did you ever give money to street beggar?

i think theres nothing wrong sharing your blessing. giving unfortunate people makes me feel better than ignoring them. some says it bad giving them because they will just used it in not so good things but when you give someone you're not supposed to think where and how they spend it coz you already gave that to him/her.

I only give money to oldies beggars because I know they really need help.

Hi friends, I always have mixed feelings about people begging. I have heard a saying many times, most of us are only a paycheque away from being on the streets. Just think about it, what if one day you lost your job. If you are living pay cheque to pay cheque as a lot of us are, that would certainly put your life in turmoil. The banks do not care what your situation is. The hydro, the heating company. They do not care. All they want is their money. If all of a sudden you don't have first, money for your mortgage or rent, then it trickles down to hydro, heat, electricity, what would you end up doing? I just never say never. Cheryl

I will give them food but not money, as many are robbed, many drink it away, etc. When we are in an area where there are homeless beggars, and I have some leftover food from a restaurant or snacks on me, I will give them that. At least I know that they will eat it and I have seen them gobble it down after I have given it to them

Yeah, I've given to beggars and panhandlers before... ...and I NEVER will again. Let me tell you why--- 1. Most of them ARE CON ARTISTS, RAPISTS, and CRIMINALS Same like you, I gave to a homeless woman that looked pregnant. Playing on sympathies. I did not have money but, I gave her the sweater off my back, because it was cold and she did not have a jacket on. Then on same daily route for about 2yrs, I see the same woman--still pregnant. I used to VOLUNTEER, with the homeless and beggars in a soup kitchen. While they are waiting to be served, MANY OF THEM had iPods, cell phones, and digital cameras!!! Some of them HAD THE NERVE to ask for Wheat Bread instead of White, skim milk insteado of regular, and the best one--- some wanted their bacon--extra crispy and placed on a seperate plate away from their eggs. **remember, this is a homeless shelter/soup kitchen** I am confronted by beggars that are SLICK. They WAIT outside of BANKS, COFFEE SHOPS, GROCERY STORES and when I come out with some item in hand they DEMAND, NOT ASK, DEMAND MONEY. When I say no, they say "... YOU HAVE MONEY! YOU JUST CAME OUT OF THE STORE!" In which I reply, "that's the store where you should fill out your job application." They don't know how to fill out a job application, but THEY DO KNOW THEIR RIGHSTS. They do know that they have the right to go anywhere. They know that even if they get arrested, they'll be back on the street before sunset. Many of them DO NOT WANT TO WORK, because they get or qualify for a lot of government hand out programs, and if they get a job they lose the benefits. These benefits are TAX FREE, and the money they get from BEGGING--TAX FREE! Then they go to a soup kitchen 3 times a day for --3 HOT FREE MEALS. Then at night they go to a shelter to get-- A FREE ROOM AND BOARD FOR THE NIGHT, AND A HOT SHOWER. They have it better than I do! You SHOULDN'T even give to a charity. MANY of these so called charities, paint a humple picture. But what you don't see in the heart breaking commercials, and brochures, is WHAT GOES ON INSIDE THE CHARITY. Many of these charities HIRE VIOLENT EX CONS through some PRISON WORK RELEASE PROGRAM, without doing any back ground checks, and MANY or the DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVES STEAL THE DONATION MONEY. I can say this because I worked for such an organization, and HAVE SEEN IT HAPPEN! I did a fund raiser to upgrade a charity's computer department, and the Executive Director stole the money. Some legal glitch for non profits and "charitable" orgazisations ALLOWED THEM to use "Funds", to give themselves raises--which he did. They are just as corrupt as Wall Street and these Bank CEOs. Keep your money. If you must help-- go to an animal hospital or shelter, and help an abused dog or cat, by giving a some food, or take them for a walk. Give clothing to a clothing pick up instead of cash. And if you really want to help a human, help with sick babies, instead. Sorry, if this post seems a bit cold, but, beggars have the right to beg, but you have the right to be left alone, and to give only if you want. Beggars, just want your hard earned money. They don't care how they get it. They just want money.

I always give money every time I see beggars in the street. I always have a soft heart for them.

There is one lady that I give her money every time I see her. She is living on the streets she can't hear or talk. I hope she don't drink the money up but God knows I gave it in good faith. We don't have to many of them around here. They will be men with signs saying will work for food. Thats about all we have around here.

That is one main reason i don't give money to a beggar.They make a lot of money than the earning people in the city.You can give money to blind beggars as we know they cannot do a job and earn.I always give money to blind beggars.Beware of giving money to small kids.They just give the money to their parents who don't work.

hi cindy, I sometimes give to street beggars. But If you really want to help beggars, bring them to a shelter wherein they can be trained or people will teach them to do something for a living and not just begging. In those way, you are still helping them. sometimes giving them money will not really help them, they will just use it in a wrong way. Take care.

I give beggars money if I find them deserving.Like,some old people who can't work and earn their bread.But I will not encourage child beggars or some lazy street beggars who simply ignore hard work.And my mood also plays an important role when it comes for charity.Sometimes I won't give any money and will turn my face to avoid them.

well....yes....these kind of incidences are common and i am very much aware of them so i never give money to any begger....never in my life have i done that.....but yes if some begger asks for food or something then i have sometimes given it to them....i feel that they can not be faking if they ask for food....

I never encourage begging unless they are handicapped. Bcoz, once they got addicted they feel it is best of earning money and also becomes every body's hobby in their life. Evn they encourage children's to begg on the street side. I found may of the children who are encouraged by their parents and send tehm on the roads. In one of the surveys regarding begging, it is shown that each begger is earning around 30-40 rupees per day, which is half of the amount of factory worker. We have to show sympathy on them by showing a right way to thaem, instead of encouraging them by giving money. Also, i have seen many who are working some whr even thy are handicapped. I always prefer to buy from them, whether it may be useful or not,

I always gives money to every beggar i saw, I don't know why I'm like this. I always think that I'm more fortunate than them and i feel so sorry for them. I give them money because that little amount will be a big help for them. I know how hard their life are. I just can't help myself from doing that even though I know that most of them we're just pretending but it's up to them how they use it and it's there sin if they're just cheating people around them that helps them. God can see whatever they do.

Well I sometimes give money to handicapped people and those who are blind. They can't do any job. Sometimes it give money even to small kids. When because the main thing is when you will help someone you will be helped by someone else. Have a nice life ahead Bye

Yes, I had such experience. Moreover, I have seen a beggar throwing away my money because it was very less. But still I give alms. You know why? I feel when someone is asking something in front of many others, he/she is lowering her social dignity, I need to help him as per god's will. Thus, I give alms. What does the beggar do with my money? Whether the beggar is a professional one, all these things are of no importance to me. Simply, when someone asks for, I have two choices -- either give alms or do not, I give. That's it.

NO. I will sometimes buy a meal for someone or give them certificates for McDonalds etc. I don't carry cash much anyway so it is no problem for me to turn down requests for spare change.

The beggers earn money by our sympathy.

The people who truly WANT help won't be standing on street corners begging. They will be sitting in government assistance offices or wherever they can to earn some honest money. I had a situation similar to yours, only with me, it was a young man dressed in a 3-piece suit. His story was that he was on his way to a job interview when his car broke down. Since it was only a few miles to the job interview, he asked if I could spare enough money for him to get on the bus to make his job interview on time and back to his car. I told him I had no cash, which was true. Two months later, I saw this same man, in the same suit, at another street corner. When I stopped at a red light, he came up to my car and told me the exact same story as he did two months earlier. I told him that he has already done this scam on me before but he denied it, saying no, that wasn't him, it must have been someone who just looked like him. Well, I didn't give him any money, but I was furious! I'm so sick of these types of thieves who try to steal your money by using your sympathy and compassion! But, instead of just going on my way, I circled back and came to the same intersection from a different direction. As I suspected, he did not recognize me, even though we had just spoken not more than five minutes earlier. He started his speech about his car breaking down when I stopped him in mid-sentence. I said, "Yeah, I know the story, you told it to me 5 minutes ago. I went to the police and told him about your problem. They said they would be here in a few minutes to help you out." I never saw anyone run so fast in my entire life before!!! I never went to the police but I never saw that guy again, either. Apparently, he chose to stay WAY out of my reach! Don't give these people money. Tell them that you've contacted the police to help them out. IF they are honest, they will not run. But, chances are, they are just trying to steal your money and WILL run if they think the police are on their way.

I have done it a couple of times.. And it's really difficult to know who's really in need and who's not. Some wont even express gratitude after hlping them.. Whenever a beggar approaches me, and I have a little excess money in hand, or maybe a food, I would just give it.. For me, I just did what I could. I just did my part. If he's just a swindler, then I'll let God deal with him. If he's a real beggar, then I was able to help!

I think most cities of any size have organizations that help those who are truly down and out. That's not to say that street beggars are not down and out, it just seems that they're not interested in improving their situation. I think most of them are either mentally challenged or have substance abuse issues. I understand you being upset about being "taken," but your heart was in the right place. You saw a person you thought was in need and you did what you could to help her. The only advise I can give is to give to an organization that helps the needy, not just by giving them a handout, but by helping them with job training and job placement. Then when a street beggar approaches you, you can tell them that you give to that particular organization and point him/her in that direction.