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Do you ever spare change to the homeless?

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Kirk

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There's a few people in Stratford-Upon-Avon that sit outside shops and ask for change; I never give any because you never really know if they're just using the money for drink/drugs rather than to survive. In fact, I've seen one or two smoking in a group together. :mad:

It's a really big shame that people end up with this lifestyle. I feel for them.
 
I would never spare a homeless person anything, not even a thought. There are plenty ****ty jobs going and they could easily make more than enough money to put a roof over their heads and eat their fill if they wanted. Also, the Irish government throws money at you if you make any sort of attempt to find work, and a lot of the time they even pay you to do courses if you are unemployed. Simply put, they are lazy and make no effort to get off the streets. It's an easy thing to do in this country. Maybe if they were a bit less fond of the bottle and needle, they might not be there. That probably explains why they don't have any family or friends who will take them in.

All the above applies to Ireland. I don't know how it is in other countries.
 
Kirk said:
There's a few people in Stratford-Upon-Avon that sit outside shops and ask for change; I never give any because you never really know if they're just using the money for drink/drugs rather than to survive. In fact, I've seen one or two smoking in a group together. :mad:

It's a really big shame that people end up with this lifestyle. I feel for them.
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You live in Statford-Upon-Avon? We were asked a million questions about that for my travel exam... :C

OT: I only give change to official charities normally. When I give money to someone on the street it's normally a performer, but I do give money to people just sitting down if I have loose change and I'm feeling nice that day.
 
I helped my friend buy groceries for a homeless person once,
And after we bought groceries for them, we went to the car and we just so happened to watch them go back into the store and return ALL the stuff we bought for money. :T
It was really disappointing and kind of made me not want to give directly to the homeless.

I think I'd feel better about going down to shelters and giving money to them rather than giving money to someone on the street.
 
I'd like to donate to official charities but often times people on the streets could probably get a job and save. I know it's not that easy, but I bet they don't try.
 
Tommy said:
You live in Statford-Upon-Avon? We were asked a million questions about that for my travel exam... :C
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@Tommy

I work in Stratford, but I live in a small town nearby called Alcester. :)
 
Official charities often end up saving their money for other things, which ends up not helping people in need at all. I avoid trusting them; why not contribute directly?
My family works directly in supporting a little group of people whom we know and befriended years ago; every sunday, tuesday and thursday, they save their whole night to go into the capital and feed the poor, clothe them, and give the children toys. I have contributed with my early teenage clothes (which could have gone to waste if I had thrown them to the garbage) or clothes I rarely use; some toys from my childhood (my little sister has plenty already). Every thursday they make kilos of 'feijoada' in a huge pan (it contains beans, lettuce, meat...) and sacrifice their own night. I think this is a really admirable thing to do. Also, on Christmas day, they do the very same - spend time with the homeless, bring them food for the week ahead, with cookies and other things for them to enjoy the christmas spirit. The homeless now see them as their guardian angels, and have gained a deep respect for them.
I still have to volunteer myself to go and help them, but I still didn't get round to going due to lack of time.

I don't know about the situation of poor people on other's countries. I reckon it is similar. But in Portugal, where young students can't even get jobs, people who end up without a house to live under are pretty much doomed to staying that way. I know there are unofficial organizations that provide them free showers and decent clothes for them to go out and actually look for jobs, but very little succeed. Not all homeless people have the will of wanting to change their situation, but even those who want it not always find a job. Our country's situation is very critical at the moment, where even my own family (which was, years ago, pretty well financially) has difficulty about feeding itself... :/
 
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@Kirk: Exactly! I did it once, the dude turned around and went to a pub. -_- Never again. I prefer donating to UNICEF.
 
I donate to support children in Ethiopia and I believe that money is used well. I would be more inclined to buy a homeless person a meal than give them cash that will probably go to other things.

If I see a homeless person smoking, then obviously they have enough money for cigs so that could be used for food.

Some homeless people are genuine but it can be hard to sort out those who are genuine from those who just do it to get extra money.
 
Kirk said:
@Tommy

I work in Stratford, but I live in a small town nearby called Alcester. :)
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Oh right :3 Sounds peaceful haha.

Pandemonium said:
Official charities often end up saving their money for other things, which ends up not helping people in need at all. I avoid trusting them; why not contribute directly?
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o_O Can they not get sued for things like this? :S
 
Wizard said:
I donate to support children in Ethiopia and I believe that money is used well.
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I disagree with doing this, for the simple fact that there are so many needy in my own country, what reason do I have to care for another? Especially when you consider that has been their life, their culture, for hundreds upon hundreds of years. It's not my place to alter nature in that way.
 
Pato said:
There are plenty ****ty jobs going and they could easily make more than enough money to put a roof over their heads and eat their fill if they wanted.
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No they couldn't, most of the time you are required to have an address to sign up for a job interview, not to mention they have the homeless stigma around them, most wish they could get a job, but they can't because no one hires them.
 
Rebecca Chambers said:
I disagree with doing this, for the simple fact that there are so many needy in my own country, what reason do I have to care for another? Especially when you consider that has been their life, their culture, for hundreds upon hundreds of years. It's not my place to alter nature in that way.
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I can't say I agree, but I'm not saying you're wrong either. It may have been their culture for many years and they may prefer it like that, but you could argue that the reason why they've been stuck in that rut is because of many display an attitude similar to yours and choose not to offer support.

It kind of works both ways; they need help, but they also need to help themselves.

Potato said:
No they couldn't, most of the time you are required to have an address to sign up for a job interview, not to mention they have the homeless stigma around them, most wish they could get a job, but they can't because no one hires them.
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Plus you need experience and that sort of crap.
 
They probably have experience in something, they weren't homeless all their lives.
 
Potato said:
No they couldn't, most of the time you are required to have an address to sign up for a job interview, not to mention they have the homeless stigma around them, most wish they could get a job, but they can't because no one hires them.
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Lets be honest here, they can't really be fussy with who they hire to sweep streets or work in waste disposal. And if they don't have a single friend or family member who is willing to take them in or give them an address to use, they can't be much of an asset to society.
 
Pato said:
Lets be honest here, they can't really be fussy with who they hire to sweep streets or work in waste disposal. And if they don't have a single friend or family member who is willing to take them in or give them an address to use, they can't be much of an asset to society.
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Though if you want to be honest, you have to admit that losing everything by divorce, by losing job, they lose everything AND everybody. Not all are junkies and lazy people.

Specially in the world's current situation (world crisis), you should remember that it could happen to anyone, even you. That's what you have to keep in mind. I'd be cautious about being so high-handed.
I talk of personal experience (in the way that my father became homeless after his divorce with my mom), my own father (who's a heavy smoker) found himself having to smoke from cigarette butts he found on the streets. So yeah, seeing homeless smoking does not always mean they bought it.
 
Kirk said:
I can't say I agree, but I'm not saying you're wrong either. It may have been their culture for many years and they may prefer it like that, but you could argue that the reason why they've been stuck in that rut is because of many display an attitude similar to yours and choose not to offer support.

It kind of works both ways; they need help, but they also need to help themselves.
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I can't recall exactly where it was, but I remember seeing a series of news stories about water pumps and such installed in third-world countries to help them, but they didn't like them/didn't understand them so they just left them to fall into disrepair. Stories like that make me think why bother. They've survived this long, they can survive some more.
 
No, I don't directly give them money. If they asked for gas or food money, better to give them the necessity directly if you want to help them, so you know exactly where the money's going- gas their car up yourself, or something.
But personally I just work volunteer stuff- stocking church shelves during food drives and whatnot.
 
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