This is becoming more common in my town. I just either feel like an ass saying I dont have cash, or lying, but I also can’t be giving out 20’s to everyone who asks.
I feel bad for most of them but at the same time I get anxiety walking down the sidewalk and seeing someone up ahead that I know is going to ask me for money. Its not like you can say “oh no, I donate to services that help the needy” because that person isn’t necessarily being helped by that. And ignoring completely feels so mean, plus I tried that one time and the person was screaming at me as i walked away that I ignored them.
I also dont want my city to round them up and send them to prison camps, something they are planning and that I know a lot of people would vote for just to “get rid of them” but im not supporting that at all.
Its tough.
20s? Someone recently told me “my dad taught me to always carry some change with me, other people need it more than me” and now I’m doing it too. There really isn’t any other way to act if you pride yourself on your humanity, anything else is rationalizing selfishness. And I often hear the “they’re just gonna use it for booze/drugs!!!” line as if it meant anything. Sure, they might, but even if you’re a strict teetotaler (and if you’re in any Western country odds are you’re not, lol), what else would they do? Have you ever slept on a cold floor while hungry? People kill themselves/complain about life and they have beds, meals, narcotics and internet connections, nvm all sorts of legal drugs to help them cope with everything (something like 15 percent of women in the US are on antidepressants, according to the CDC…). Life is hard sometimes, perhaps they also need to disconnect a bit, idk.
Give when you can, don’t rationalize it when you can’t. We’re all collectively responsible for the playground God made for us and everything/one in it, but you’re also just one man/woman. Maybe they’ll turn their lives around, maybe your grain of sand will help them reach that point.
thanks for bringing some kindness to this thread. i’ve been meaning to go to the bank to get a bunch of fivers to hand out.
Rest easy knowing you’re doing your part, perhaps even more than that. Thanks, kitten! 😁❤️
Definitely do it. It is a great feeling and helps them. Don’t let the fear of being scammed prevent you from helping people.
At home: Nothing. Genuine homelessness isn’t really a problem. There’s this joke that we have a government programme called “winter” that takes care of this. Truth is, there are actual government programmes in place that takes care of this as well - It is written in law that anyone who cannot afford a place to stay, as well as basic necessities will have this covered.
Abroad: When not in what causes fox news talking heads to clutch their pearls over socialist hellscape societies (Norway), I’m a lot more giving. Plus, I usually carry some currency that I will no longer need once I leave. I especially remember the happy outcry of a beggar I walked past while visiting this developing country. I was on my way to pick up some supplies the last day before heading for home. Repeated “Bless you!”-s once he realized that the stack of leftover cash included quite a few 20$ bills.
In short, he obviously needed them more than I, so I gave what I could.
Oh, and if it counts, I often give to buskers as some of them are actually pretty good.
I’ve lived in Norway for 5 years now. The only people I see asking for money are well known to locals, and I suspect that the majority of them weren’t born here either and have been forced to do this by someone else, who is perhaps holding their passports? Idk, it’s almost all women or disabled men that… don’t look Norwegian, and they all hive signs with Vipps numbers (cashapp/venmo for those not familiar). There is also one Norwegian guy in town who is always hustling people and tourists with the same story about how he just needs money for the train ride to Voss, so he can go to rehab there. I came here from San Francisco so it was a huge culture shock to see so few down on their luck, and even then, largely keeping out of your face. I don’t feel threatened, I just feel badly for them.
Yeah, there was this trend starting 15-20ish years ago where people from Eastern Europe came here to beg. Apparently it’s profitable to travel all the way to set up shop. I never give these people anything. If they truly were so down on their luck as they claim to be, they probably would not be able to invest the necessary resources into traveling across the continent to begin with.
Norwegians saw this:
And said “What if we weren’t stupid and used it for something good”
My wife & I were going into a restaurant one afternoon, and there was a man in a wheelchair with no legs below the knee sitting next door at the exit to Walmart. His sign said that he was a homeless vet. As we started in, I told my wife to hold on, and I ran over and gave him $20. When I got back, my wife said, “Did you just give that guy 20 bucks?” I said, “Yep, why?” She said, “You know he’s just going to spend it on alcohol.” I said, “I hope so, the guy ain’t got no legs, let him have a good drink!”
I heard that story once on reddit tho. Are you just saying a story, or was it you?
That was probably me on Reddit. I’ve probably posted it there on a similar post.
Sounds like exactly what a bot would say! Now prove your humanity by clicking all of the traffic lights in this image…err that one doesn’t work? Uh…You shall prove your humanity by listening to this audio clip and transcribing…that one too huh? Now you shall…count the Rs is Strawberry? Really? Man this is a really dumb future we’ve found ourselves in
Say “no sorry” and move along, its not a problem for individuals to solve.
It’s not tough.
Look them in the eyes like a human being and say “sorry dude, not today”.
Alternatively just carry small amounts of cash to give to them.
Another alternative is asking them if they would like some food instead.
No matter what you do, keep in mind you are very likely a small step away from homelessness yourself.
We tried giving one guy food in Chicago. He kind of wrinkled his nose and said something like “i prefer joe’s” or something. Can’t remember the exact place. Safe to say that our generosity got stifled on that journey after that.
Am not from states.
I ask them to come inside the store and I’ll buy them some food.
If they decline, oh well. If they agree, I happily pay for some food for them.
Some of these encounters have broke my heart, others have just reiterated what most people assume when it comes to these things.
I usual walk around with some small cash, change, etc, and definitely give it out as I’m walking until I’m out.
I just keep a mental note of it and skip the next coffee or odd lunch date, so my budget evens ~ out.
I hate when they come by the car and look in your car… if you move a little they think your gonna give them money…
Sucks I know but come on what’s up with the pressure ?
I’ve struggled with this like you for years. My empathy fights with my practicality.
I usually carry some cash and if I have small bills I may give a buck or two to someone. This is more and more rare for me because it’s hard to know who really needs it.
More often, I usually just smile and look them in the eye to acknowledge their humanity. If they ask I just say I’m sorry I don’t have cash.
Yeah, they don’t do that where I live. They get housed and fed by the government. The only people begging are Roma. And there are laws preventing people from approaching you so they have to settle for sitting on the street corner with signs.
I have given sporadically in the past, depending on how poor I was at the time, etc.
I don’t carry cash at all anymore, though.
i used cash alot up until i finally got a real credit card, safer to carry around than cash.
I usually don’t give money, but once a year give 100€ or so to our local homeless support organization, who are also regularly giving out meals and coffee.
Give them some cash, if I have a little extra. I recommend carrying a little change if you live in an area with regular homeless folks.
I used to bring a particular homeless guy who hung around my block a sandwich on my way to work, and a beer when walking my dog on Friday nights (if I saw him, for either occurrence). That was all when I lived in a different city though.
Ignore them.
My city has the programs in place for them to get off the street. All they need to do is go into a program that will get them off drugs and to not use drugs in the provided apartments.
As such, if they are on the street, it is because they value drugs over living.
“Just don’t be an addict bro” is a non-solution to homelessness re: no drug use in apartments. Relapse is a normal and expected part of addiction, and expecting them to be perfect or they lose their housing is a great way to make people more likely to relapse.
Oh no, about 80% of them when asked refuse the housing outright. Its not a matter of them slipping through the very real cracks.
Its that they want to do drugs. Also note: it wasnt do zero drugs. It was dont do drugs in the provided housing. We have safe injection sites for that.
Can I get a source on any of those claims?
80% of people refusing free housing is suspect if literally the only condition is ‘don’t do drugs in it’ and there are safe injection spots nearby. Safe injection spots don’t help someone who has to take 2 buses and an hour to get there.
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If I can spare it, I share it. I used to be homeless myself and would never have gotten out of that without help. It seems to me I have an obligation to pass that on.
