Greedy vs Needy -

[Bekeart]

Greedy vs Needy

Local Soup Kitchen plans to be closed next week.
They usually provide only an evening meal on week days.

Plan was to give Clients a Gift Card for FOOD ONLY use at local grocery.
Only board, directors, and some of us donors knew in advance.
Absolutely no prior information to Clients.

Several Previously Unknown and Never Seen Before people came and wanted THEIR Gift Cards.

Some early served Client/Clients had told friends/somebody about the Gift Cards.
Word quickly spread among the Greedy.

I heard one ask if he could use the Gift Card to buy cigarettes.
He was disappointed when told no.

Need a better plan for next time.
IF there is a Next Time.

REGRETS

Bekeart

 

[jeffrefrig]

Free stuff always brings the greedy cockroaches out. When all the steel mills closed down around here, if you had proof of unemployment, you could go to one of many distribution centers for a 5# block of cheese, box of powdered milk, maybe a bag of rice. People were bragging about how many places they hit to get the free stuff. What they did with all that prime food I have no idea. After the unemployment extensions were exhausted, many had to revert to welfare and food stamps. Folks actually complained when told they couldn't use the food coupons for dog food & cigarettes. I chose to take advantage of the Federally funded trade school. Worked out for me.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

People from my church-and others-who have volunteered at the soup kitchens have said the patrons either look like they're on crystal meth or should be sent to Weight Watchers. One soup kitchen has courses on cooking, meal planning, food budgeting, wonder how many attend those .
I am the Deacon whose current ministry is our free food box, I buy store brands, often from the nearby Aldi-I have found them quite satisfactory, if they don't like it, they can take their business elsewhere.
We have cards for gas and groceries, those who insist on getting cash-the same thing. They often get nasty about it. The Toys for Tots campaign says gifts to be unwrapped to thwart those who try to exchange them for beer and tobacco money.

 

[SMSgt]

My charitable contributions are limited to St Jude's. Reasons are stated above and most likely, below.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Don't let this discourage you. It has always happened and will continue to happen.
I had a woman plaintively ask for money to buy gas while standing beside her car at in the Walmart parking lot. She gave a good story and I reached into my pocket but then began to think. What is she gonna do about getting a gas can? I asked her and she said that someone had agreed to go back to the store and buy her one. A gas station was at the front of the parking lot. If I had a gas can in my truck, I'd have gone and bought $5 worth of gas. Then I began to think how did her car get to its' parking space and THEN run out of gas? I said **** it and gave her $5. Meant nothing to me, but maybe I was wrong and she really needed it.

 

[pantannojack]

My local senior center frequently changes time of serving/closing with no notice. Maybe for availability of volunteers. I quit going for that reason.

 

[steelslaver]

The problem aren't really with the systems, the problem is and always has been the greedy and lazy taking advantage of those systems.

 

[llowry61]

When I give, I give unconditionally. If they are lying or scamming me that is on them. I used to get really pissed about it and feeling lied to / used, but not anymore. As Caj says, a few bucks here or there won't break me but if someone really does need it, it could really make a difference. If I am moved to give, I do and forget it.

 

[yeti]

Some folks really do need help.
However, some are lazy and are just taking advantage and stealing much needed resources from the truly needy.

As a general rule I try to determine which is which, but this can be hard.

 

[tops]

I know a couple of people that wouldn't work in a pie factory.
The woman told me that they are not on welfare. They just get things that the Govt. has to give to people. Larry

 

[TX-Dennis]

Don't let this discourage you. It has always happened and will continue to happen.
I had a woman plaintively ask for money to buy gas while standing beside her car at in the Walmart parking lot. She gave a good story and I reached into my pocket but then began to think. What is she gonna do about getting a gas can? I asked her and she said that someone had agreed to go back to the store and buy her one. A gas station was at the front of the parking lot. If I had a gas can in my truck, I'd have gone and bought $5 worth of gas. Then I began to think how did her car get to its' parking space and THEN run out of gas? I said **** it and gave her $5. Meant nothing to me, but maybe I was wrong and she really needed it.

I was hit up by the same guy three times weeks apart. Claimed to be traveling to his mother's funeral in El Paso all three times. Said he ran out of gas and needed gas money to get to the funeral. First time I gave him a few bucks. Second and third time I laughed at him and told him he needed to come up with a new lie.

 

[steelslaver]

I was hit up by the same guy three times weeks apart. Claimed to be traveling to his mother's funeral in El Paso all three times. Said he ran out of gas and needed gas money to get to the funeral. First time I gave him a few bucks. Second and third time I laughed at him and told him he needed to come up with a new lie.

She probably died of embarrassment.

 

[lihpster]

The small local church near me has a food pantry. In a rich town. Average income is about double that of Miami. The food pantry doesn't require proof of need. You will see guys in new Range Rovers wearing $2,000 suits getting a box of food. Anytime you are giving stuff away, there will be someone with their hand out, whether they need it or not.

 

[gjgalligan]

I have seen on TV many times of people (in cars) lined up to pickup free items/food for the needy. Many of them have better cars then me and I also see some nice clothes & jewelry and talking on the latest Iphones.
Hard to believe they are all needy.

 

[steelslaver]

I constantly donate money and food to the food bank. But, I also posted 5 hens and a roster for give away on the wall by the door of the food bank. Nobody ever called. My buddy Tom gave them 2 100# sacks of spuds. The workers said it took forever to get rid of those. You ain't all that hungry if you won't peel a spud or butcher a chicken.

 

[alwslate]

I never donate money to the food banks as I don't think the food is going to the needy. Lines of nice late model vehicles burning gas waiting in line to get a load of food with no questions asked. Don't look like people who can't afford food to me.

 

[Mule Packer]

I found that with greedy people, no matter if they're rich or poor, no matter how much they get, it's never enough.

 

[Onomea]

Back in my working days, I was on a biz trip to India for a week. I was unfamiliar with the country, so read up in advance so that I would have some situational awareness. One of the things I read was the advice not to give money to beggars because if you did you would soon be overwhelmed by a crowd of beggars eager for money.

While there, New Delhi, I think, I was, by myself, in the back of an air conditioned limousine on a very hot day waiting for the light at an intersection. An emaciated woman with an emaciated baby approached my window with her hand out.

I ignored her. That was a long light. She stayed by the window, hand out, until the light changed and we drove off.

I still feel ashamed about it. I could have slipped a couple of bucks through a crack in the window. If a crowd of beggars had showed up I was protected by the car and would leave shortly anyway. As others have said, if she was a con artist, so what?

I feel I was a poor excuse for a man that day.

 

[armadillo]

I used to volunteer at the food bank. One job was to black out the bar code on the cans and packages so the "clients" couldn't return them to the store for cash.

 

[Golddollar]

Don't let this discourage you. It has always happened and will continue to happen.
I had a woman plaintively ask for money to buy gas while standing beside her car at in the Walmart parking lot. She gave a good story and I reached into my pocket but then began to think. What is she gonna do about getting a gas can? I asked her and she said that someone had agreed to go back to the store and buy her one. A gas station was at the front of the parking lot. If I had a gas can in my truck, I'd have gone and bought $5 worth of gas. Then I began to think how did her car get to its' parking space and THEN run out of gas? I said **** it and gave her $5. Meant nothing to me, but maybe I was wrong and she really needed it.

I've been approached by people begging for money for gas or for something to eat. I don't want to be a skinflint but I don't want to be an enabler for bad behavior either. If somebody says they need money for gas, I tell them to pull up to the pump and I fill their tank. If they said they need money for food, I buy them food for immediate consumption. Nobody ever turned me down and I didn't have to worry about where the money might have gone.