Do you help the homeless in any way?
By SxyFlGrl315
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
United States
February 19, 2007 12:21pm CST
What do you do when you see a homeless man or woman on the street asking for money or food?
Do you stop to give, do you atleast offer a kind smile?
That smile may be the only one they receive all day.
I admit that I rarely give money because I know there is a good chance it would go to either alcohol or drugs but I DO buy McDonalds gift cards and give them out randomly.
I usually carry a couple of $5 gift cards on me and if I see someone in need I give him/her one.
Usually they appear very grateful and always thank me.
Last night on my way home from dinner with my boyfriends grandparents I passed a homeless man on the street asking for money. I didnt have any on me at the time (I rarely carry cash) but there was a nearby Micky D's. I rushed over and bought some gift cards and went back and gave the man a $5 card and told him to buy himself a cup of coffee to help him keep warm.
Would you have done the same?
I DO realize that these people are responsible for themselves and can go out and find work. I also realize sometimes they arent as "needy" as them seem but at the same time I also realize that while I am in NO way affluent, I do have a nice life.
I have a warm place to call home, a nice car, a job I can actually bare, and the best friends and family I could ask for.
Giving away $5 isn't going to make or break me. Atleast it brought a smile to this man's face.
Please share your stories on what you HAVE done or WOULD do.
14 people like this
47 responses
@maildumpster (3815)
• United States
20 Feb 07
I always give money (assuming I have any since I rarely carry any cash). I have been laughed at by friends and family.
My answer is always the same:
"God put that person in my path to see what I would do. I gave that person money; what they do with it is between them and God."
I was homeless and my family did what they could for us (I couldn't move back home for reasons I don't care to share). My inlaws on the other hand did NOTHING. That has stayed with me for over 10 years and I don't know if I will every get over it. (I have forgiven but it doesn't mean I can forget how it hurt.)
I would feel like a horrible person if I didn't help.
1 person likes this
@maildumpster (3815)
• United States
20 Feb 07
NO I don't mind at all!! Feel free to use my reply. It is a truthful one. All we can do is help what others do with that help is between them and their God. I have no control over that.
You know I have these crosses that I need to give away - you've made me want to go to the city to hand out cash and crosses (too bad I have more crosses than cash I can share)
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
20 Feb 07
Wow. Your answer to your friends is amazing and true. Im going to use it, hope you dont mind. :)
1 person likes this
@robi_717 (74)
• United States
19 Feb 07
Having worded in a large shelter facility for a few years, I have seen both sides of Homelessness. The homeless type who will use every nickel for another drink, hit, roll or whatever else. Then ther are the people who have made a conscious decision not to work, pay rent or mortgage or any thing else that is near the establishment. These people are in a stage of entitlement. Then there are those who becamme homeless by no fault of their own, Lost wages, illness and who are looking desparattely for work and housing, My thought is giving to an organization is much better than putting $$ in their hand. People forget that on the street anything can be exchannged for money. This is America,!!!!
1 person likes this
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
19 Feb 07
Yeah, I also thought that. I realize they can exchange my gift card for whatever else but atleast I know I didnt directly AID in giving them the cash. What they do with my gift of the card is their business.
I do donate to charities regularly but also remember with that statement "This is America" that not all charities put the money to good use either. Some are very corrupt. :)
1 person likes this
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
19 Feb 07
LOL. You are very welcome. We live in a crazy world nowadays. It's easy to forget.
1 person likes this
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
19 Feb 07
I don't usually give money to homeless people, I give them mostly of foods and some clothings. Because others here are somewhat involved or being held by syndicates, the reason why it is hard for us to just simply give them money. But if I possess a large amount of money, I would surely then never to think twice in sharing it to them. By building houses for their own, a place where they could call home and to live at..
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
19 Feb 07
Food is always good. If they truly are in need, they will appreciate the sentiment. It's the thought that counts.
1 person likes this
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
20 Feb 07
My family has always made a habit of giving to the homeless. We give blankets during the winter and water during the summer. My mother will make casseroles and hand them out to the bench people. Most street people are not sane. They suffer from addiction or mental illness. For this reason they can't stomach the shelters. They are the ones who need help. Mental illness can happen to anyone. If I were to end up in such a situation, a bottle of water might be the only thing to help me to survive another day.
1 person likes this
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
20 Feb 07
You are correct about the mental illness part and unfortunately they dont have the money to get the care they needed. THEy are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
19 Feb 07
I do try to help when I can afford to. I give to charities that help the homeless and there is one particular guy who plays a mean guitar in our high street, I always try to drop some coins into his guitar case. There are so many people who need help, and one person can only do so much, but I try to help as much as I can
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
19 Feb 07
That's good! I loved when I was in NYC, I'd always pass the guitar players. We dont have that in central Florida.
1 person likes this
@orcanut (146)
• Canada
20 Feb 07
I once gave a young boy living with a puppy on the street about $20 and then told him not to go to McDonald's but that he could buy a lot of food at a grocery store and some dog food. I think I had a hard time not telling him what to do with the money but I guess if you are prepared to give it, it should be with no strings attached.
1 person likes this
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
22 Feb 07
eeek. animals are my weakness... I'd also tell him to buy dog food lol
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
19 Feb 07
I used to voluteer at a "Feed the Homeless" program. I met many people with different life stories and came to realize that everyone has a breaking point that could send them into a downward spiral. So, now I don't judge or dismiss the homeless person. I rarely if ever give out money, I have made phone calls for them, gave them bus tickets and food.
I go into Toronto quite frquently and the number of panhandlers really distresses me. In the winter, I urge them to go to shelters, sometimes I buy them a coffee or hot chocolate and maybe a muffin or slize of pizza, in the summer I urge them to get off the hot sidewalk and seek shade. I buy them water and sometimes something to eat. I carry with me the telephone number of Streethelp which can be called free of charge. Most of them thank me, others just seem to want money, but they are humans and I find it difficult to ignore them totally.
1 person likes this
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
20 Feb 07
Yeah, I rarely have cash on me TO give which is why I stick to the gift cards.
I have also ran into those that are only interested in money.
@7nicole1 (1633)
• Canada
20 Feb 07
Well Im personally a sucker when it comes to the homeless. In my city where I am now the homeless here are mostly a bunch of lazy teens and adults. When I do see someone offering to work for food or people with pets I try to give acouple of bucks for some coffee and if they have a pet Ill go buy some food for them because I can picture myself in their spots and Id just be happy to have alittle something to feed my pet if it was me. I also feel really bad for these people because this could happen to anyone of us at anytime so if it ever was I could only hope people would be as nice to me as I have been to them.
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
20 Feb 07
It breaks my heart when I see them with their pets, trying to care for them too.
@roelie_17 (63)
• Philippines
19 Feb 07
the best thing that we can give them, is the knowledge on how they can live by their own, like a livelihood program for them instead of giving them alms that will never last for long.
Don't give them fish, instead teach them how to fish!
1 person likes this
@monkeywriter (2004)
• United States
20 Feb 07
What a GREAT idea. A lot of places if not most have gift cards NOT just McDonald's. But Mc D's has good cheap food too so I dont blame the fact. I will think of this when I get a job.
I dont usually give people money. I think I did it once or gave some change. But you worry about what they will use it on.
A few times my dad bought different homeless at AMPM people actual food and drink took them in and got them stuff.
One night there was this guy begging for money outside AMPM. My sister and me are like money? should we? Worried he'd spend it on something else we bought him a hamburger, and I think chips and a drink. We bought him what we thought best.
Its great to have christian tracks on hand for moments like this. We always try to hand them out as well, say God bless you with a smile.
When I did a mission trip to New York twice we helped out with this food van from the church. It would go to different areas in the area that had lots of homeless (one was a big park NOT centeral park). We got to help give out food, and drinks to all kinds of homeless people. WHAT A BLESSING! I recall the look on their faces SO glad for a kind word and sometime to eat and drink!
1 person likes this
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
20 Feb 07
Very true.... I've also thought of places such as Wendy's, Taco Bell, Burger King, etc, but I usually go with McDonalds because they are almost on every corner whereas they might have to travel some time by foot to get to other food chains.
I've also thought of nice gift cards like places such as Reb Lobster, Chili's, etc, but I know they probably wouldnt let them in because of the cleanliness factor :(
I also thought of a gift card to walmart but have never actually purchased one for that purpose.
@retardedrugrat (4791)
• Canada
19 Feb 07
Until I moved to Canada I didn't really have any contact with Homeless people. Where I lived in the UK it just wasn't an issue. When I moved to toronto though, it became apparent that many people were obviously homeless. I remember being downtown at like 8am and seeing people wrapped in whatever clothing they owned, sleeping on the streets. It was a real eye opener.
One night, we went out with a group of friends and a casting agent for dinner. She'd been teaching these guys and it was their last class, so she took us all out for dinner. One of the guys, Charles, hadn't managed all his dinner, and he asked for it to be bagged up.
As we all headed out the restaurant, a homeless guy held the door open for us in the hopes of making a little change. As Charles walked through the door, he gave the man the rest of his dinner that had been bagged. The man asked if he was sure, and when Charles insisted, this guy broke into a huge smile and thanked him repeatedly. He was so grateful it brought tears to my eyes. I remember hugging Charles and telling him what a good person he was.
I have given out a little bit of spare change before, but I absolutely LOVE your idea of buying gift cards for McDonalds and places like that. I think I'm going to start doing that in future.
Thanks for the idea!
1 person likes this
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
20 Feb 07
no problem! I hope it works out for you. I also love seeing the smiles that come from the gift card. It's such a sense of accomplishment, helping others.
What you friend did was absolutely wonderful. He made that guys night, even if for just one night.
@mherrera812 (162)
• United States
20 Feb 07
I never thought about giving out gift cards. Good idea. I do not like to give away money either. You never know what they'll do with it. I hardly ever carry any cash on me anyways. There have been a couple of time when I give the homeless two tacos from Jack in the Box. I'm usually in my car eating and I feel so bad because I'm eating right infront of them so I just give the two tacos away. They always say thank you. It's probably the only food they have had all day.
1 person likes this
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
20 Feb 07
Thanks, it tends to work really well. Let me know if you try it :)
@Impervious (1147)
• United States
19 Feb 07
I personally don't give cash.
I am happy to buy a hameless person something to eat a cup of coffee or something but NO cash.
On more than 1 occassion I have come across a homeless person begging for money for food and offered to buy them something to eat and was refused, hence my policy.
I think that we should all try to help another whenever the chance presents itself
1 person likes this
@hewesy2 (28)
• United States
19 Feb 07
We always help needy people by donating clothing to local Planetaid boxes or Goodwill boxes. My children are always wondering why we are putting our clothes in the yellow boxes, but we explain to them the reasons and they seem to understand a bit now. It is empowering to see your young children want to also give things to people in need.
1 person likes this
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
20 Feb 07
It's always good to start teaching them early. That is awesome.
@akumei1269 (1749)
• India
20 Feb 07
Yours is nice thinking . If everybody think like you and act alike the world would have been nicer place to live . Here in my city ( in India) we encounter many beggrs everyday . Sometimes I pay and sometimes I don't . Previously I got emotional with the sight of beggars and destressed people . I once gaveout my sweater to a person whose house had just burnt down in a fire . But the person rejected it then and there . I don't know why . But when I offered my jacket to a blind beggar he accepted it with a smile . On yet another I found a Rs.100 currency on street and distributed it among three blind street singers .
But in no ocassion described above I felt anything specially happy or unhappy . I know that that little act does not make any change .
@rusty2rusty (6763)
• Defiance, Ohio
20 Feb 07
Yes, I have helped the homeless. I have given some homeless people a place to stay til they gt on their feet. Or moved in with someone else. I have given homeless money. I have bought McDonalds and handed to a beggar on the street. I am sure the guy was homeless and hungry at that. I give to the homeless shelters and any charities or collections that help the homeless. I think homelessness is a growing tend in the USA. I think the people in the USA need to start recognizing we have a problem with homelessness and start doing something to prevent it.
1 person likes this
@XxAngelxX (2830)
• Canada
19 Feb 07
I really like that idea and I think it's very kind of you. Although there are not a lot of homeless people in my area I don't have to go far to find them and usually if I have money on me , I do tend to give them a few dollars. I can't stand to see people suffering and as you've said a few dollars is not going to break me. I think you're idea is fabulous though.
1 person likes this
@MAX1966 (1029)
• Netherlands
20 Feb 07
i always smile at them.
and i say hello.
i sometimes give money.
i dont have a lot of money ,so i cant give a lot of money.
i would help them more,if i could!
but i dont agree with you they are responsable for what have happened to them!
you dont know that!
do you?
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
22 Feb 07
Every individual is responsible for themselves. They may not be responsible for WHAT happened to them (ie natural disaster etc) but they are responsible for what they make of the situation.
@SxyFlGrl315 (306)
• United States
19 Feb 07
that is a very good idea. It's always nice to help those less fortunate than us. I've been thinking about donating my earnings from mylot to the SPCA. It's not much but every penny helps. :)
1 person likes this
