Do you give money to panhandler's on the street?

Question

or do you just quickly walk by because they are dirty bums who should get a job?

Answer 1

Hell No! Don't give them a damn thing!

Answer 2

Sometimes. Especially if I have a pocket full of change. I've given up to $5, depending on how much I have. I've also been known to give food to them. There's this restraunt I go to in Chicago that always gives me too much food. Around the corner, there is a guy on a bench. It's always the same guy, and I always give him the food.

Umbrellas are nice to give too. I usually keep extras in my car and if I see someone out in the rain, I can give them one.

Unfortunately, some of them can't get jobs for whatever reason. Some of them are mentally ill. Others do have jobs but can't afford appartments. Living in big cities can be very expensive.

It's difficult for me to go back to this time, but I was once homeless. I chose to leave home when I was still in high school for circumstances I'd rather not explain. No one would rent to me because I was too young and I couldn't afford to be immancipated. Even if I could have gotten an appartment, I probably couldn't have afforded the rent anyway. I had a job and went to school. Often times I would bathe in the sink at school. I slept in the alley downtown, or on a bench, but mostly I hid in the alley to keep myself from being a target. It was a very scary time for me and a young high school girl should never be placed in that type of situation. Fortunately for me, it was only a year. I ended up graduating from high school and joining the military because it seemed my best option at the time.

I only tell this story to illustrate that not all homeless people are drunks or addicts. Some are just a victim of poor circumstances, abuse, mental illness, etc. Some are even whole families who have lost their homes. I'm not saying there are none that would use the money for beer, but not all of them.

Answer 3

If I have money, i do give.
If I have food, even if half eaten, i give it.
Even my children give.
If the pan handler takes the money to use unwisely, then it is on them.
Many times we are given many things and we waste too. It does not stop the money from being a good thing, it just shows where the heart & reasoning is at. And giving is a good thing. Should it be stopped all together because of some who are not making wise choices with the gifts we give? No . I would still give.
A real gift is given with no strings attatched. When i give it is from tha heart. I pray they do well with it.
Even if it is my only dollar, I give. God always brings that dollar back, or more to me. Just cause I dared to care through giving. Even God gives to the thankful AND to the UNthankful, even to the unbelieving while he keeps their heart beating all night and day...cause of love.

Obviously the homeless are sad, so they may manke unwise choices with the funds given. But I wont see them again, most likely, and at least I was able to show them that there are some people who care and don't look down on them.Now, if i always saw the same person using the money for drinks, I then only give them food, clothes, personal products. Not money.

It could of been me in their shoes.
Many people walk by the less fortunate, and are careless and or snobs. But they too have in past times received muchhhhhhh grace and even needed gifts.

Compassion & wisdom...we neeed more
of this.
In tha Bible, Jesus talks of the "Good Simaritan."

In the city, I see snobs walk by the hungry. I see people walk by a car accident.
I have seen people injur themselves, and the the whole crowd surrounding them only looks for a second, and then goes back to their own little conversations.
I see a lot of selfishness.
I'd rather help, than walk by while one is living life like it is death.

To care may be rare,
but it is what your to do with your teeny-tiny time
while here.

ANNA "SAVED BY MUCHHHHhhhh GRACE"

^^v^v~..____I FLAT-LINED, DIED_____

____& MET JESUS CHRIST !!!____

& I'm thankin' God LIFE is for something..
i mean...SOME ONE :)...wisdom & guidance is in him & his Word. Peace bayba ;)

Answer 4

Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. Once, I went to a 7 Eleven and this man outside asked if I could give him money for some food. I said:" What are you going to buy?" He answered:" Pizza from the place across the street." I gave him the money. He walked by me as if I wasn't there, into the 7 Eleven and bought beer. I stayed there and watched. He came out with the paperbag, passed by me and walked off into the alley. That's why I'm hesitant. But then I tell myself, that I did what I had to to help someone and if they abuse it, then they will reap the results.

Answer 5

NEVER! Giving money to worthless bums only keeps the problem going. I worked in a liquor store in 1991 and all the bums who hit me up for free money for 'food' strolled into the liquor store a few hours later -after scamming the oppressed masses.

I have yet to be hit up by an immigrant hereby flushing the 'its the high rents, economy, mental illness' etc lies.

Answer 6

Rarely because I know they are going to use it for drugs or alcohol.If a person looks like they need a meal ,I'll offer to buy ,but the ones that stand at freeway offramps ...forget it.
I give to Salvation Army and such where the $$ is used right.

Answer 7

no I don't give money to them because I do not have control over what they do with it.
almost every time in the past when I have given money it was used for drugs, alcohol, smoking. (I was able to verify more than once).
I would like to help people, but I barely have enough money for ourselves, my wife can't even afford health insurance, so giving money away to someone who chances are really good will use it to get high, I just can't afford to do that.

Answer 8

I do NOT give them money and I DO just walk quickly by because they are rummies and addicts who will only use the money to help self destruct. On 2 occasions, I have offered food. On both occasions it was thrown back at me. Now I do nothing.

Answer 9

I carry some extra apples with me and hand them out when people ask me for money.

Panhandler- Can I have some money to buy a meal?
Me- I have some food for you right here.
Panhandler- I don't want food, I want money to buy food.
Me- get away from me.

Answer 10

Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. There are times I just feel an inner voice telling me to and I generally listen! One thing I try to never do is judge because I have no idea why a person is where they are and my life isn't over yet!!

Answer 11

No, I do not give money but my husband has offered them and taken them to get a meal which is what we think they need the most. Otherwise they may spend the money on alcohol or drugs.