How do you treat a pan handler?

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

How about an IOU scratched out on a piece of paper? Maybe even ask the person if they have a pen.

[brtlmj 0]

My advice: smile nicely and say "no, thank you", as if they offered you a favor. This usually buys you a few precious seconds to walk away. Mind you, I am not against giving, but I believe that my money will be spent best by a big, established charity.

[Caladan 19]

The shelters in New Haven began charging $3 a night a while back in an attempt to keep the homeless from other communities from using New Haven's shelters. Predictably, this caused panhandling in and around the university area to skyrocket.

I don't give regularly, but I am more likely to in the winter when not having $3 means a night on the streets.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Its really quite simple, If everyone gave nothing they would stop.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Homeless Statistics

The most proximate cause of homelessness in America is poverty. Statistics show between twenty and thirty percent of homeless families surveyed in 1996 said they had gone without food for part of the previous month (Burt, Aron, and Lee*). The homeless also face persistent deprivation and constant threat of harm. They spend more time in the hospital and in jail than their poor counterparts. The majority are victims of violent crimes, and one fourth lack needed medical care (Burt, Aron, and Lee*). Children in homeless families do worse in school and have lower attendance and more long-term absences (National Alliance to End Homelessness*).

Although single men constitute about sixty percent of the homeless population, families constitute about one third of all homeless and are the fastest-growing group of homeless. The homeless elderly will also be an important group as America ages in the next decades (Rosenheck, Bassuk, and Salomon*; Burt, Aron, and Lee*). Although about seventy percent of the homeless live in central cities, rural homelessness is a hidden problem. The rural homeless are more likely to be families that are homeless for shorter periods of time, often as a result of domestic violence (Singleton et al.*). One of the hardest groups to reach, however, is the one fourth of homeless who have been homeless for at least five years (Burt*).

http://www.solutionsforamerica.org/thrivin...melessness.html

...

I find it hard to believe, Marc, that you don't have anyone in your family that hasn't fallen on hard times. My grandmother came to America as a child on a boat from Ireland back at the turn of the century. She was one of seven siblings, her father migrated to the southern Arizona to work in the mines. Some might say he brought an added burden to society with all those children, but he did what he could to feed his family. This great country was built on families who struggled through some of the worst conditions. Sh!t happens even to good people, and there's no shame in asking a stranger for a hand-out when your belly is empty.

[Sheriff Uling 3]

I go back to my "American Indian" roots and demostrate that I'm from the "Slapahoe Tribe."

[mawilson 2,133]

I find it hard to believe, Marc, that you don't have anyone in your family that hasn't fallen on hard times.

Hard times? Sure.

Letting yourself go to the point of homelessness? No friggin' way.

[~Nini~ 2]

I don't tend to pass out money to panhandlers - I work downtown in the city, and due to the high amount of drug trafficking in the Downtown Eastside, there are a great deal of them who are just out to make money for their next score.

There was a story in the news earlier this month about an elderly man who had been violently robbed after the panhandler decided that the $5 wasn't good enough. The thing is, the man had been consistently giving the panhandler money each Sunday outside the church he visited.

Kinda made me really paranoid after that.

[peejay 327]

ask if they take visa

That is exactly what I say...

"Dude, I only have plastic". The conversation ends immediately.

I once got ambushed by an aggressive panhandler while gassing up my car at a gas station years ago. When I told him I didn't have any money he asked me how I was paying for the gas. I told him it was none of his f*cking business. What...are you writing a book about me? He kept eyeing the wallet I had in my top pocket and I could see the wheels turning in his head deciding whether to grab and run. So I took the gas nozzle out of the tank and semi-pointed it at him while telling him to get lost. He took the hint and left cursing me under his breath. Some people!

Sitting on a street corner with a sign around their neck is one thing...getting in someone's face and aggressively demanding money is another matter altogether. This isn't the only story I have about obnoxious panhandlers that have harrassed me in my travels.

[AtlantiCat 0]

Depends on the person.

We have some creative ones in Chicago, particularly at the exit from I-55 onto Cicero Avenue. For awhile, a few had a good thing going as they'd bring spray bottles and squeegees and clean your windshield for you. They'd always ask and they were polite and I had no problem giving them a buck when my windshield was dirty. Then a few rotten apples came along and spoiled the barrel as they were no longer polite and would do a sloppy job without you asking for it and then demand payment. As a result, people stopped giving them money for it and they stopped doing it.

If they're polite enough and aren't obvious drunks or peddling a tale about a broken-down car and needing bus money or a broken ATM and needing to get to the hospital, I'll usually give them something. The ones I see wearing designer clothing and Air Jordans are the ones I tend to avoid completely as it's rather obvious they're not homeless. There's a trend for rich kids from suburbia to do this sort of thing to support their various addictions when mummy and daddy get fed up with them and won't give them any more hand-outs. That just disgusts me.

The current creative one in town juggles at stoplights. I don't mind that so much.

[Ban Hammer 12,885]

I go back to my "American Indian" roots and demostrate that I'm from the "Slapahoe Tribe."

just tell them you gave at the office - and to go bother your boss for the money

I don't tend to pass out money to panhandlers - I work downtown in the city, and due to the high amount of drug trafficking in the Downtown Eastside, there are a great deal of them who are just out to make money for their next score.

There was a story in the news earlier this month about an elderly man who had been violently robbed after the panhandler decided that the $5 wasn't good enough. The thing is, the man had been consistently giving the panhandler money each Sunday outside the church he visited.

Kinda made me really paranoid after that.

no good deed shall go unpunished

[SteveLaura 0]

I find it hard to believe, Marc, that you don't have anyone in your family that hasn't fallen on hard times.

Hard times? Sure.

Letting yourself go to the point of homelessness? No friggin' way.

I work for a homeless shelter. I also worked in a homeless shelter in London before I came here. I think you should go to a local shelter, volunteer a while, listen to their stories, see the men with mental illness, then tell them they have let themselves go.

[russ 1]

I work for a homeless shelter. I also worked in a homeless shelter in London before I came here. I think you should go to a local shelter, volunteer a while, listen to their stories, see the men with mental illness, then tell them they have let themselves go.

I volunteered at a soup kitchen about ten years ago, until one of the patrons attacked me. My sister has been mugged by panhandlers while giving them money on several occaisons, and doesn't anymore.

We have a huge population of homeless panhandlers where I live. Honestly, giving the money is a mistake. It goes for drugs and alcohol, nothing else. They already get 3 meals a day here from various charities. Given the huge population of illegal workers here who manage to find jobs, I don't think that the panhandlers here have any interest in working. They do always manage to have a cold beer in one hand, and a cigarette in the other.

[Sister Fracas 5]

I think CarolsMarc just likes winding up the VJ folks...a few days ago free lunches, today this....

Anywhooo, I prefer to help homeless by buying a copy of a weekly newspaper called StreetWise. It is sold out on the streets of Chicago primarily by homeless people who are trying to get themselves back on their feet. What they make goes toward food and shelter, etc. This way I know the money I'm spending is going not only to someone who is doing something positive, but also, I get a pretty good little newspaper.

[chri'stina 190]

I find it hard to believe, Marc, that you don't have anyone in your family that hasn't fallen on hard times.

Hard times? Sure.

Letting yourself go to the point of homelessness? No friggin' way.

I work for a homeless shelter. I also worked in a homeless shelter in London before I came here. I think you should go to a local shelter, volunteer a while, listen to their stories, see the men with mental illness, then tell them they have let themselves go.

I read a book last year, and it is written by Christians so it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but the story of the book is worth anyone reading. Two guys decided to live homeless for 4 months(I think it was 4) in several major US cities to see what they would do in that situation and if anyone would help them. They fully did it, no cheating. Many of the men they met either had mental problems or severe addictions. And if someone has mental problems and no family to put them into care, they will end up on the streets.

Though sometimes I do battle certain feelings because after being in India and seeing the homeless kids and women it just seems the homeless life in America is way better. And for many of those kids and women in India, they are born into it, not ending up in it by losing a job or house or because of addiction or mental illness. So I feel like the homeless in America have so much more opportunity than homeless in India, and then sometimes I have less sympathy for them here. But I try not to and still try to help.

Edited August 29, 2007 by stina&suj