Panhandlers: It Never Ends. (submitted for your amusement)

[ladder13]

Feeding and clothing is what the rescue missions, food banks, soup kitchens, etc do here. I know, being a volunteer there. They just need the money to task that.

My higher power is not in the business of tricking me, that's the other guy.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

The folks standing along streets and in parking lots just play too many games, scams, cons and tricks.
Here in NM we have people who need food.
Our Central Statewide Food Bank is the Roadrunner Food Bank.
That's where I donate my Money.

 

[Autonomous]

Once upon a time there was shame in doing shameful things.
But unwed pregnancy became a multi-generational career choice. No more shame in it at all.
Theft used to be shameful, now from the highest levels of government to street bums don't even try to hide it. No shame in it at all.
Aggressive panhandlers, etc. etc.

 

[Bekeart]

Clients dining in suits or well dressed. Be careful in your judgment.

So you could get people in business suits coming in for the free lunch. I know it's bad to judge people, but you can become very cynical of the charity system being taken advantage of

Clients moderately well dressed of even a suit at soup kitchen.

This describes me and a couple of donors to the soup kitchen.
I get a better balance nutritional meal than I would fix at home.
Across the month my cost for each meal is nearly $30.

Judge Not!

Bekeart

 

[BC38]

Feeding and clothing is what the rescue missions, food banks, soup kitchens, etc do here. I know, being a volunteer there. They just need the money to task that.

My higher power is not in the business of tricking me, that's the other guy.

FWIW. I've been a long-time member of two Churches over the last 25 years, 12 years at the first one and nearly 13 years at the second (where I am still a member).

Both of them operated an-all volunteer, donations-based food bank. I really do believe it is our responsibility to feed the truly poor and needy, and I have made contributions to these efforts at both church food banks. Both in terms of donating my time and money.

But I still won't give cash to street beggars. Food, sure, ABSOLUTELY! Cash, sorry, just NOT gonna' happen.

 

[Sistema1927]

Once upon a time there was shame in doing shameful things.
But unwed pregnancy became a multi-generational career choice. No more shame in it at all.
Theft used to be shameful, now from the highest levels of government to street bums don't even try to hide it. No shame in it at all.
Aggressive panhandlers, etc. etc.

Yes, shame used to be a great motivator, but now you are shamed if you even attempt to hold someone for their irresponsible behavior. Unfortunately, most today would not agree with what Benjamin Franklin said: "I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion about the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it."

 

[BC38]

Yes, shame used to be a great motivator, but now you are shamed if you even attempt to hold someone for their irresponsible behavior. Unfortunately, most today would not agree with what Benjamin Franklin said: "I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion about the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it."

EXACTLY! Making people more comfortable in their miserable circumstances ISN'T helping them.

 

[steelslaver]

The government in their infinite wisdom will not let us feed wildlife because they will become dependent and stop forging for themselves.

They seem to encourage that with Humans on the other hand. Yet, the results sure seem very similar.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

An elderly woman here had spent years getting help and shelter for the homeless. She approached one woman sleeping on the sidewalk who proceeded to beat her almost to death and with permanent injuries. The homeless woman said she thought the volunteer was the police. I do not recall that justifying a beating, but I am old, I may have missed that law. Anyway the volunteer's daughter now volunteers to rid our area of the homeless, with a network of mostly housewives, hunts out their camps, has the police remove them, and obtains court orders banning local churches and charities from helping the homeless in our area. She also gets panhandlers sent on their way by deputies. The impact on crime has been noticeable.

 

[Glynn863]

I'll feed anyone who asks me, if I have the means. I'll buy a little gas as well. But I only give money to those I've known a long, long time.

Our church is in a low income area and had a clothes closet and food pantry in the past. We also gave away school supplies. However, like anything "free", it was soon corrupted. A few church members (now former ones) were raiding the clothes closet for items to sell on Facebook, Craigslist, or yard sales. They were also raiding the food pantry instead of going to the store about a mile way.

Speaking of the food pantry, we tried to have pre-prepared boxes of food available. Some people were grateful to get that. But we always had a few that had "special" dietary requirements, or wanted to "shop" our food pantry.

We eventually dissolved both charities and now refer people to a county program, where they are vetted and such. So far so good.

 

[Rpg]

There's a Sherlock Holmes story built around a well off gent who goes into London every day, changes clothes and becomes a beggar. His wife shows up in London, he sees her and gets separated from his good clothes and doesn't come home. Wife hires Holmes to find him.

That's late 19th century. Nothing new!

 

[Eagle 477]

Daughter and I were at the local Homey Depot picking up some paint for the deck and Porch, There was a woman with her 2 children and their dog sitting on a blanket next to the road with a sign "Homeless need food for my babies". I was about to give her a few $ when my daughter stopped me in my tracks. "Dad that' $3000.00 miniature french bull dog!!!!!"

Rob.

 

[Golddollar]

We eventually dissolved both charities and now refer people to a county program, where they are vetted and such. So far so good.

I've mentioned this charity before, and a good soul posted my appearance on Facebook regarding it. Every year during the week after Thanksgiving radio station WFMD in Frederick, MD, together with the local Salvation Army chapter puts on Christmas Cash for Kids. The idea is to make sure that the children of families in financial straits will have nice Christmas presents instead of no Christmas at all. The radio station does the soliciting of contributions and the Salvation Army vetts the families who are asking for help. Even though I don't live there anymore, I've been so impressed with the program that I drive to the radio station (I still live within range of its signal) and they let me make my contribution in a shower of Golden Dollars on the air.

 

[S-W4EVER]

Feeding and clothing is what the rescue missions, food banks, soup kitchens, etc do here. I know, being a volunteer there. They just need the money to task that.

My higher power is not in the business of tricking me, that's the other guy.

THIS is the right way to go. If you truly want to help the less fortunate, put your time and money where it will do the most good. IMHO, enabling scammers in no way makes the World a better place to live...

 

[Iggy]

There used to be a woman and her child that sat at the exit of the parking lot at the local mall.
When she got done begging, she walked a block and got in her Mercedes and went home.
Remember, all that cash the beggars collect is also tax free.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Several churches in this area became involved with the local soup kitchens, the people who volunteered at them were quickly disillusioned. Several noted the arrogance, the conceit,the sense of entitlement they encountered, one said the patrons either looked they were on Crystal Meth or should be sent to Weight Watchers. On another board I visit a Canadian member noted how in the Dominion the so called "distressed families" always have money for beer and weed and the kids have to be enrolled in school nutrition programs.

 

[BigBoy99]

Before I retired, I worked in the Washington DC area. One of the news paper reporters became "friendly" with the pan handlers in DC. She as able to get into their confidence and discovered that most of the pan handlers only wanted money. The food, work, puppies, homeless were just scams to play on people's sympathy. She discovered that these "poor" people usually made enough money during the summer months in DC to be able to spend the winters in FL!