Donna Freedman from Smart Spending writes about “Why I gave a homeless guy $1.” She doesn’t know whether she’s a sucker or actually helping somone. And she questions about why she did it. She knows she should be helping herself because she doesn’t have much money but she feels bad.
Personally I don’t give to the homeless. In college I used to think maybe I should. But then when I would go around giving away the other 6″ inches of subway sandwich I hadn’t touched and had separately (bought a foot long) wrapped no one would take it. Instead these homeless people would say they wanted money when I offered them food. Or I would order a bunch of burgers from McDonald’s for 19 cents and offer it and no one would take it. So I stopped.
But then I moved to the East Coast and I wondered if the same thing was true? Turns out it was. But I still felt a bit guilty, fortunately my neighbor works for a food bank and instead i began volunteering and donating to the food bank. This way I never feel guilty about telling a homeless person no. I know that they can come to the food bank and get food for their families. I also volunteer at a battered woman’s shelter so I know they can come for a free meal if necessary. So perhaps Donna instead of giving away a buck should volunteer at places that help the homeless with food or free meals.
What do you think? Do you give to the homeless?
Do you give to the homeless money?
- No (56%, 30 Votes)
- Sometimes (30%, 16 Votes)
- Yes, but only to homeless shelter (11%, 6 Votes)
- Yes (4%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 54
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17 responses so far ↓
1 Jessica // Aug 8, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Wow- panhandlers (guess I can’t tell if they are actually homeless) people in Austin (TX) would always take food when I offered it to them. In high school anytime I went through the drive through I picked up a second meal and gave it to the first person I saw and they always thanked me profously and immediatly chowed down.
I’ve only given once to someone here in Iowa- someone standing on a streetcorner while it was snowing. I keep emergency food in my car in case of getting trapped in a snowstorm, and I dug into the bag and gave her some of it. She also ate it on the spot.
I used to give money too, just a dollar or so, but now I never do- even though that’s probably actually cheaper.
2 dollar incense // Aug 8, 2008 at 2:52 pm
I live in San Francisco, which has an absolutely enormous homeless population.
Ive always thought that you should give from your head and not from your heart - it helps more. Giving money to people on the street almost always perpetuates their street life (the majority have mental illness or substance abuse issues). I give money or time to organizations that are actually helping to reduce homelessness or provide needed services.
If I have extra food from eating out, I often leave it on top of trash cans in the metro area (unless someone asks me for it first).
3 kit // Aug 8, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Austin (my real hometown) is the only place I’ve been where the beggars ask for pot instead of spare change. Could explain the chowing.
Here, the Boston bums are seriously surly, as are the ones in San Francisco. I know that most of the local bums do have various places they mostly go to at night and that most of them have been bums for years. Honestly, I don’t care about them that much- I’d rather help homeless animals instead.
I know, I’m a bad person. I just don’t care.
4 Erin // Aug 8, 2008 at 3:42 pm
I understand the logic behind not giving money o the homeless, but I believe that if I can help just one person, it’s worth it.
That said, I never hand out bills, just coins. (In my country, we have the equivalent of $1 coins, which can buy a drink and a snack at a local store.) I prefer to give food out, though, and like some of the above commenters, the homeless people in my area are usually ravenous, and more than happy to accept food.
I don’t believe that a few dollars here and there for my own financial well-being (which I *do* care about, and do take care of) are more important than the empty stomach and sadness of the poor/homeless/mentally ill/drug addict.
5 laughing808 // Aug 8, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I work in DC and I try to give when I have something on me. I’ve heard countless stories of people seeing supposedly homeless people elsewhere and they appeared to be anything but homeless. But my philosophy for giving is: when giving to not be concerned with what the receiver does with the money. So if I’m under the impression I’m helping a guy get a meal and that’s not the case, well I gave with the intention of helping feed someone.
6 Anonymous // Aug 8, 2008 at 5:44 pm
I think I’m just against seeing people using the money to buy booze or drugs.
7 Kerry // Aug 8, 2008 at 10:37 pm
We give out money when ever we see someone who could use it, and we have it. I don’t care if they buy booze, cigarettes, or even drugs with it. Once I give it to them it’s theirs to do with what they please.
I give because I believe the recipient needs the money more than I do, and it makes me feel good too.
8 Monica // Aug 9, 2008 at 12:11 am
I don’t give money to panhandlers. I donate to charities, including charities that give aid to the destitute. I believe that organized charity is more effective than private charity. It seems like giving money in response to street begging would encourage it, and I don’t want to do that–it doesn’t help the panhandlers, nor their communities. Instead I want to encourage organized charities, especially charities that will help them get on their feet and find longer-term solutions to their difficulties. Teach a man to fish and all that.
9 Jen // Aug 9, 2008 at 4:15 am
We donate money to the local shelter monthly. Not only that our donation is tax-deductable, we can also be fairly certain that our money is going toward shelter and food for those in need. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
10 JoeTaxpayer // Aug 9, 2008 at 10:08 am
I once heard this story.
Two Rabbis are walking down Broadway, and the first one hands a dollar to one homeless man after the next. The second says “I won’t give directly to any panhandler, on the chance that one of them is just looking to buy alcohol.” The first one says, “I won’t just pass any by, with the hope that just one will actually buy himself a bite to eat.” I’m more in camp with Erin above.
On more than one occasion, I’ve asked “haven’t you eaten yet, today?” and taken someone into a fast food place. Some sad stories they’ve shared.
Joe
11 fitwallet // Aug 11, 2008 at 7:38 am
I don’t give anything to homeless people–period. I used to give change now and then, but working in social services (serving many homeless and imminently homeless people every day) has completely changed my perspective. I know where the money is going (hint: not for food!), and I also know if they’re that hard-up and hungry, there are soup kitchens, shelters, and food pantries they can access. Is it a perfect system? Absolutely not. But trust me, homeless people are VERY savvy, and at least in my city, they know where to go to get food and necessities.
12 Kerry // Aug 11, 2008 at 8:07 am
So the homeless are only entitled to food and necessities?
I used to work at the shelter, and it also changed my opinion. Sometimes food and shelter are NOT available.
It surprises me how many people are commenting that they don’t give. Wow, just wow. These are fellow human beings, let’s have some compassion.
13 fitwallet // Aug 11, 2008 at 8:16 am
Not trying to start a debate here, but suggesting I don’t have any compassion because I don’t hand out change on the street will get my attention
I’m a social worker–my job is to be compassionate, and get paid very poorly for it. I am well aware “these are fellow human beings” because I serve them everyday. Still, I would rather spend 40 hours a week providing housing counseling to low-income and homeless people (as I do) than give change out to people on the street. I go home at night feeling good about what I do. And no, I don’t feel an ounce of guilt when someone tells me a sob story on the street and I don’t give them any money. If they’d like to know, I tell them where the nearest police station, homeless shelter, or food pantry is.
14 Livingalmostlarge // Aug 11, 2008 at 10:13 am
Kerry, I 100% agree with fitwallet, probably because my mom was a social worker. And like I stated earlier I don’t tithe either.
But I volunteer at a women’s shelter and food bank. So people do come for free meals. And I guess based on where my mom lives there are many homeless people “working” the system.
She doesn’t approve of drugs and has connections where she can get people into shelters instead of petty cash. And she gives them vouchers for meals, but many will try and sell those vouchers.
Compassion isn’t giving homeless people $$$$. You can have compassion withou cash. Otherwise basically you are saying only people who give money are compassionate. And in truth, sometimes the poorest people give the most and have the most compassion.
15 Kerry // Aug 11, 2008 at 1:23 pm
You can’t be paid to be compassionate, even if you are a social worker. Making sweeping generalizations is NOT compassionate. I believe that saying homeless people are savvy and not paying for food with donations is like saying black people are lazy and shouldn’t be hired. Following it up with saying you are a social worker makes it far worse in my opinion.
You give a guy $5 and he buys a pack of smokes. So what? Maybe he already had his free bowl of slop from the shelter and wasn’t hungry, just craving nicotine.
16 fitwallet // Aug 11, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Saying homeless people are savvy is hardly an insult–it’s tough living on the street, and I give people credit for surviving there. It takes skill and knowledge to do so.
You continue to give in your own way; I will continue to give in mine. Personally, I believe advocating for the homeless (as a career or volunteer work) or giving donations to social service organizations is much more effective and realistic. But I’m not going to criticize someone else’s choice to give people money on the street. Hey, it’s your money.
17 LivingAlmostLarge // Aug 11, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Perhaps your $5 would be better spent buying medical supplies to be handed out. Or given to a doctor providing free medical care, which my dad did. He got free supplies from other doctors who didn’t do the work.
I’d have to argue that $5 to bandages, medicines, etc is more useful than nicotine. But perhaps they don’t want to live longer on the streets.
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