had been beaten up last night but paid employee didn't see any visible evidence of it. She did give her a lecture on keeping appointments, especially one which is about keeping her SSI. There is no way she could work. She is way too ill to work and, at times, she is very delusional.
One night when I called her, she told me she had suddenly given birth to a baby that afternoon. I've never heard about the baby again.
Her family refuses to deal with her. That is why I am paying her bills.
She will tell you she is the KMart heiress if you ask her and she will be inheriting billions. I asked her sister and she said that is one of her delusions that come with her schizophrenia.
I don't think this person would hurt anybody, but she has a very difficult time taking care of herself--beyond just being stinky. She will call and want me to drive 30 minutes to town to give her $1 to get her through the weekend. She has finally learned what her allowance is and that she isn't getting any extra.
|
|