I just gave a homeless person $10.
I didn't even really mean to! haha...I literally get asked at LEAST twice per work day (we're in downtown D.C.), and I find that I react depending on my mood. Somedays I get pissed that they're out there pan handling, and then others (like today) I get wrapped up in their stories and feel soooooo bad that I end up giving in.
Most times I'll donate, $1.00, if that. It just so happend that i didn't have one, and what was i supposed to do, ask for change?! oh man....so, he got a crisp $10'er. it felt really good afterwards, so I think i made the right choice on this one. I just hope he really DOES use it for the good!
How do you guys handle this? I've heard people say they only donate to "reputable charities" that then help out the homeless, while I've heard others say they just give whatever change is in their pocket at the time.
Most times I'll donate, $1.00, if that. It just so happend that i didn't have one, and what was i supposed to do, ask for change?! oh man....so, he got a crisp $10'er. it felt really good afterwards, so I think i made the right choice on this one. I just hope he really DOES use it for the good!
How do you guys handle this? I've heard people say they only donate to "reputable charities" that then help out the homeless, while I've heard others say they just give whatever change is in their pocket at the time.
Labels: charity
posted by J. Money at
2:17 PM
16 Comments:
As you know I used to live in Europe before I moved to the states, over there so many of them begging for money..I used to give a dollar or so but since I moved here, I havent given any single penny to them..My one side feel sorry but on the other side I feel angery towards them...Anyways, I hope your $10 DOES good though!
haha - that was me yesterday.
and thanks Chicky, i sure hope so!
I always feel super horrible when i see these people. You never know why they ended up there, i always just assume that they are some war veteran who got the short end of the stick. I have a cigarette bucket full of change just for this reason. What does giving them a couple dollars hurt?
I'm with Carrie, I won't give them any $. 99% of the time they are smoking and begging... you need food, yet you're smoking... seriously? If they wanted help, real help, they would go to a shelter and utilize their services. Sorry that this is harsh, I just think it's ridiculous sometimes.
Chris Gardner, the homeless man who became a (very wealthy) stock broker (see the movie The Pursuit of Happyness - it's about his life & it's really good), did an interview on Glenn Beck's talkshow, and he refuses to give money to the homeless. From the transcripts of the show:
"BECK: ... You give handouts in the street?
GARDNER: No. Absolutely not.
BECK: Why?
GARDNER: Because I give money to organizations in our communities that I know the people that are trying to help themselves know where those resources are. Done."
(http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0803/07/gb.01.html)
The previously homeless won't even give to the homeless.
When I lived in D.C. you're right, they were everywhere. On my block there were two - one that stood agressively outside one of those exposed ATM machines on the street and another who would just sit against a wall all day with a sign. I ignored the aggressive one and would sometimes pick up a Double Cheeseburger (when they were on the dollar menu at McDonalds) for the second one on my way home from work. Food is better than cash in my opinion and he was very nice and appreciative.
I'm terrible too! I give them nothing and normally try to avoid eye contact.
Now let me tell you a few reasons why.
#1 - When I was in my 20's, living on my own and completely broke, so broke I couldn't afford anything and a soda was a luxury, I gave a homeless woman that I'd become familiar with a can of soda. She looked at me with disgust and told me she was going to sell it. Can you believe that?
#2 - Again when I was in my 20's, I had a friend that was a little older and already had 3 kids by 3 different fathers. She drove a new car, bought for her by her youngest child's father. She rented out a fairly large house - I guess she could afford it with all the child support, I don't know. Well this friend of mine, Misty, would dress up in dirty clothes and beg for money at busy intersections on weekends. She said in a few hours she'd get over $500!
Once I gave a guy begging for money a burrito supreme from Taco Bell and he was so grateful and it did make me feel wonderful.
If giving money to beggars makes you feel good, then good for you! Do what makes you happy.
I don't give money to panhandlers as a general rule. I do donate to charities. I do stop and drop cash into the boots of firefighters and hats of policemen when they are fundraising.
But I did give a man $40 and a bottle of water once, just because "something" told me I needed to.
I've actually thought about posting about this. I rarely have cash so I almost never give money. But once in a while I do. Sometimes I feel guilty about not giving money, sometimes I feel guilty about giving money and sometimes I don't care at all. It's odd. When I used to have a car and not live in nyc I kept food in my glove compartment that I would give to people with signs sitting right off the highways.
Sometimes I think about what it would be like to be in that position, and would it matter if I used to money towards food or acholol, just as long as it got me through to day.
Obviously I have mixed feelings about this.
I'm like you and depending on my mood, I might or might not give. The last time I was approached, I was asked for money for food. Well, I had just walked out of a deli and had a sandwich still wrapped up. Instead of giving him money, I offered my sandwich, to which I was called an F-ing bitch! I guess he really didn't want the money for food!! :)
*arghhhh, i'm so frustrated!!! Blogger is all whacked out and i haven't been able to post ANY freakin' articles for the past 24 hours!!!
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I love it thought that you guys are commenting away! Everyone's so passionate about their thoughts - i LOVE it!
and OMG some of you have some freakin' crazy a$$ homeless stories! i've heard people getting all pissy about being given food, and it's so disheartening...i guess they're already pissed about their situation, but damn - show some sort of Thanks.
and yeah, i totally forgot about The Pursuit of Happiness - i really enjoyed it! thx for the info too.
Momma - that is f'ing fantastic that you had that "feeling" and did something about it :) i commend you.
It really depends on the day and if I have cash. If I have a few dollars on me, I usually share a dollar.
I think following your gut leads to the right choice. I do the same thing. If it feels right, I'll give someone something. We also donate to charities. There isn't any insurance that the homeless person will do the right thing by it but in the end it doesn't matter too much. You were kind. That's always a good thing.
Jerry
www.leads4insurance.com
I stopped giving homeless people money recently after I happened to linger around the area where one gentleman was panhandling rather convincingly. A few hours later, I watched the panhandler walk across the street the and climb into a very nice SUV. Perhaps he uses the money on gas?
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