I was homeless for one year. I hid from people always trying to stay away from every one ashamed and healing dealing with my own issues. Then I gave up an apartment and a job as well as one year of my life donating my time to other homeless people because in essence I became homeless then too at the ogden rescue mission. I did it because I needed to for me. Ever hear Einstein's quote on crazy "crazy is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result". I was miserable with myself with life. It was one of the best decisions beside and second to quiting drugs and changing who I was. What I found with a lot of homeless drugs are a important part of their life. Before you judge though could you life with barely any one that loved you shun and feared with littlw hope for the future and not knowing what is to come the very next day. Either living in the cold and or heat some times with so much food and some times with little but always the food isn't of top quality. Would you do drugs to coup? But there is also those thieves and people who are preditors of any opportunity using homelessness as an excuse. To be honest most people homeless found themselves homeless not by some misfortune that could happen to all of us but because of a long stemming problem or problems they was the cause of. I am no exception to that either I was the cause of all my friends and family not liking me and fearing me. It took a long time to get some people to see me as me now. Others will choose never to. I understand it does still hurt but I hurt them and I cannot hold that against them for not wanting me in their life. I tell you all this because knowing the back ground of one person who was homeless may help you in the decision should you give money to the homeless... Thats something you have to decide on your own. Do you want to aid in drug use or are they being honest. Is man/woman with a sign is that their job just so they cam continue their bad behavior... Ogden rescue mission used to be non denomination. Christian charity now its listed as a corporation hmmmmm. Think its a non denomination Christian ministry or now a for profit adventure using homeless as their advertisement. All I would sugest is look at the person how they are acting their emotions their condition and then decide for yourself and give the money on a person to person bases not a big group that is exploiting the homeless. I am not saying any one in particular any group is... I give money to many people still to this day around 15percent or more of all my money to those who have less and need help. But I do it on a person to person bases not a big corp. This question is a hard one to answer and I write such long responses aaaugh sorry people
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I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on this topic š!
Thank you so much for not only explaining your answer but for sharing your experiences too.
Wow, just wow! Such an insightful answer. I wasn't expecting that at all. I am really sorry about your struggles but it seems you gained a lot of knowledge and overall growth from those experiences.
Well I think the best thing to do is give rehabilitation before anything. Most of the homeless people develop major mental and physical disorders. They are unable to take care of their hygiene which causes skin and flesh problems and being homeless are not given the opportunity to help themselves mentally. So first rehabilitation would be the first step. Then as your questions asks, homeless should not be given money, instead it's better to give them the opportunity to get jobs. After rehabilitation, homeless people should be given tests to see what they are good at and not good at so they can get jobs that they are good at and are able to keep with lower amount of problems.
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This is sooo true! A lot of homeless people definitely suffer from untreated and sometimes undiagnosed mental health problems.
Who said everyone else is working in America? Don't you know that a lot of people in America don't want to work? You can Google it. I think we should give the homeless anything they need. A lot of them are at our Mercy. After all, do you give to the people that just don't want to work? And I am talking about people that are not homeless.
Yes I would give them money not every homeless person is out there just because they want to be sometimes they have records that just canāt give them a job or whatever the case may be But definitely if I know a homeless person that looks like there on drugs i probably will just give them food and water
Homeless people need our help. A compassionate country would provide that help. I wouldn't give them cash, tho. No one is homeless because they love the great outdoors. Most have mental illness or addiction problems. Those problems won't vanish if they are given money or a safe, comfortable home. They need care to address the reasons they're living on the street.
To pick the most obvious and hopefully least controversial example, A lot of homeless people served in the military. They went in healthy and returned damaged. As a country, we owe them care. Quality care is the first step to getting them off the streets.
A lot of people who are homeless lack the resourcefulness and the mental clarity to know what to do to climb out of homelessness.
To make sure that they use the money most effectively and not end up right back where they started, correct guidance is key so that they can invest that money where it counts.
Money should be given to non-profit organizations with a good history of helping homeless people get back on their feet. A good non-profit will have a track record of success and provide things like rehabilitation programs, basic supplies, and important skills like how to build a resume, pass an interview, and land a job. There are some organizations out there whose sole purpose is to help homeless people rise out of their situation a re-integrate into society.
If possible provide shelter to them Or If u can offer them some work... That is if ur capable of hiring people and paying them Or Give them money or food Or give them warm cloths or footwear or some useful thing that would help them
I really don't know we should give him cash or not some people are out they'd be because of circumstance and probably need the help but some people are out there because that's their choice and no I don't think they should get paid for that I might be wrong I'm willing to listen my problem is and nobody wants a homeless camp in their neighborhood where are they supposed to go but I also understand that in most homeless camps look like garbage dumps if I was allowed to squat on somebody's property do my damn just to keep the area clean anyway I know they need help and we should give it to him
I hand out a card with our church's Food Pantry information so that they can learn where they can get supplemental food each week - canned and staple items, meats, cheese, fresh produce, dairy items (if they are early enough), a bag of breads/buns, a couple of dessert treats.
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That's is incredibly nice!!! Absolutely LOVE your answer.
Seemed to be an effective compromise to me: helping them get $100+ of food a week, yet not in cash form which can be used to get hurt and just waste the money on drugs/booze/smokes/vapes/etc.
There are stories of well-off people begging for money as a scam. Another scam is they "play" the violin to this recorded music. The violin is ALSO recorded! I figured that out easily when one guy lowered his bow in the middle of the closing note!
I see them take money they have begged and buy tobacco and alcohol. They aren't out to improve themselves.
no. its enabling. the best thing you can do to a homeless person is make it so uncomfortable they wouldn't want to be homeless anymore. the second best thing you can do for homeless people is make them meet you half way for help. nothing is free, the world let them think it was and thats why they dont have a place to live.
A short summary of discourse around the homeless problem since the beginning of time:
Yes we should give them money! Just not my money. And we should set up homeless shelters and soup kitchens for them! Just not in my neighborhood. And we should set up training programs and get them back into employment! Just not in my industry. Well.. maybe we should give them free bus tickets to other towns!! Finally the homeless problem is solved.
Only sometimes if it looks like they couldnāt possibly work in their condition but if they are fine and look healthy enough to work then they would make more money working anywhere else than begging for money, I see it quite often on the road at traffic lights near interstates
I try to give food whenever I can as well. I had a bad experience giving money to a beggar.
They literally took the money and right in front of my face, they went and bought a bunch of alcohol. I thought he was hungry but he was just a drunk. I don't even think he was homeless. Just at the gas station begging.
I won't randomly give money, but if they are performing then I am more inclined to give them a buck or 2.
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That's totally understandable!
I think the difference is that some homeless people are willing to work and put in effort whereas some homeless people refuse to work and rely heavily on begging.
In belgium every person has a legal right to a "life pay" you get ā¬1100 a month from the welfare office. Every homeless person in Belgium has this money. And still they beg for drugs, drink and gambling money.
Yeah the homeless should work for their money. Before covid most of the homeless were just lazy bums who didn't want to work and only cared about alcohol and drugs.
