How do you view giving to the homeless?

Every time I walk across this bridge, I always see this old homeless man asking, "do you have a quarter so that I can buy food?" He's been there for (I think) about 10 years already, and he's still homeless. He hasn't turned his life around. He even says that same quote - "do you, by any chance, have a quarter so that I can buy food?"

I have never given him any dollars or coins, because I don't believe in giving money to the homeless. More specifically, here's my position on the matter:

I will NOT:
1. Give any money (bills or coins) to homeless people.
Reason: Money can be used to buy ANYTHING, and giving money to a homeless person would not ensure that he is helped. The homeless person could, after all, use that money to buy tobacco, alcohol, or illegal drugs - all of which harm the user and those around him. In my opinion, homeless people usually stay on the street because they don't want to live by shelter rules: no alcohol, drugs, and smoking. However, they could definitely get food and necessities from these shelters. And I bet that homeless man I've seen on the bridge for the past 10 years has gone to shelters once in a while to stay alive.

2. Offer my own housing or job opportunities to homeless people.
Reason: The Elizabeth Smart Story.

I APPROVE:
1. Giving food and toiletries to homeless people.
Reason: Rather than giving them money, which could be used to buy harmful items, giving homeless people food and toiletries ensures that they will be helped (at least temporarily). In addition, the items I give them probably won't be used to harm anyone. Of course, that is why I won't give scissors or knives to homeless people. It's about common sense.

2. Giving Gift Cards to Homeless People.
Reason: Giving a gift card to a homeless person ensures that he will use it at the store I think is safe. (For example, wal-mart.) In addition, I can put a small amount of money on the gift card to ensure that the homeless person couldn't buy any tobacco or alcohol - those are all expensive!

3. Donating to credible homeless shelters.
Reason: These organizations know how to manage their donations and use it to genuinely help the homeless. I know that my money will be put to good use if I give it to a credible homeless shelter.


So that's my opinion on the matter.


How do you view giving to the homeless?

I would have to agree. My brother in law usually offers to take them for a meal, or to a store to buy them something to eat. Most will not go and only want the cash. The ones that do go are more than grateful and indeed thankful for the help. I like your ideas and reasoning.

How do you view giving to the homeless?

I don't donate based on people's home (or lack of it). I don't like beggars though.

I agree SeanChing, good list!

I guess letting cashiers/delivery people keep the change does not count :whistle:

So I live in NYC.
The situation is that I cannot go to work in the morning on a weekday without having a homeless person hustle a dollar. For the most part homelessness is an energetic condition of that of taking your self deeply too seriously.

I calculated that if I gave a dollar to every homeless person that asked me, I would give roughly 350 dollars a year based on an average sample taken over a work week.

As we get older, we all get bad breaks, trials, troubles and tribulations. Its up to us to overcome this. Its not to say that we can't fall and fall hard. I have personally been homeless a time or two for short periods of life. It isn't all that and it certainly isn't as easy to climb out of it. Your safety is always in question and the so called "programs" are worthless at best.

I do promise you though, that most homeless people stay homeless because they choose to. Its hard and takes effort when you have that much negative energy in your body, but if you really don't want to be homeless all you have to do is ask not to be and work hard when given the chance. Problem is homeless people treasure their pain. Its all they think they have and to give it up would mean having to admit that their tantrum and situation was sort of their fault. Its easier to be miserable.

Its good to practice compassion. It helped me learn about myself. Me? I choose to exercise charity through other means. A well placed twenty dollar bill to a waiter/waitress who isn't expecting that can turn her day. I got tears once. Even bringing someone a drink of water on a hot day to someone you see outside could make a huge difference. Compassion out of pity and compassion out of compassion's sake are two different experiences, least they were for me.

If the economy were better, I would agree with you Vc. But the reality is, no one wants to hire you if you do not have decent clothing walking in.

Anyways, I rarely give money to the homeless, I'd rather buy them food, if they do not accept it then I know what they are looking for.

I took a chance on a couple one cold Nashville morning. To my surprise, I found them later drinking the cup of coffee they promised me the money would go to.

I do what I can but a recent trend in my city, and I kid you not, is teens pretending to be homeless and begging for money. This has bittered me a bit towards giving money. I give to organisations that help the homeless, particularly the Salvation Army, who are always there for Australian military personnel and people in need.

One thing that needs awareness raised is the food distribution laws on dairy. Here in Western Australia, milk, juice, cheese and other similar products cannot leave a distribution depot if there is less than a week before the expiry date. These items are often discarded, rather than have perfectly good resources sent to where they could do some good. Liability regulation strikes again. I argued with co-workers when I worked at one of these depots, but to no avail.

And I tend to tip taxi drivers and bar/cafe staff, but am careful when doing so. Some retail managers can have employees charged with theft when told to keep the change. It happened to my fiance's brother.

i work with my churches homeless ministry. we have lunch every friday, as well as other things as they arise. but yes, unless someone is vetted that they will not just squander the money, we dont usually simply disburse cash. usually pay for items, food, lodging, a cell phone, that sort of thing.

Williamkaede wrote: I do what I can but a recent trend in my city, and I kid you not, is teens pretending to be homeless and begging for money. This has bittered me a bit towards giving money. I give to organisations that help the homeless, particularly the Salvation Army, who are always there for Australian military personnel.

I am aware of this problem as well, and it sickens me. I saw this one documentary where a news reporter followed a "homeless" woman. She had a sign saying something like, "homeless - please give so that I can eat". The news reporter than followed the "homeless" woman (now driving in a car!) to her home. That's right - she wasn't homeless. And she actually made a couple hundred dollars that day - all in donations!

Meanwhile, our society gets no benefits from her begging. Do we have shopping malls and restaurants run by beggars? Obviously not. So how can beggars expect these services to be available to them if all they do is beg?

And I tend to tip taxi drivers and bar/cafe staff, but am careful when doing so. Some retail managers can have employees charged with theft when told to keep the change. It happened to my fiance's brother.

lol you're going to have to explain how that works. give something to someone, someone else accuses them of theft? wtf. Black guy gets arrested for driving a nice car because obviously he can only be a criminal sort of situation.

I do what I can but a recent trend in my city, and I kid you not, is teens pretending to be homeless and begging for money.

Beggars in cambridge (where we had the UK gathering -- very posh place) have mansions in london...