Homeless people that reject necessities and beg for cash are choosing beggars, amirite?

My mom and I were homeless when I was little. Someone gave us leftover food. We ate it and got so sick because it must have been sitting in their car or something. Sometimes, people are wary for that reason… people genuinely give you bad food or worse. Clothes don't just fit everyone. You may think you're being nice, but you've never been in that person's situation. You have no idea what it's like.

by morissettelayne 5 days ago

I've heard stories from people that were homeless of being given food with glass in it, or cleaning products mixed in. It's horrible the way they're treated. I would be skeptical of random food too.

by Anonymous 5 days ago

I wouldn't give or take leftovers, but sealed snack bars or whatever are going to be fine 99. 9% of the time

by Anonymous 5 days ago

It's also possible they would have difficulty chewing certain things. I learned this when I offered someone an apple and he couldn't take it because he couldn't bite it with his dentures

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Also, they might have allergies you dont know about and you could be giving them food that coild kill them.

by Unable-Tune 4 days ago

This is the actual answer.

by weimanncarole 4 days ago

I'm wondering then why they wouldn't say that…or they did and OP didn't think it was a valid reason

by Anonymous 4 days ago

I agree about clothes but if you're offering to go to the store or a fast food place with the homeless person to buy them fresh food and they just want money thats quite a red flag.

by lwaters 4 days ago

See that's all about context again, are they right by the store or are you asking them to get in a car? Would you get in a car with a stranger if you were particularly vulnerable? Can they risk leaving the stuff they do have behind? Etc

by Boring_Half2644 4 days ago

Literally, do people not understand that rapists and murderers exist..???

by derickflatley 4 days ago

Nope. They were begging in the convenience store parking lot and they didnt have anything with them. Told them i didnt carry cash and id buy them food and they told me i should go to the atm and get out $20 for them instead. Nah

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Some junkie had the balls to ask me to give them $100 lol.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

If a homeless person isn't hungry right now. They don't want the food partially because they have nowhere to store it. Where are they gonna put it that isn't going to invite rats or ants to their limited living space? It's not a red flag that homeless people want to be able to have a choice as to how resources are allocated. You don't want to offer that because you see them as inherently less deserving.

by rohancale 4 days ago

Homeless people usually choose a particular location because it has certain merits: it might offer protection from the weather, be high visibility (and therefore relatively safe), or have relatively high foot traffic and a higher likelihood that they'll get their needs met. Giving up their spot and following you to a store means someone else can take it from them – and oftentimes it's not a good trade off. It's not red flag behaviour on their part – it's just that you're lucky enough to not understand what it's like to be homeless.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Are they toddlers? Why should someone lose their dignity because of $10? Just give them the money. If they use it to do drugs and so what? People who have houses do drugs to make their lives better. Then someone who doesn't have a house?

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Or just don't give them the money at all. That's better than trying to dictate what to do with the money out want to spend

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Because most liquor stores and drug dealers won't accept food as payment.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Nah ive offered a homeless lady to come into mcdonalds with me and id buy her a meal. Her response was "why cant you just give me money you cheap bitch". Another time offered to buy a guy a drink and a snack in a conveniece store he was begging by, go in w me and pick what he wants. His sign was saying he was "hungry" and "anything helps". He also had some excuse as to why i should just give him money. I dont give anyone anything anymore.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Oh my god WHAT??? I offer food because I never have cash and can't afford to give others money, but am fortunate enough to have a little bit of my food stamps left over every month to get a box of granola bars. I usually try to give whoever is on the corner a handful of them. I feel horrible now because what if they think I tried to tamper with them?

by Anonymous 4 days ago

same reason why i won't drink a drink unless i watch the person make it. and people generally have a more hostile view of the homeless than women in general.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

It's like tampered Halloween candy. I won't deny it's probably happened, and still probably happens. But I seriously question the frequency it happens. Obviously I'm still gonna check every single piece every single time just to be safe.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

It's a well-understood thing among homeless people that you shouldn't take food from people, there's far too many people who tamper with it. The human equivalent of putting rat poison in cat food for stray cats. Don't blame the homeless for following that rule, blame the psychopaths that caused the rule to be made.

by Margaritamertz 4 days ago

Even if it was fake, the fear that someone could actually do it is pretty good justification for not wanting to trust random food donations.

by faymauricio 4 days ago

Exactly, if the middle class can barely afford medical bills a homeless person definitely can't, so they can't take the risk.

by Margaritamertz 4 days ago

along with the prankster that fed a homeless person an oreo cookie but the creme was actually toothpaste

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Yup I remember that.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

yeah ive only have ppl accept food if we walked around the store together to buy it or its off my plate and i just left the restaurant (which is always them doing a solid because these places give way too much food)

by Myamosciski 4 days ago

I completely understand that rule. I think that's a separate point to OP's. When I get asked for money, I say "I don't have cash, but I can buy you some things you may need." I usually point to the nearest fast food place or store, since there is usually something within a short walking distance. This happens a few times per week where I live, but, in my experience, they almost always say no.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

If you're unwilling or unable to provide cash, you can always offer gift cards to nearby supermarkets. There's a lot of valid reasons homeless people might not want to leave their current spot, eat when it suits you, or stock up on items. If you offered them a $20 gift card, I bet they'd all accept it.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Because that is a deeply undignified and humiliating experience. Walking around a store pointing out things you need like a child. For some reason people just cannot understand why the homeless would like dignity.

by rohancale 4 days ago

That's humiliating but begging for cash isn't? It sucks but I'm not handing over cash. I also realize a lot of homeless are invisible, but I've also had the aggressive homeless outside my home or work. You get pretty indifferent after a while. It's hard being accosted constantly for money.

by leuschkegia 4 days ago

A lot of homeless people have hard lines about things they won't do. How do I know? I was homeless for 7 years. Yes being harassed for money sucks. You still don't get to decide what someone else sees as dignified or not. You don't get to decide what is the line of dignity for someone else. If you don't want to help don't but people in that position don't need more judgement. While yes it may be stressful to be asked for money. People piss on homeless people while they're sleeping regularly. People walk up and kick sleeping homeless people regularly. Homeless people get cleared out of cities regularly (which puts them at a an higher risk of murder). I guarantee you, that sucks a fk load more.

by rohancale 4 days ago

How is that more undignified and humiliating than asking strangers for money on the street?

by Anonymous 4 days ago

People develop defence mechanisms to protect themselves from the trauma they are experiencing. This leads to the development of hard lines they won't cross. Things that you might think don't make sense. These do make sense to them. Then there's the added part that most of there people are long term homeless. They don't want to follow anyone anywhere. That is a safety concern for them because if you follow someone somewhere. You often don't come back and no one really investigates missing people in homeless communities.

by rohancale 4 days ago

I had one who claimed to need a prescription filled. I offered to go with him and pay for the prescription. He took off.

by Amazing_Window 4 days ago

I keep cans of turkey chili with a pop lid and spoons in my car. I used to keep canned green beans, but no one wanted them.

by helen35 4 days ago

In theory that's a good idea, but it would need to be heated up. Also, it's unsafe to keep canned food in your car. The heat will cause it to spoil and extreme hot or cold temperatures can cause cans to rupture, making a mess for you or contaminating for them

by No_Series 4 days ago

I don't think most homeless people are looking at the nutritional facts of what they're gonna consume

by AccomplishedEye 4 days ago

Yeah they likely don't, but if you're gonna go out of your way to get something for them, you should.

by Margaritamertz 4 days ago

Food in sealed packaging is fine. I would probably refuse a plate of food from a random person. But sealed containers are safe.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

It's also a well-understood thing among some certain population that as soon as they got cash they tend to spend on alcohol and drugs.

by Chandlerwilderm 4 days ago

Not nearly as many as the United States "the-homeless-are-less-than-people" of America would have you believe.

by Margaritamertz 4 days ago

Here's the thing. I don't care what someone spends money on. I gave it to them, it's theirs.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Not assisting someone in need because you're pre-judging them for their circumstances actually makes you the bad person in that story.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Indeed

by Margaritamertz 4 days ago

If I was homeless, I probably would too. People's spare change isn't going to get me housing. If I get to that point, I'm doing anything I can to forget I'm there.

by Lower_Wish7077 4 days ago

And that's such a bad thing because? Don't you know people who spend money on alcohol and drugs?

by Anonymous 4 days ago

This isn't an unpopular opinion, just an uninformed one. Can you buy deodorant or a toothbrush, or a can opener by trading in a sandwich at the store? No.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

They're not animals. You can ask them why they prefer cash over the other items.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Food is the easiest thing for most people to access. SNAP and soup kitchens abound. Offering food isnt all that helpful... humans need more nourishment and support than food to survive. It is other things that charities and the state don't provide that people need the most. Cash is seriously the best way to help a homeless person or person in extreme poverty. Whether they need interview clothes or a motel or transportation/transit card, a burger from McDonalds isn't going to help someone attain the basics they need to get on their feet.

by Alive-Plankton5634 4 days ago

Definitely not unpopular, but it is incredibly arrogant to presume you might know what a homeless person needs or that you have the right to decide what's good for them.

by Bbogisich 4 days ago

I'm not sure it's about this. In many societies these days, cash isn't something people always have. I can see how I may be a bit annoyed if, say, on my way to get lunch/shopping, I passed by a person begging, and not having much/any cash, got something for myself and the person, only to be turned down because they prefer cash. I did not set out to solve the person's life's problems, I simply saw a person in need and tried to help in a way that I was able to do at the time. It's not unreasonable to expect a homeless person to accept some kindness from a stranger, even it meant trading the item elsewhere for something they actually need.

by jalon71 4 days ago

The problem is you. You don't know what the individual needs. You can buy them a Big Mac but maybe they already ate today and are trying to get enough money for food tomorrow? Maybe they don't have anywhere to store and reheat the food so food today doesn't do them any good? Maybe they need to pay rent or a utility bill? (Not all panhandlers are homeless) You're bitching just to bitch without actually understanding the circumstances or actual needs of the individual you're interacting with.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Cash buys a bed to sleep in. Can't trade a million crappy sandwiches for a bed

by Anonymous 4 days ago

lol it's naive to think that they are gonna save up the cash to buy a bed to sleep in or a hostel. They are buying booze or drugs.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

That helps people sleep too. Just have compassion.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

But you can buy them a motel room. They will still decline because the bed is not actually what they want.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Have you personally ever offered a panhandler a hotel room?

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Wait, they didn't ask you for anything? And they had the absolute NERVE to not gratefully accept whatever random odds and ends you had in the back of your car on your way past? Dammit, don't they KNOW you have MORE MONEY than them and therefore they should be GRATEFUL?! The FIENDS.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

They asked for money because they said they were hungry

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Ah yes, because you can surely sustain all your needs with food and clothing, right? You don't need money for anything? I see i see.

by Weekly_District_7214 4 days ago

I know so many homeless or near homeless people who need money specifically because they need to be able to afford their medications they need to survive. The pharmacy won't accept gently used clothes or canned goods as a copay.

by Interesting_Feed_616 4 days ago

And there a lot of homeless that want money to take the bus, or pay for the occasional room in motels, especially in winter

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Maybe he can trade 6 sandwiches and a tshirt for a phone card. 😂😂🤷‍♂️

by SafetyLegitimate 4 days ago

I don't think anyone ever gets enough granola bars and muffins

by Mammoth-Mud 4 days ago

I, too, have been able to buy a bus ticket with a granola bar and a smile.

by Weekly_District_7214 4 days ago

Right? I had a homeless woman ask me for tampons recently. I felt terrible that I didn't have any. She didn't ask for money or anything but if I had had cash on me, I would have given her some because I know that's an awful spot to be in. People don't even think about things like this when judging homeless people. Now if the homeless person is a jerk about your offer to give them something, I feel less sorry for them. If anyone offers you a kindness, regardless of your social status, you should be kind as well. It costs nothing to be kind.

by Lower_Wish7077 4 days ago

Can you pay rent with food? Also some people poison food them give to homeless people

by Anonymous 4 days ago

That is awful, how many times has that happened?

by Illustrious-File 4 days ago

ACAB, every single one

by Illustrious-File 4 days ago

You also arent saving up rent money begging

by CremeKitchen4563 4 days ago

But you can save up a security deposit.

by rohancale 4 days ago

I'm sorry to be this asshole here, but what rent are homeless paying?

by Anonymous 4 days ago

I can't think wrap my head around being that evil.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Being homeless means they cant afford a home. It doesnt necessarily mean they cant feed and clothe themselves. Doesnt matter how many sandwiches you give them, they cant pay rent with them.

by burleyspinka 4 days ago

Because you're making a lot of assumptions,drawing conclusions from those assumptions and then wondering why no one is using a logical argument against it. You can't be reasoned out of something you didn't reason into.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

If you're absolutely hellbent on giving food as your charity to homeless, give little gift cards from food places nearby that can actually get something off the menu. For the homeless person the worst case scenario there is the gift card is empty. There are assholes who tamper with food for the homeless. That worst case scenario is sickness and death from accepting food from strangers.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Where I am programs to help the homeless don't let them bring in extra personal items unless it's identification (purse, wallet, etc), medication, or a cellphone. If they're enrolled in a program giving them physical stuff is much less helpful than you'd think. Are some people using drugs and making poor choices? Sure. But if you don't want to help those people then don't think too deeply and just keep it moving. Donate directly to a shelter or program instead.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

They don't have any place to put those things. They don't have a fridge to put food or a closet to put clothes. And they can usually find water for free. Money allows them to buy food tomorrow or the next day, or any other necessities. That's the point of money.

by Select_Subject 4 days ago

Cash is portable and can be exchanged for whatever you need. Extra water, food, clothing, whatever is great when you have storage space at home for it. When you're living on the streets, it can become a burden you have to carry around. At least in my city, there are a ton of resources for people to get a meal or clean drinking water and even clothing. Shelter is harder to find. But if you can collect enough money to get a hotel room for a few nights, you might get a break from sleeping on the sidewalk for a while. Are some folks "scammers" who beg for money because it pays better than their other alternatives? Yes. Does someone refusing the specific kind of help you're offering in the moment mean they're a scammer who doesn't need any help at all? Nope.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Just reading through, it seems a lot of people who have experienced homelessness agree with you.

by Euphoric-Quote-1604 4 days ago

Homeless people cant afford to go to the hospital. They cant just accept food from random people, they could have done anything to it. Money is the only way they can be sure its not dangerous.

by eric26 4 days ago

Every time someone asks for cash I decline. If they ask for food off the bat I buy it for them.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

I agree. It's impossible to know what someone could get with cash. I like to think they'd get themselves food or something they actually need with it. But I also understand not wanting to get food from strangers because of the possibility of it being tampered with. I'd say a safe middle ground is to bring them into the store with you so they can pick out what they want, so you know they won't waste it on drugs or alcohol, and so they know food won't be tampered with.

by Solid-Opinion-2422 4 days ago

I own a convenience store. There are 100 percent beggars who will come in and try to return food someone just bought them so they can grab a beer. There are a lot of reasons people end up in these situations but by the time they start begging at least half (from my experience) are just addicted to beer, weed, or something else. The drug is their escape from the horrible situation they are in.

by Schowalteryvett 4 days ago

People have touched on the clothes, food and water, but I will say I always give homeless people for cigarettes and a lighter, and no one has ever turned me down Also, if they are outside of a gas station or liquor store, I will buy them the least expensive tall boy in there and I've also never been turned down

by Anonymous 4 days ago

Low iq because they homeless and they need money more than anything.

by Best-Bear8143 4 days ago

How is giving them a jumper going to magically solve their situation? It's wild how bitter some people get when their attempt at whire knighting isn't appreciated. They go from "let me help you" to "you deserve this" quicker than an F1 car gets to 10 mph.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

i'll personally always give money, food and water if a homeless person asks for help. if they choose to use that money for drugs or alcohol, fine, i'd rather them do that than potentially sell their bodies for it which is always a possibility. sure some people are lying, but i'd rather take the risk. there's always going to be bad people, but giving charity potentially means it going to the wrong person sometimes

by trevathompson 4 days ago

If they are going to longer term shelters- those charge fees, so that could be why they would rather have the cash

by Anonymous 4 days ago

I always give cash unless I don't have any, in which case I'll ask if they want me to buy a few things with my card at a nearby store. One homeless lady near my house will only ask men for feminine hygiene products and ask women only for cash. I figure it's because she knows women often have feminine hygiene products on hand and is actually just seeking more money from men who often don't carry such items.

by Anonymous 4 days ago

wtf are you spending your time judging homeless people for?

by Conscious_Yam 4 days ago

Tl;dr if a "homeless" person rejects my help and begs for cash, I personally think they aren't homeless and will ignore them from then on. If I offer a person with a broken leg, an arm sling, that doesn't mean their leg isn't broken. Think better.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

Your inserting yourself into a conversation about people who are facing unimaginable depths of despair and suffering so that you can advocate that they aren't worth compassion or charity due to their situation being a "choice" is so unbelievably perverted. So, I've been homeless. And you clearly know nothing of homelessness and how it works. So why are you even bringing this up? Particularly in the context of our current social and political environment...

by AfternoonAmbitious15 3 days ago

Food and water might be tampered with not everyone who gives them things are good people some want to hurt others. I've worked at a food pantry and we have received opened boxes with broken glas. (That's why we always throw opened boxes away) A homeless person might need money for necessities even if they have clothes.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

Some shelters cost money to get into. Food, clothes, etc. won't pay their way to enter shelters.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

Why do you want to give anyone what they dont want? Like why would that ever be something you want to do?

by korbinrussel 3 days ago

Yes good..fund drug use

by Electronic-Arm-6647 3 days ago

Many addicts turn to crime for drug money because their addiction is so severe. I don't care if they spend the money I give them on drugs if it means they aren't putting themselves at risk for it. And it's even worse in women's cases; a lot of them resort to selling their bodies. I won't say anything on people who voluntarily do onlyfans or even give tenner handys, but addicts are making that choice under duress and 99% of them hate it. If my money is keeping them safe then it's better spent than on whatever chocolate bar I was going to buy with it

by Anonymous 3 days ago

You think you havent funded non-homeless people's drug use? Why do homeless people have to be sober?

by korbinrussel 3 days ago

Most homeless have been mentally ill and cannot work. Did they choose anxiety, depression, being unable to comprehend orders, insomnia or any of the multitude of problems people have?

by Anonymous 3 days ago

Honey, if it strains you so much, don't. Seriously

by Anonymous 3 days ago

So what if they are choosing beggars? This narrative annoys me so much. It is not unpopular though. Why should you decide when another adult is going to eat? Give them the money and let them make their own choices.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

They want money for booze and drugs..I had an acquaintance once who asked for money for milk, bread, and eggs, so I brought her those things and she got mad. 🤪

by CraftAdept 3 days ago

And everybody clapped

by Anonymous 3 days ago

This isn't that uncommon. I've gotten that reaction for medicine.

by Amazing_Window 3 days ago

Yep, your acquaintance is all people.

by morissettelayne 3 days ago

If you were homeless you'd probably turn to the quickest source of relief as well.

by Playful-Head-6537 3 days ago

After being homeless myself I would never give anything to any homeless person I saw way too many people who only used their handouts for hotels and drugs

by DetectiveInternal 3 days ago

What's bad about spending money given to you on a hotel room so you don't have to stay out on the street?

by Murky-Particular 3 days ago

Even if what you're saying here were 100 percent right (which I'll leave others to debate) then in your estimation a beggar is just another variety of busking, effectively. Some people play songs, some people do tricks, some people tell stories, and some people, it seems, choose to ply their trade of appearing downtrodden and allowing a person to feel like a hero for a small moment by giving them a coin.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

I think it's a bit more complicated than that. Accepting food can be dangerous, and sometimes they just don't actually really need clothes if they have enough. But there are community services out there for people like them. I don't think it's wise to really encourage panhandling, and giving money doesn't help the root of their issues. If you were going to give money to people in need, I'd recommend giving it to services that know better how to help these people. Social services tend to do a better job at helping the root problem rather than continuously perpetrating their issues.

by Natural_Assist 3 days ago

you can't just accept food from random people. anything could've been done to it

by Anonymous 3 days ago

I have, multiple times, made up care bags for homeless people and they were ALL accepted gracefully. That said, I also looked up what homeless people request most often and made packets of those things-including a few bucks. I didn't just give them the extra mcnuggets the drive thru gave me. Well you're correct it is, literally, a choosing beggar, they are human beings. Would you rather they take it and dump it as soon as you leave because it's not something they can use? The only things you can be 100% every human being needs are water and sunscreen.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

I don't give to the homeless who pan handle because there are so many "career" pan handlers. It's unfortunate, but greedy people have made it so that you can't trust that someone is actually down on their luck anymore. It's a shame. I would actually love to help, but I am not exactly well off myself. Housing for homeless people is something I would want to contribute to, especially homeless shelters that offer rehab services and don't kick drug users out. It's impossible to expect someone to stay sober if they don't have stable shelter and food... But so many homeless programs don't offer services for the homeless who are active users. If I ever "make it big," I intend to donate some money to charities, including to feed and shelter the homeless. America really does drop the ball when it comes to taking care of our underprivileged citizens.

by Key_Series 3 days ago

Drugs, they want drugs. Cash gets them.

by Dull_Value_3040 3 days ago

Keep your eyes forward and get from A to B. Good day

by Relevant-Will7311 3 days ago

Yes, sure, assume every homeless person is choosing it. Mental illness and dependency have nothing to do with their decision making.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

I haven't worked with homeless people in this context. But I have done disaster relief work. One of the very important lessons to learn is that the giver doesn't get to dictate what the recipient needs or how to use it.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

I think there's a difference between certain necessities and cash, which after all is a necessity even if one doesn't view it that way. Cash can be the difference between a having a cellphone or not having one. Some would argue that such a device is not a necessity, but I disagree as access to the Internet and technology is in fact a social barrier. It can be the difference between getting a job or not, being able to apply for assistance, having a secure way of being contacted, especially without an address, etc... this is just one example. While we can all agree that clothing and food is paramount to survival, money really is important for social mobility, else a person is still stuck where they are, fed and clothed, but stuck. There's been several UBI studies that have shown that when receiving extra money that the majority of people use this to improve their situation. Granted there will always be abuse, but that's a different conversation about mental health and addiction.

by Responsible_Toe 3 days ago

To add to the other replies sometimes homeless can't consume what you have to offer. For example, if they have bad teeth it might be really painful to eat anything that's not super soft or a drink.

by Kelliewillms 3 days ago

You don't give a man a fish, you teach a man to fish. One of our oldest written lessons.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

It's not as easy for someone to walk around and have no home, with all these necessities on them.

by Classic-Visit 3 days ago

arguments like these just seem like an excuse to feel better about being apathetic towards homeless folks. if all they want is money and you don't feel like it or can't provide that then that doesn't make them "choosing beggars." homeless people have a right to say no even if the giver thinks its well meaning.

by Inner_Bunch2244 3 days ago

They may have enough clothing and access to food/water they're confident hasn't been tampered with. They might need other things but don't want to ask (umbrella, sleeping bag, dental care products, feminine hygiene products, etc.) or want some cash for an unknown tomorrow in case they don't get clean water or safe food for a few days. I don't think everyone rejecting what you offer is fake or "too picky". You're willing to give what you're willing to give though and for those that accept it, it's better than offering them nothing.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

Definitions are unpopular opinions now?

by lizzie28 3 days ago

Yah, you just described the definition of a word... good job? If you get slandered online you either did not communicate your point well enough or are refusing to see why others are saying the things they are saying. There's enough bad faith actors who do that already

by No-Designer2214 3 days ago

There was a kid maybe in his 20s standing in front of the gas station. Saw him there several times. I noticed that each time somebody walked out carrying something he'd ask for money. He saw me walk out with some bananas. He asked for some money, while holding a cigarette. I just said no and walked away. If he's got money for a few cigarettes he's got money for food.

by marley10 3 days ago

Homeless people don't want your sandwich you couldn't finish. And they're homeless. Where are they supposed to keep these "essentials"

by Able_Joke 3 days ago

Ok

by Anonymous 3 days ago

In my area there are a lot of drug issues and a lot of the homeless people are in the circumstances they are in because of addiction. Clothes and food are not super hard to come by and cash is much harder, but I don't wish to be a part of of feeding into someones addiction in any way so I don't hand out cash. What I would much rather do is directly support addict help programs and try and make them more accessible. It costs nothing to approach people with empathy and keep in mind we are all closer to a similar situation than we would like to think regardless if you think these people deserve your money or not.

by bogisichdean 3 days ago

Absolutely there are people panhandling that are taking advantage of others, but consider the possibility that whatever you may have offered to the homeless person is not what they NEEDED in that moment. They can only carry so much with them at a time, so if you were to offer someone a shirt when what they really needed was a pair of socks, it's actually going to cause for stress and strain. As others have mentioned, there is also risk of accepting food because you never know if someone has tampered with it. Just keep your wits about you, and try thinking good of people whose situations you are unfamiliar with.

by Main-Eye-7745 3 days ago

I mean….or you are being a "choosing giver". Although, I understand how you feel, but it's could be best just to give and let them decide how they want to spend it.

by Ike78 3 days ago

So you expect them to eat anything and everything offered, accept any/all clothing and necessities? You're out of touch if you can't comprehend why someone would refuse and ask for cash that gives them a choice to put it towards what they need, like housing!

by Anonymous 3 days ago

They are choosing drugs and alcohol

by Anonymous 3 days ago

I give cash to the organizations that help the people living in the street. They know how to spend it best.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

The Rescue Mission in our city tells residents not to give them anything as the mission provides everything they need. All they have to do is be sober and they refuse.

by Mysterious-Eye 3 days ago

Does the center get them rehab that doesn't consist entirely of prayer? Do they provide medical care during withdrawals? Do they have the staff to deal with the myriad of mental health problems that drove the homeless people to become addicts to begin with? Also, are you telling me that Rescue Mission has 100% vacancy every night because not one homeless person, most of whom are just regular people living in their cars, won't be sober? I'd like to see some evidence.

by Emotional_Agency 3 days ago

"all they have to do is be sober, and they refuse." So, all they have to do is recover from an addiction that takes many people years and a ton of support, and they're just not doing it because they don't wanna?

by OcelotDisastrous4811 3 days ago

Do you live in the US? There's a place called a rescue mission in our city where a small number of addicts can live while trying to get clean, but the people in that program aren't begging in the street, they have their own apartments and have to attend classes on sobriety and job training.

by jacobsonscottie 3 days ago

You know you can have fatal seizures just from alcohol withdrawal, right? Do you think rehab facilities are just there for decoration?

by Anonymous 3 days ago

Getting sober is hard enough in normal circumstances, can you imagine trying to do it without a roof over your head? Not to mention withdrawal symptoms can literally kill

by Anonymous 3 days ago

Homeless or not they are sovereign people with autonomy/agency. They don't have to accept what you're offering just like you don't have to offer. You sound like an elitist asshole

by Anonymous 3 days ago

They want money for drugs and other vices.

by Anonymous 3 days ago