Beggars

[Maisie]

Date: 3/6/2010 7:33:16 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
A homeless mentally-disturbed man came up behind me the other night and hit me in the head. I wasn''t seriously hurt, and when I turned around, he kind of scampered away muttering something entirely nonsensical at me. I was sure he was much more afraid of me than I was of him. I watched him settle down to smoke a cig and sleep over a grate.

It was sad...

It is very sad. I hope he didn''t hurt you thought. Its so upsetting how these people manage to fall through the care system. If he was on some kind of medication he may be able to lead a normal or semi normal life.

 

[Imdanny]

Date: 3/6/2010 10:15:08 AM
Author: sarap333
I don't give them money or food. Not because I am some heartless jerk, but because I have worked with adults who have serious and persistent mental illness, some, yes, who are also veterans, who often end up homeless because they have untreated mental illness that keeps them from benefiting from the social programs set up to serve them.


You are right, many of them choose this lifestyle because it means they don't have to work. This is often because they are so addicted to booze and cigs that they could not hold down a job if they tried.


Many of them are very good at knowing where to show up for free food, and where to go at night so they are safe and warm (in the basement of our state Capitol, is one example) and where they can't be kicked out by law. The signs you see with their stories are often just that -- stories, and are meant to prey on your sense of pity, empathy, and guilt.


The reason they want money is because they can't buy beer and cigs with a McDonald's gift card. The reason they don't want food is that they know where to get free food.


I know I may sound like a creep, but until I worked with people one-on-one, and learned how they are able to survive for years -- in some cases decades -- like this, because they don't want to play by the same rules people who don't abuse drugs and booze do, I used to give them money, too, because I thought I was 'helping' them. Now I make sizeable, tax-deductible donations to the many agencies who serve this population, and I don't feel bad or guilty or walking by any of them.


ETA: Note I said 'untreated' mental illness above; this is because people who are able to get treatment for a mental illness are able to function in life. Untreated mental illness is a huge, awful problem in this country, especially when it is combined with its twin demon untreated substance abuse.

I don't believe in dividing the homeless into groups of people who have a legitimate need or right to live on the street and others who supposedly choose to do it because they don't want to work (and I've never heard of someone not being able to work because they smoked cigarettes).

 

[Lula]

I''ll be happy to introduce you to some of my former clients, imdanny, who have dropped out of programs that would have helped them get jobs, housing, etc., on the condition they get drug/alcohol treatment and stay on their medication for their mental illness.

Anyone who has had a friend or a loved one who has struggled with addiction knows how powerful the addiction it is -- people choose the bottle/drugs over their families, their jobs, etc., rather than deal with the addiction. Many of these people bottom out and enter recovery. Some don''t and end up on the streets.

And you might find this link an interesting read if you don''t believe companies can fire/not hire people because they are smokers.

 

[HVVS]

Here, the police run them off. Unless they have a valid solicitor''s permit or whatever it''s called, they have to leave. No standing around holding signs like "Will work for food," either.

 

[elrohwen]

Honestly, I don't give money to beggers. I feel like it's a slippery slope where if I give money to one or two, I will feel the need to give to all. I think people should give their time and money towards homeless shelters and food programs - not to the beggers themselves.

eta: I don't live in an area where I see beggers often - if I passed the same ones every day I would be more likely to bring food for them.

 

[sugarpie honeybun]

There are several beggars who stand in front of the coffee shop I go into before work, and I usually offer to buy them a hot cup of coffee/tea, or will buy them a cold bottle of water during the summer months. There’s also a guy that stands at one of the intersections in the city and washes windshields while people are stopped at the red light, and expects a tip afterwards. There have been several instances that I’ve had to tell him not to wash my window because I don’t have money to give him.

 

[hisdiamondgirl]

Date: 3/7/2010 10:54:38 AM
Author: sarap333
I''ll be happy to introduce you to some of my former clients, imdanny, who have dropped out of programs that would have helped them get jobs, housing, etc., on the condition they get drug/alcohol treatment and stay on their medication for their mental illness.

Anyone who has had a friend or a loved one who has struggled with addiction knows how powerful the addiction it is -- people choose the bottle/drugs over their families, their jobs, etc., rather than deal with the addiction. Many of these people bottom out and enter recovery. Some don''t and end up on the streets.

And you might find this link an interesting read if you don''t believe companies can fire/not hire people because they are smokers.

Is it really a choice if it is an addiction?!?!

 

[lilyfoot]

I just realized that in the (small) city I live in, I never see beggars, or homeless people. However, my city neighbors a large city, and there are definitely beggars and homeless people there, moreso in the downtown area than anywhere else.

I don''t give anybody money, partly because I never have cash or change, and partly because I don''t think they''re going to use it for good (i.e., food, shelter, etc). I tend to watch a lot of reality/documentary type of shows, and I''ve seen a few different types on homeless people. Some people choose that life, and some people don''t.

Did anyone see the "I''m Pregnant .. and Homeless" episode? I thought that was an interesting view of (as far as I could tell), clean and sober homeless people.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I some times give money. One day, my husband and I went to El Pollo Loco for lunch and had two people come up and ask us for stuff. The first guy was obviously homeless and asked for food, and
we happened to have a gift card for the place that we bought from our son''s school. We gave him that. Then a young guy and girl came up and asked for gas money. They saw us help the old guy and
wanted to know if we would help them. They were shocked that we gave them all we had, about $20. I didn''t feel like it was a scam but you never know.

I never give money to the people with signs. I have tried to give them food and I have had many tell me they didn''t want it. I have a son addicted to heroin, and I always expect to see him on a corner.
I know the worst thing I could do for him is giving him money to continue to fuel his habit. I am waiting for him to get so desperate he will do anything to get help. We have gone through
rehab before with him, so we feel we really can''t help him with money now. I think of that everytime I see someone with a sign. "Whose son, or daughter is this, and am I keeping them from
getting the help that would free them?"

 

[Porridge]

Date: 3/9/2010 12:01:07 PM
Author: luv2sparkle
''Whose son, or daughter is this, and am I keeping them from getting the help that would free them?''

That''s a good point. I don''t give to beggars, out of fear of what I''m funding. I donate to organisations instead. I''m sorry to hear about your son luv2sparkle. I hope he enters recovery soon.

On another note, I remember collecting money for a charity I volunteered at over the years, and interestingly it was rarely women that gave their coins, for the simple reason that they''d usually have to stop in a busy city street, open their bags, dig around for their their purse etc. That''s something that often holds me back, I rarely have money in my pocket and my bag is a black hole that my purse likes to go walkabouts in. Men generally have some change jingling in their pockets.