Panhandlers

[ghettopalmetto]

for years i had money taken out of my gm paycheck each month for my "charitable donation" to a well know major charity only to find out on the news one day that the president of the charity was lining his own pockets with donated money - i would much rather give a couple of bucks to "hobo joe" on the street and cut out the middelman - but that's just me.

You could also see if your church makes regular contributions to local homeless/hunger support organizations. Or, donate and volunteer time at a soup kitchen. Handing out cash allows the homeless/indigent to remain "off the radar", where it is far more difficult to get them the help they need.

[East Detroit]

Kind people, please give food instead of money by clicking and taking action here:

http://www.forgottenharvest.org/

[Pam]

Kind people, please give food instead of money by clicking and taking action here:

http://www.forgottenharvest.org/

I donate to this org:

http://feedingamerica.org/

[1KielsonDrive]

You could also see if your church makes regular contributions to local homeless/hunger support organizations. Or, donate and volunteer time at a soup kitchen. Handing out cash allows the homeless/indigent to remain "off the radar", where it is far more difficult to get them the help they need.

Excellent points. I volunteer at community kitchens and food distribution warehouses and hardly ever give anything to panhandlers, instead directing them to the nearest kitchens, shelters and VA support facilities and hospital.

[1KielsonDrive]

Kind people, please give food instead of money by clicking and taking action here:

http://www.forgottenharvest.org/

Thank you for this post and link.

[1KielsonDrive]

I donate to this org:

http://feedingamerica.org/

Thank you also. I try not to be mean to panhandlers. Armed with information you can be helpful. Sometimes you have no choice but to push back if they are overly aggressive. If you have the attitude that they're scammers and wish themselves into the situation they're in, then you probably don't give a shit about anything except your own damn self.

[beanietek]

Hey, thanks everyone for the great information/suggestions!! I will gladly donate to those charities. I try to set aside a little bit each month and pick a charity to donate to. I have not volunteered yet, but intend to as well. Unfortunately eventhough i know what i am doing "only encourages that type of thing", i still will not turn my back on anyone who asks me for a buck - and if they are scamming me, that's between them and their conscience. Thanks again!!!

[1KielsonDrive]

Hey, thanks everyone for the great information/suggestions!! I will gladly donate to those charities. I try to set aside a little bit each month and pick a charity to donate to. I have not volunteered yet, but intend to as well. Unfortunately eventhough i know what i am doing "only encourages that type of thing", i still will not turn my back on anyone who asks me for a buck - and if they are scamming me, that's between them and their conscience. Thanks again!!!

You've started out with a good attitude and disposition. That will help you through the process.

[Detroitnerd]

I must say it's pretty much a personal, spur-of-the-moment choice for me. Sometimes I give, sometimes I don't. Once, I saw a guy freezing on the corner and gave him my old pair of gloves, not a second of hesitation. At other times I can be pretty cold myself.

I guess what I like least is when homeless people try to jolly me along. You know, like, "Do I look like I just fell off the turnip wagon?" The too-ebullient tone of a man crying, "Hey, my brother!" Nope, nobody I know calls me that. Or people who try to put the bite on you indirectly. "Can I ax you a question?" The question is invariably, "Can I have a dollar?"

Finally, Fourth Street Billy told me how to deal with that one. When you are asked if they can ax you a question, just say, "I will answer any question for one dollar." It does work.

But sometimes you feel like a cad. You just do the best you can. Once, I was walking into the Renaissance Center to take some photos for a job. I was just wearing work clothes, because I usually decide to dress down downtown. I'm walking toward the building and a voice is saying, "Sir! Excuse me! Sir! Hey, sir!" I kept walking. "Sir! Sir! Oh, sir!" I walked into the building. Finally, this guy runs up to me and says, "Sir!" Huh? Following me inside? I turn and a building staffer says to me, "Are you the Otis guy? The elevator repairman?" Oh, shit. No, but now I feel like a dick.

Anyway, just do what feels right. Most of the time, that's the best you can do.

[1KielsonDrive]

I must say it's pretty much a personal, spur-of-the-moment choice for me. Sometimes I give, sometimes I don't. Once, I saw a guy freezing on the corner and gave him my old pair of gloves, not a second of hesitation. At other times I can be pretty cold myself.

I guess what I like least is when homeless people try to jolly me along. You know, like, "Do I look like I just fell off the turnip wagon?" The too-ebullient tone of a man crying, "Hey, my brother!" Nope, nobody I know calls me that. Or people who try to put the bite on you indirectly. "Can I ax you a question?" The question is invariably, "Can I have a dollar?"

Finally, Fourth Street Billy told me how to deal with that one. When you are asked if they can ax you a question, just say, "I will answer any question for one dollar." It does work.

But sometimes you feel like a cad. You just do the best you can. Once, I was walking into the Renaissance Center to take some photos for a job. I was just wearing work clothes, because I usually decide to dress down downtown. I'm walking toward the building and a voice is saying, "Sir! Excuse me! Sir! Hey, sir!" I kept walking. "Sir! Sir! Oh, sir!" I walked into the building. Finally, this guy runs up to me and says, "Sir!" Huh? Following me inside? I turn and a building staffer says to me, "Are you the Otis guy? The elevator repairman?" Oh, shit. No, but now I feel like a dick.

Anyway, just do what feels right. Most of the time, that's the best you can do.

Excellent response that pretty much sums up what we all go through in the process.

[wolverine]

A year ago I walked into the grocery store and saw this guy dumping an enormous amount of change into the coinstar machine. I mean you could see a lot of silver. Must have been $70-$80. When I exited the store, I saw him outside and he asked me for change saying he needed to catch a bus. I mentioned I saw him at the coinstar. "He laughed and said, "Ah, you caught me red handed." At least he was honest.

[ghettopalmetto]

I've found you have to be on your guard in Europe. It's possible for one panhandler to hit you up in three or four languages until he finds one you understand.

[1KielsonDrive]

I've found you have to be on your guard in Europe. It's possible for one panhandler to hit you up in three or four languages until he finds one you understand.

Must've been the local banker.

[ghettopalmetto]

Must've been the local banker.

If local bankers are hanging out in dank tunnels beneath sketchy train stations, then things are worse than I thought!

[East Detroit]

If local bankers are hanging out in dank tunnels beneath sketchy train stations, then things are worse than I thought!

No, they are different... they are adorned with monogrammed French Cuffs complete with cufflinks that cost more than your car and gorging themselves hungrily on Foie Gras, while still panhandling and hitting your representatives up with multiple verbal and monetary expressions until they find some that your particular representative understands via gavage.

[Planner3357]

Worst Ive had was the "Roast" experience a while back. I started a thread on it where I pretty much got lambasted. But I give when I can...most of the time I'm out jogging and really have nothing to give to them. I'll buy some guys by the Leland Commissary a forty sometimes..

[1KielsonDrive]

No, they are different... they are adorned with monogrammed French Cuffs complete with cufflinks that cost more than your car and gorging themselves hungrily on Foie Gras, while still panhandling and hitting your representatives up with multiple verbal and monetary expressions until they find some that your particular representative understands via gavage.

Funny.......

[Django]

for years i had money taken out of my gm paycheck each month for my "charitable donation" to a well know major charity only to find out on the news one day that the president of the charity was lining his own pockets with donated money - i would much rather give a couple of bucks to "hobo joe" on the street and cut out the middelman - but that's just me.

I like your style bean.

Im more apt to give a guy some change if he just comes at me straight asking for 50 cents because he needs a beer or a half pint. If they ask for food money I know their bullshitin me cause I know its not hard to eat on the streets.

Ill even help out when a guy is short a buck for a blow.[[heroin) as I dont believe karma distinguishes..

[Magnatomicflux]

I like your style bean.

Im more apt to give a guy some change if he just comes at me straight asking for 50 cents because he needs a beer or a half pint. If they ask for food money I know their bullshitin me cause I know its not hard to eat on the streets.

Ill even help out when a guy is short a buck for a blow.[[heroin) as I dont believe karma distinguishes..

Same here. There's an old homeless dude in a wheelchair by the beer store downtown near the tunnel who seen me walking up. Somehow he knew I was going for a box of beer lol. Anyways, he asks me if I could grab him a can and I say sure. But he suprised me when he pulled out a toonie [[$2 coin...if ya don't know). He said he'd go himself but they don't let him in "cause I guess I fuckin stink and freak people out" LOL! So I told him to keep his money and I went in and bought him 2 cans instead of just the one. He was so happy he offered me the other beer, which I didn't take cause he needed it more than I did. He cracked his beer right there on the corner of Wyandotte and Goyeau and I said ah what the hell, and I sat down next to him, cracked my own beer and talked with him for a good hour.
Nice guy.

Django....who's ever only a buck short for blow? lol

[Roq]

If I have a few bucks or two, I'll usually give it to them. I don't care if they buy drugs or alcohol with it, if it helps them get through their unimaginable shitty days, then so be it.

For those that like to donate to an organization, I've been working with a bunch of great folks at woodward & w. robinwood, the DO foundation. Brian ONeal, a local musician, started it and they give everything they have to give immediate help. Their whole idea is to provide instant help, not give the homeless person[[s) numbers to call or tell them to wait two weeks.

http://www.dofoundation.net/

[1KielsonDrive]

Same here. There's an old homeless dude in a wheelchair by the beer store downtown near the tunnel who seen me walking up. Somehow he knew I was going for a box of beer lol. Anyways, he asks me if I could grab him a can and I say sure. But he suprised me when he pulled out a toonie [[$2 coin...if ya don't know). He said he'd go himself but they don't let him in "cause I guess I fuckin stink and freak people out" LOL! So I told him to keep his money and I went in and bought him 2 cans instead of just the one. He was so happy he offered me the other beer, which I didn't take cause he needed it more than I did. He cracked his beer right there on the corner of Wyandotte and Goyeau and I said ah what the hell, and I sat down next to him, cracked my own beer and talked with him for a good hour.
Nice guy.

Django....who's ever only a buck short for blow? lol

Good story and a good way to relate to others. Thanks.

[1KielsonDrive]

If I have a few bucks or two, I'll usually give it to them. I don't care if they buy drugs or alcohol with it, if it helps them get through their unimaginable shitty days, then so be it.

For those that like to donate to an organization, I've been working with a bunch of great folks at woodward & w. robinwood, the DO foundation. Brian ONeal, a local musician, started it and they give everything they have to give immediate help. Their whole idea is to provide instant help, not give the homeless person[[s) numbers to call or tell them to wait two weeks.

http://www.dofoundation.net/

Excellent post. Caring and compassionate. A few bucks and some care can go a long way.

[ghettopalmetto]

A few bucks and some care can go a long way.

It also buys crack.

I've met panhandlers who have told me that they take home $35,000 a year, tax-free, just for sitting on the sidewalk and laying guilt-trips on people. I don't know about you, but I didn't put myself through school just so someone else could game the system.

Your money is better spent as a contribution to an organization that actually gets people food, health care, employment skills, and into a permanent home.

[Diehard]

For a while I carried a bunch of DDOT bus passes in my wallet, and when someone asked me to help them "get on the bus," I'd ask them where they were going, which bus they were taking, etc. and if they answered correctly enough I'd give them one. They usually were surprised but nobody ever objected.
Last time a guy asked me to help him get a cup of coffee, I told him to come with me I'd get him a cup of coffee. He waffled and shuffled and finally just asked me for some money, and I said I only carry a debit card. That works.

[beanietek]

i enjoyed all the responses to this string ..... you people are the best!!
and
Roq - i will add that one to my list of charities - thanks