Foiling Panhandler

[KennyG]

You should never give money to a panhandler. I worked in Chicago for years and heard the same hard luck stories over and over. Today there are internet groups where panhandlers trade scams and stories to maximize the take.

I know several people who work with the homeless and they all say never give street people cash. It just enables them to stay on drugs and alcohol and avoid treatment and the need to make an effort to recover.

 

[jmc]

You should never give money to a panhandler. I worked in Chicago for years and heard the same hard luck stories over and over. Today there are internet groups where panhandlers trade scams and stories to maximize the take.

I know several people who work with the homeless and they all say never give street people cash. It just enables them to stay on drugs and alcohol and avoid treatment and the need to make an effort to recover.

Our town posted a bunch of signs encouraging citizens to contribute to social services rather than directly to panhandlers. Every sign had been stolen after one day.

 

[rgr33]

I guess I'm a cynic, but I never believe their stories. We give a certain amount to organized charities each year, as well as participate in a few fund raising functions for cancer research.

Giving panhandlers anything at all just enables them to stay on the path they choose.

 

[TomSeller]

I have been approached many times from both men and women asking for gas money. I always ask them where there car is and tell them that I will bring them 5 gallons of gas. I have NEVER been told where the car is, usually "it is a long ways away" or "I'm not sure" or something of that nature. I have given cash occasionally to women who seem to be genuinely down on their luck. Some cities give money to homeless without qualifying them as being in need which perpetuates the problem. I truly think many homeless are in need but the trouble is filtering out the deadbeats which I believe are the majority. No science behind my opinion but I have not seen any studies that I can believe. Donate to a trustworthy cause.

 

[bigtiller]

We don't have many panhandlers in Iowa. They use the computer to dial up crowd funding sites like GoFundMe and suckers all over the world send them money.

 

[crackerjack222]

I have been hit up a few times. I usually direct them to a church. I know our church will help folks truly in need and I know the church does a good job weeding out those who are just looking for a hand out to buy cigs, liquor or drugs.

 

[EddieWalker]

When I lived in the SF Bay Area, beggars where everywhere. At some grocery stores, their might be half a dozen of them asking for money. Some even demand you give them money. Then it got worse and they where standing around at the ATM's demanding cash. Somebody got stabbed and the local news did an investigation into it. They followed some of them to see where they went and where surprised at the new, high dollar vehicles they where driving. Then a story came out that the beggars in SF where making on average $80,000 a year tax free. Of course, this include the street performers. When the news person talked to them about it, they laughed and asked why would they want to get a job paying less money and have to pay taxes?

Over seas, it's common for parents to keep their young children out of school and send them out to beg. The money they make is more important then allowing them to get an education.

I never give anything to any of them.

 

[PILOON]

You should never give money to a panhandler. I worked in Chicago for years and heard the same hard luck stories over and over. Today there are internet groups where panhandlers trade scams and stories to maximize the take.

I know several people who work with the homeless and they all say never give street people cash. It just enables them to stay on drugs and alcohol and avoid treatment and the need to make an effort to recover.

Yep, new university course: Panhandling 101----5 credits!

 

[mapper]

Around here there are laws about aggressive panhandling that are enforced, I don't get approached very often. There are a lot of street corner beggars though, a lot of them occupy the same corner for years, most displaying signs with a variety of messages ranging from "disabled vet" to "stranded here, need gas to get home".
I seem to recall that the street corner begging started around here about 30 years ago, then the favorite sign was "will work for food" a friend of mine who was a building contractor offered several of them day work cleaning up on a couple of his projects, they turned him down flat!
We never give them a dime, instead we contribute to several local charities that provide food and support to those who are less fortunate.
As I seem to be unable to raise a two person vegetable garden our local food bank benefits from our surplus as well.
I will help any friend or neighbor in need no questions asked, but not the person standing on a corner begging, whose situation does not seem to change - ever!

 

[RSKY]

What is the old saying, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

Let me change that to, "Give a man some money and he never works, deny him a handout and he has to go to work or starve."

I'm not very poetic.

RSKY