Do you give people who claim to be homeless money to help them out?

Question

Don't you find it funny when people say they are traveling and need money for gas? So don't travel if you can't afford the gas. Is it a scam or truth?

RavVid · Accepted Answer

I certainly don't.

Here in Australia a homeless person can have subsidized housing pretty easily if they are prepared to contribute a little from their social security payment.

They are not willing of course because it would that bit less that they could spend on drugs. And they would get separation anxiety if any distance from their drug dealer of choice.

I was doing a fair bit of street renewal work with local council and I did ask some of the more approachable looking homeless if they would like help. Only got one taker as he wanted a shorter commute to my street from about 3 Km away.

The woke aren't helping these people at all in facilitating a homeless lifestyle one little bit. Sorry they are helping them indeed. Helping them stay on drugs and turn my street into a cess pit and destroy every business on it.

Recently we all had to turn up to a council town hall to stop them putting in a public toilet right by a primary school!

The joke here is "It is so hot today even the homeless have gone home".

ManOnFire · Accepted Answer

I used to. I experienced homelessness yeeeeaars ago, and I can tell you for a fact that the majority of true homeless people do not put themselves out there by panhandling and carrying signs on the street asking for anything. Most real homeless people actually try to stay unseen unless they are seriously gone mentally, those are mostly the ones you'll see sitting right out in the open in front of stores or on street corners, some of them talking to themselves.

A lot of the people who you see on corners or walking up and down those meridians in the middle of the road carrying signs claiming that they're veterans or lost their home or about to lose their home, are not legit. There are fake panhandlers like this who have literally died as millionaires.

wingattebaby16 · Accepted Answer

we have been getting a lot of panhandlers here in Boise the last 4 years..

i do NOT give them money.

I did offer one time to buy this girl a hamburger. She took it and gave it to her dog!

Most the homeless begging are there by choice. Some do it as a job...

We have a lot of food banks and shelters here and if you truly need help, go there.

TenderFantasy · Accepted Answer

Nah I am already broke to begin with. I hardly carry cash with me in my wallet. I'm sure those people can get Food Stamps like me. And there's places to get free toiletries at the shelters. They should be willing to accept ANY job in dire circumstances.

BlueScorpio · Answer

I have before but I haven't recently and I'm not so sure anymore. It isn't that don't want to help out, it's just that my mom gave some money to woman on the side of road claiming she needed help only to find out on the news that exact same woman was part of money rig/scheme. She and bunch of people would drop each other off at random locations to collect money and then meet up by the end of the day to count the money. After that my mom stopped handing money out to people. The news said to only had out food and water, if they decline it then that's on them. There are two men i see daily on my way to work who do this almost daily, if you saw them you would just thought they were just regular people on the side walk. One of them had an umbrella to block out the sun while collecting money. Funny enough they even have days off, too hot or rainy out? Poof, gone, disappeared. It's just gotten to the point were they don't even try anymore.. i mean if you're going to panhandle at least put some effort into like the old ones did back in the day. You coming out here with earpods, fresh sunglasses, and a neat cleaned help sign isn't going to pull people in.

It just sucks for real homeless people who need that money/help, greedy scammers caught on and see it as a get rich quick scam and ruined it for them. Now most people who see anyone out on the streets as possible scammers.

ShadezMcgee · Answer

Used to, not anymore. A lot of homeless in the area I live say they are trying to get to the next town and need it for gas or a hotel for the night, and it's always the same story or game.

I stopped after one came to my car window and asked and I had cash because he was trying to get a room at a hotel down the road where I knew the location. I decided to try and he thanked me, next thing he goes over the hill in the opposite direction to a drug heavy area. Back near the corner where fast food restaurants are the next day doing the same thing.

Not helping people who are trying that shit. Food? Sure. Money? No.

MCheetah · Answer

I don't give money to the homeless. I used to give them food, like a sandwich or something, but then you can see the look of contempt in their eyes, while they're pretending to be grateful. Like they hate being given food.

I soon learned in Philly that half of all the homeless people were fake. They'd whine on the subway about starving, then get off the station and pull out their iPhones to call their girlfriends. I once recorded one of them doing this and showed a nearby police officer. He tried to come up to us, but the officer told him to back off and go away.

I wouldn't have cared if he wasn't such an annoying asshole about it. Getting all up in people's faces then pulling out his fancy thousand dollar phone with unlimited data to sweet talk his girlfriend.

So no, don't ever give homeless people money. They won't change that way, even if they are really homeless.

ArrowheadSW · Answer

Only on very rare occasions. Giving money to the homeless is discouraged by the city government where I live. And even the people who run the homeless shelters advise not to give them money. And there are some people who literally do it as a job. They can get more money with their cardboard signs standing on a street corner than working a job.

I saw a lady in a Starbucks once, go outside and talk to a homeless person with a shopping cart, for about ten minutes. At the end of whatever conversation they were having, she handed him several bills. I don't know how much money it was, but there was a $5 bill on top. That guy walked away very quickly as I guess it was his lucky day!

888theGreat · Answer

No because ,

1) They could work

2) They will use it for drugs or booze

3) I give to them through Federal Taxes

4) Churches could help them

5) One must help themselves first

I just got out of GAG Jail again

laurieluvsit · Answer

No, I don't promote drugs and alcohol to the homeless and that is what they buy with a big percentage of the money they get.

I give to shelters and agencies that help the homeless get off drugs and alcohol and get the real help they need.

MTC29 · Answer

I will never begrudge someone something to eat- no cash, I'll buy their food. Just like @nathandavis said, they will sometimes refuse and ask for cash, which I refuse. To be fair, many times they will wolf down the food like they haven't had anything to eat in days.

libsaretards · Answer

Nope. I will give them food and/or papers/brochures with information on how to finish their education, get a job and resources to help the homeless. Many times this tells me who wants help and who does not. Money is too easy to use for the wrong purposes. My experience dealing with inmate showed me that you never know who you can trust and the attitudes of the inmate population and those of the homeless often overlap.

Drumlin2001 · Answer

I don't. I had a bad experience with some homeless folks trespassing in my old block of flats, give me a very negative veiw of them (which I know I should judge everyone in that position the same). I've seen too any aggressive tactics, especially around trian stations, I don't like it. And never really know if they really homeless or choosing to beg as a profession.

Massageman · Answer

I give them a card to admit them to our church food pantry. They can bring it in to get a box of food, meat, bag of bread, usually a dessert or two and a milk/juice choice. List prices about $130-160+.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

Not usually, but i have offered resources. I’ve given a person who appeared homeless water, and another leftovers. I bought gasoline for one couple.
I believe in a sort of living Karma. I don’t think the universe cares if the person i’m helping really needs help or not. It’s about my intent.

Staximus · Answer

Never give them money, it's almost always a scam for drug money. I'll buy them some food if they want it. I used to work at a gas station. They would ask for gas, stop the pump, and say "change from pump 7" and then I would say "sorry, they paid with a card" hahaha

_deeznuts · Answer

i give them food so they dont spend it on drugs or scam me or whatever

NathanDavis · Answer

I offer them food... and sometimes they say no if they want money, then I just say sorry but no

Adam1978 · Answer

No we have welfare in this country, go and get the tax money from them, I have already paid for this after all.

exitseven · Answer

I hate it when bums come up to my truck when I am stopped at a red light. I always leave a good amount of space with the car in front of me incase I have to run one over.

Mangospacho · Answer

Nooooooo. That is total fraud. You can write anything on a sign and beg for money. Plus the panhandlers, if they’re good at it, can make six figures so they may not have a job but they are not broke.

Anonymous · Answer

Mcdonlds s always hiring and you can do door dadh on bikes. They even provide it.

I don't give money to homeless women.
Because they have domestic abuse shelters and homeless shelter that they get priority.
Especially if they have kids.

They get 200 untaxed food stamped per person or child.

And 200 cash for 3-6 month to get a job.

Good will has free clothes or dirt cheap clothes

ArtemisSilver · Answer

I used to but not anymore. It's almost certainly going to drugs. If someone asks me for some food I'll help though and if there not unstable I'll chat a bit and suggest ways they can get help.

LordOfThePines · Answer

No, most of them where I live are not at all homeless, they pretend to be to con people out of their money. But I know some who are legitimately homeless, and I am more prone to getting them food and water.

007kingifrit · Answer

i see homeless people in philadelphia all using crutches to try and trick people into giving them money lol. stupid tourists stop and do it but most of us know better

no i never give anyone money like that

Zolly99999 · Answer

No. I have been tricked before. I will buy them food though

XXblack88 · Answer

No cause there no need for the homeless to pan handle. That's what food banks, soup kitchens, churches, Salvation Army, ebt and wic are for.

NewsReader · Answer

Never. Most of them can make their own money but are too lazy to do so.

Jouth · Answer

I throw garbage at them It's like they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Jamie05rhs · Answer

I wish I could help them. It honestly breaks my heart. But it's a dog-eat-dog world down here on the low end of the totem pole. It's every man for himself. If I give to someone else, I won't have enough to pay my own bills.

KrakenAttackin · Answer

No. We had a lady fatally stabbed in the neck when she gave a bum a few dollars. The bum stole her purse and ran off.

Likes2drive · Answer

Mostly it’s a scam but sometimes I do

Guardian45 · Answer

Not anymore, after one conned me!

msc545 · Answer

Sometimes I do.

MangoBob · Answer

NO, i am not an enabler

Do you give people who claim to be homeless money to help them out?

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Do you ever give homeless people money?

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