65 replies to this topic

[Cript]

Because I'm living in downtown Milwaukee, I am often approached by the homeless. Today, a dude asked me if I had money or a sandwich to spare and, as I was walking away I decided to give him one because I felt guilty, especially given he asked for food and not money; I gave him a dollar. Usually I don't, because I assume they'll buy beer but this guy seemed genuine. How do you guys feel?

[Mr. Hobo]

Yes you should. Not everyone has the opportunity to go get a good job. Unless the guy's smoking/drinking or high I'll give him/her my spare change.

[Bryan]

I'll give him food/drink, but no money.

[Sean]

Ah, I would only give them money if they seemed honest. I was at Jack in the box when I was about 6 and a homeless couple approached me and my mom, they wanted money for food. My mom said she would buy the food for them, and when she did, they disappears. Thats a rotten bum

[Hawk]

I had to go "No, never." The thing is, they ARE capable of getting jobs. Just looking at the paper, we have a whole barking page which has job openings, many do not have any prerequisits. They just dont take them because...
1) Their pride
2) They can make more (Tax free too) by being homeless.

[Grizzly]

If you're a homeless guy, I guarantee you you won't be finding a job anywhere. Think about.. would YOU hire a homeless guy if he came to your interview for a job.

It's just easier to avoid them alltogether. You don't know what the guy will use the money for or why he's homeless in the first place. And a lot of the time once you give him some money he'll just ask for more especially if your a kid.

[Justin]

No I wouldn't. I could give a crap. IMO they're lazy.

Dont even give me crap about them not being able to do anything or get a job. They can. My mom had to drop out of high school, when she was 18 because she was pregnant with my sister. She eventually left my dad, and started living on the streets and in shelters. She eventually got a job. And starting actually working to get off the streets.

Well, now I actually live with her, and we live in an extremely nice house, and good neighborhood.

Even before my mom left my dad, they were extremely poor and could barely afford to feed themselves. My dad owns his own bussiness now =\

You just need to actually do something, find something that works and do it.

[cara]

Not money, but always donate my old clothes. Never throw away. x_X

When Im a bit older, in a couple years, Im going to volenteer at a soup kitchen every weekend ..

[Hydrogen]

I selected this one: Yes, if I honestly thought he would buy food/bus fare with it.

[Kyle]

If I have spare change and they dont come up and get in my face and ask for money, I will donate. I also ALWAYS donate old clothing as well as food to REAP or w/e that program is called.

[Hawk]

Oh, I forgot to add, if they are playing a guitar on the side of the road or something like that I would donate, because at least he is slightly working.

[Christopher Robin]

I said no, you never said "I'd give them food"... I'd buy them a hot dog maybe... or not. I'm 14, I have a damned paper route If they're nice, and I'm in an AWESOME mood, maybe buy them food.

[Carbon]

In New York City they have Homeless Shelters so whenever a homeless person comes i pretend I go to sleep, so it doesnt catch his attention, and almost all don't care about their life so they smoke and drink.

[Ilya]

It is said its bad luck to give donation to the homeless... so I never give... plus... a 40-50 year old man sitting on the corner, with a bear and a cigarette, asking for money.. im like "get a job!" most of the homeless are able to get a job but just too lazy to work... they want everyhting for free... I saw a homeless outside of a hospital, an d I was in the hospital all day and I saw him alot, once a cop came started asking some questions and the homeless guy is like "What do you want? The world is not fair! no one lets me live free, how am I supposed to get a decent job? Everyhting is education, how am I supposed to go to college? etc..." and he was complaining about life then the cop just got up and left lol the cop just got owned

[Plew]

well i am a giving guy and when they are in the street performing that means they are willing to work to earn money. i dont really care what they spend the money on because it would no longer be my money to manage...

horray homeless people!!!

[Krnsaber]

I give money when I can because I guess I feel guilty sometimes.

[Melchoire]

Yes, regardless of what I assumed his intentions to be.
When I was a few years younger everytime I saw a homeless person I almost cried But it's just a guy who needs some money to live on. I wouldn't mind giving him a like $5 or something. Especially since it's ramzaan, a time of giving =P

Edited by xėnon, 26 September 2006 - 07:16 PM.

[Cript]

I should elaborate a bit more...my guy was nice, called me sir instead of bro...and didn't reak of whisky or smoke...he also told me how he often worked cleaning the floor of the place next door...he seemed very ok.

[Black Flame]

No I don't. I don't want my money to be used for herion or cocaine. I feel sort of heartless not giving them any, but if they're gonna use it to buy crack rather than try to fix their lives, they don't deserve my money.

[Stryyp]

I did not vote for any of the three options since none of them are really what I'd do. Very seldom would I give them money, but rather what they should buy with the money. I will give them food and other materials, but no actual money. A friend of mine was approached by a homeless man asking for money so he could go buy breakfast. Well, my friend was on his way to breakfast too so he said "Well you can come with me, I'll buy you breakfast." The guy kept insisting on cash and got very hostile. Luckily there was a cop nearby who saw the man getting angry and came over to calm him down. And with many homeless people I think when they beg for money, they actually intend to buy food. But once they get the money, they just think "I could wait a little longer for food..."

I help my church give to the homeless sometimes, it's a good method, give and preach at the same time, that way they can kind of link the two together. I give most of my money to the church though, and it really can go anywhere, a missionary in asia, or some homeless guy in my city.

And if anyone around here comes up to you, you just walk away. Even the police say that's the best thing to do, it's really bad.

Same here. I pay tithing, fast offering and donate clothes

[travis]

I give them the quarters in the bottoms of my pockets, or I give them food.

[Tetiel]

Only food, nothing else. And I always donate my clothing if it is actually still wearable to places like goodwill. But I just remember my pastor telling me this story about how he gave to this couple who in the winter asked for some money for the baby. They looked homeless so out of the goodness of his heart he gave $20 to them but he then saw them later through the liquor store window hugging each other.

I don't think people realize how many people actually scam people by making them think they're homeless or have their cars broken down or lost their wallets. It's all over the place and it's sad because there are good, honest people out there who actually need that money

[Noitidart]

I always try to give Lots of times they aren't in reach though I felt real bad today I wanted to but he was two cars away and i was in the right turn lane

I want them to get a job I so wish I could just get them the money to shower up clean up nice clothes and go for an interview and get a job then they can take care of themselves I think thats all it takes We need to set up an agency in every country to do this I know its hard but then we would have 0 poor They just need that little start up money and they can take off

[The Awesome Max]

Of course!

The main reason I give to them is so they spend it frivlously.