Panhandlers

I've been doing a lot of polls lately, but I reserved doing one for this thread.

I live in a very small, pretty close nit town.  Since being diagnosed with cancer, I find myself 20 minutes away in my state capitol 5 days a week.  (I live in Illinois and while Springfield isn't near as big as Chicago, its still over 115,000 people.)

Normally when I go to Springfield, its in the evening and my wife and I are on a date and I don't see this, but EVERY DAY I'm in this city for my treatments, I see panhandlers at various intersections on my route.  They're bundled up, usually have a 1,000 yard stare, holding a big cardboard sign saying they're homeless, anything will help, please help, God bless you, Jesus loves you.

Myself, I want to help people...  but I've heard of more than just a few scams where people pose as beggars and actually make a lot of money.  Actually, the first thing that comes to mind when I see them is addiction/alcoholism.  I was homeless for a year, 2004-2005 and mine was certainly attributed to that - being unable to work and family refusing to enable me so I would get help.

My question is, if its NOT an addiction, where's their family?  Why don't they have a job?  If they're disabled and homeless, why aren't they using (emergency) public assistance instead of just standing out in the cold?  Standing with a sign and looking sad seems like a very hit or miss way to support themselves when they could be spending that time applying for work.  

I mean, there's breadlines and soup kitchens everywhere - there's plenty to eat for free.  Plenty of free shelter too.  
...and giving someone $100 as you're driving by isn't anywhere near enough money to get the back on their feet.

Any of you guys have any feedback?

IT is a tough call.  We've all been taken by some huckster asking for money.  Some of these guys are addicts who don't want to give up the drugs/booze.  Others are professional scammers who just like the lifestyle.  Some were released from mental health facilities onto the streets (happened in Nashville for sure), and some are regular joes who are trying to get back on their feet.  Sadly, we don't know their stories.

To be honest, I don't give out much cash as I rarely carry any anymore.  If I do give something, I try to make it something useful like gloves, scarves, etc.  If I am going to make a difference, then I will partner with a shelter who has a program to get these guys off the streets.  However, many won't come into the shelters as they are typically ran by Christian organizations and they don't want to be preached at.  However, some come in and work the programs and do get their lives back.  I think, for me, I'd rather work with someone who is looking for the long haul with the homeless than just giving out cash to someone who may or may not know how to use it for their own good.

There are a lot of homeless where I am.  I mean, a lot, but I generally don't give money.  Some guy tried to give me a CD, but I gave him Dickie's punch card cause I had no money.  He was mad about that.  Whatever, his loss!  Anyways, I find myself giving meals instead if the person asks.  Or if you know of one who needs a specific item, that helps too.  I try to ask God if I should give people something.  He's awesome about telling you who needs what and if you should actually give to them.

Are you referring to me as a Panhandler??? (HAHA   Just kidding, living in the Florida Panhandle I hear that sometimes).  

As alldat stated some of them may have mental issues and because of those issues they cannot function with family or in groups. They simply "live". 

I don't hand out cash but what I will do is offer assistance. I had one guy approach me in the Target parking lot. He was crying. He said "I need to get to Mobile, AL. I was offered a job here and I was late getting here and the group I was supposed to work with headed to South Florida without me and now I am stranded. I have $35 on me and I need a little more for a bus ticket back home. Do you have anything you can spare please kind sir?".

My reply: "I'm very sorry to hear that. But this is Target and we are no where near a bus station. But I will tell you what I will do. If you want to go to Mobile hop into the bed of my truck. I will drive you to the bus station and I will buy your ticket -- you keep the $35 dollars so you will have some cash on you when you get to Mobile". His reply: "No thanks." and he turned and walked off, no more tears.

So I never hand out cash. I had one approach me at a CVS recently and ask for some spare change. I told him I had no cash on me and i asked him if he was thirsty or hungry. He said yes so I told him "well, CVS doesn't have the greatest selection but I'll get you a Coke and something to snack on". And he walked away.... You gotta be smart with these people. 

It is always sad but always best to use common sense and offer them an alternative that works in their favor without giving them money they might use for something other than food.

The church I belonged to many years ago had a similar guy come to us, Mike.  He wanted a bus ticket back to Iowa.  Our story had a nicer ending.  We told him to meet me at the bus station the next morning and we'd buy the ticket.  He was there!  We got his ticket for him and got him on the bus.  A couple years later, we got a letter from his mom in Iowa thanking us for getting him back home.  He had terminal cancer and wanted to say thanks for us returning him to her before he died.  She didn't write sooner as she didn't know the church address.  However, going through some of this things, she found the church bulletin he still had from when he visited us.

So, help where you can as none of us have the funds to heal the situation for any of them.

I had this one guy hit me up in a parking lot of a gas station in Lebanon, TN.  He told me that he hated to ask, but he needed money to get back home to Manchester, TN.  He said that he was getting desperate as he was about out of gas and "had been driving around for about 2 hours trying to find help".  Without skipping a beat, I asked him, "Couldn't you have made it back to Manchester in less than two hours?  Why drive around asking for help if you had enough to stay on the road that long driving around?"  He kinda growled at me and drove off in a tizzy.  I never said I wouldn't help him.  I just asked a clarifying question.

We have them he in St. John's Newfoundland. You need to be careful with these people. One time when my wife was on the bus back when we had 1 car (we have 2 now) she over gear them boasting about how much money they raised fof smokes and liquor. W have a good welfare system here in Canada and these people are doing this for spending money. I don't have a problem with that as long as they don't use it for smokes, drugs and liquor and the earnings are reported a d we all know this is not always the case.

I rarely give money to these people..although last summer when it was 101 and 90% humidity I did help a pregnant woman..She was pretty close to her due date and the boyfriend had run off..I gave her some money and some water..I just really felt led to help her..
In my city they are really cracking down on this though...They are making laws to pretty much outlaw panhandling and some of these panhandlers have even been arrested...some who give have also been arrested for things like blocking traffic...Our current mayor has publicly said he doesn't want to see these people on the street..I know we already have a law that makes it illegal to be homeless ...first time I ever heard of such a law and I really wonder if its enforced...

You have to watch out here, too.

I had a guy ask for money a few months ago in the parking lot of my local Walmart.  He was supposedly a local guy just needing gas to get home from work.  He supposedly worked for the city of Lebanon.  First of all, it was the wrong time of day to be getting off work with the city, and he did not know the name of the mayor--his supposed boss.  I didn't give him anything.

Less than a week later, he hit me up again at my local Walmart.  It was around 10 PM and dark outside.  He had a different story completely.  He approached me just as I got in the truck.  I rolled the window down a bit and locked the door.  I asked him if he was the same guy that was at Goodwill and he boldly denied it even though I KNOW it was.  He then proceeded to try to open my truck door.  That's when I showed him my Ruger that I had with me.  He backed up with both hands in the air and apologized for bothering me.  At that point, I drove off.  I should have called the cops, but I just wanted to go home.

That's when I showed him my Ruger that I had with me.  He backed up with both hands in the air and apologized for bothering me.  At that point, I drove off.

Aren't you glad you live in Tennessee where you can do that...in some states you would have been the criminal    Glad I live in a gun friendly state..

Savage Amusement wrote:

That's when I showed him my Ruger that I had with me.  He backed up with both hands in the air and apologized for bothering me.  At that point, I drove off.

Aren't you glad you live in Tennessee where you can do that...in some states you would have been the criminal    Glad I live in a gun friendly state..

You can do that in Florida too. Pretty lenient here, in fact were are known in this area for "shooting first and asking questions later" and not be in the wrong. Many people I work with have a concealed weapons permit.... I do not have one myself as I have yet to register my hands with the state

They're even on TV posing as Christian evangelists.

MikeInFla wrote:

Savage Amusement wrote:

That's when I showed him my Ruger that I had with me.  He backed up with both hands in the air and apologized for bothering me.  At that point, I drove off.

Aren't you glad you live in Tennessee where you can do that...in some states you would have been the criminal    Glad I live in a gun friendly state..

You can do that in Florida too. Pretty lenient here, in fact were are known in this area for "shooting first and asking questions later" and not be in the wrong. Many people I work with have a concealed weapons permit.... I do not have one myself as I have yet to register my hands with the state

I have my carry/conceal permit and will need to renew it this year.  Tennessee has started the bill that I believe will pass (Republican House, Senate, & Governor) that will allow open carry by any legal residents of Tennessee.

OK, enough gun talk--back to the discussion at hand.

Peter who was Vaak wrote:Some guy tried to give me a CD, but I gave him Dickie's punch card cause I had no money. He was mad about that.

I found this more hilarious than I should have.

Sounds like you guys have had some borderline rough experiences. I remember my wife and I leaving a china buffet in broad daylight, pulling out of the parking lot getting flagged down by a large black man telling me his kids are in his van "over there" and he needs to get to Rockford (which is 2 hours away) and asked if I had $20.

I said no and he frantically went to another vehicle that was trying to leave.

alldatndensum wrote:I asked him if he was the same guy that was at Goodwill and he boldly denied it even though I KNOW it was.  He then proceeded to try to open my truck door.  That's when I showed him my Ruger that I had with me.  He backed up with both hands in the air and apologized for bothering me.

I don't have a gun of any kind to show someone. I've always chalked it up to me being a big dude and living in a small low-crime community that no one would try to pull anything stupid like pull on my car handle.

Yeah, I probably would have had a "red-out" on that dude...

I don't have a gun of any kind to show someone. I've always chalked it up to me being a big dude and living in a small low-crime community that no one would try to pull anything stupid like pull on my car handle.

I got mine because of my geocaching.  I travel around a lot of places and some geocaches are hidden in bad areas of some towns.  I also go after some in woods that have no trails.  I've had a couple of close encounters with rattlesnakes and someone's German shepherd that had slipped off the leash.  I've never had to shoot anything/anyone, but I am prepared if the worst should happen.

I've seen panhandlers in Philly when I have to go there. Very rarely they're around here in the Lancaster (PA) area. My wife's background is in social work, so she has educated me on the realities. These guys have options that would be far more helpful than just tossing a $20 at them could ever be. There are shelters where they can get food, a place to sleep, and help in finding work. But something (pride?) prevents them from going there.

As for a normal-looking someone (not a panhandler) just coming up to me and asking for money...that's a tough one. However, didn't Jesus tell us to give to whomever asks of us? I would struggle with just turning someone away, even if I thought they might be conning me. I don't know...it's easy for me to say what I would do sitting here in my home thinking about it, but I don't know how I'd handle it if it actually happened to me.

Follower of Jesus wrote:I've seen panhandlers in Philly when I have to go there. Very rarely they're around here in the Lancaster (PA) area. My wife's background is in social work, so she has educated me on the realities. These guys have options that would be far more helpful than just tossing a $20 at them could ever be. There are shelters where they can get food, a place to sleep, and help in finding work. But something (pride?) prevents them from going there.

As for a normal-looking someone (not a panhandler) just coming up to me and asking for money...that's a tough one. However, didn't Jesus tell us to give to whomever asks of us? I would struggle with just turning someone away, even if I thought they might be conning me. I don't know...it's easy for me to say what I would do sitting here in my home thinking about it, but I don't know how I'd handle it if it actually happened to me.

I never hand out cash to anyone regardless of how they look. Mainly I don't carry cash not even a single dollar. But I do offer them alternatives like a ride (in the bed of my truck so they are not actually with me) or I offer to buy them something so far I have had ZERO takers when I offer something other than cash. I think Jesus would be pleased with my strategy.

I almost never give them money.  But I have had a few people accept my offer to buy them food (a few times just to get out of the cold I think).  I walk with them to the nearest fast food joint and buy them anything they want off the menu...I also try to get them a gift card for $10-$20 so they can get food later as well.  Once I even had the time to sit and talk with them for a few minutes.  They are almost always on something (mostly alcohol)  which is why they probably aren't in one of the many local shelters.  Those place will take almost anyone but they won't let most people in if they are drunk or high.