@HonnyBrown wrote:
I gave a homeless person an apple I had left over from lunch. He threw it at me when I walked away.
@HonnyBrown wrote:
No, I didn't talk to him first. The sign around his neck said "Money for food," or something of that nature. I gave him my apple. He threw it at me.
@Kenzie wrote:
@HonnyBrown wrote:
No, I didn't talk to him first. The sign around his neck said "Money for food," or something of that nature. I gave him my apple. He threw it at me.
The economy is bad and people are struggling, but pretty much NOBODY needs to beg for food in this country. There are food pantries and soup kitchens just about anywhere (not to mention "food stamps"/EBT). "Money for food" usually means money for alcohol, cigarettes or drugs. Consequently, panhandlers get pissed off if someone actually tries to feed them, especially with something of minimal value such as an apple.
@Keppi wrote:
What reason are you giving them? Do you give them a reason at all why you got them a coffee or whatever? I usually said I bought too much, I was given a free coffee along with my food etc. The other day, I gave a homeless man the coffee I had to buy along with a food item, and he looked so longingly at my sandwich. I had another branch to shop around the corner so I asked him what I could get him. I almost felt bad when he was so grateful. But then he looked so hungry I would have bought him one either way.
@sestrahelena wrote:
I rarely have enough drugs and alcohol to spare (JK, I don't really have any). I saw one guy whose sign said, "Won't lie...Just need a beer." Points for honesty!
@Kenzie wrote:
@HonnyBrown wrote:
No, I didn't talk to him first. The sign around his neck said "Money for food," or something of that nature. I gave him my apple. He threw it at me.
The economy is bad and people are struggling, but pretty much NOBODY needs to beg for food in this country. There are food pantries and soup kitchens just about anywhere (not to mention "food stamps"/EBT). "Money for food" usually means money for alcohol, cigarettes or drugs. Consequently, panhandlers get pissed off if someone actually tries to feed them, especially with something of minimal value such as an apple.
@HonnyBrown wrote:
This was in the 90s when I was in college.
I won't apologize for my donation to a homeless person having "minimal value."
@amberngriffinco wrote:
Denver now looks like Orange Co, CA with all the homeless. It's supposed to be illegal, but, at every freeway exit, they're there. Inside the grocery store last week, a ruffled looking man was asking for like .72 cents.. ?? I worked/volunteered at a food bank locally a few years ago (they closed) so I can understand it. What I'm sick of seeing is the homeless that have enough money for a pkg of cigarettes ?.. some are in their 20s .. my husband said his ex wife and him would give these people (no Cal) a bag of fast food and they'd decline.. they wanted cash.. so, no, i usually ignore it.. we are hurting ourselves these days.
@sestrahelena wrote:
@Kenzie wrote:
@HonnyBrown wrote:
No, I didn't talk to him first. The sign around his neck said "Money for food," or something of that nature. I gave him my apple. He threw it at me.
The economy is bad and people are struggling, but pretty much NOBODY needs to beg for food in this country. There are food pantries and soup kitchens just about anywhere (not to mention "food stamps"/EBT). "Money for food" usually means money for alcohol, cigarettes or drugs. Consequently, panhandlers get pissed off if someone actually tries to feed them, especially with something of minimal value such as an apple.
@Keppi wrote:
What reason are you giving them? Do you give them a reason at all why you got them a coffee or whatever? I usually said I bought too much, I was given a free coffee along with my food etc. The other day, I gave a homeless man the coffee I had to buy along with a food item, and he looked so longingly at my sandwich. I had another branch to shop around the corner so I asked him what I could get him. I almost felt bad when he was so grateful. But then he looked so hungry I would have bought him one either way.
@catlassy wrote:
You still did the right thing to give him an apple. His ingratitude is his own issue. Don' give up on being kind because of some malcontents.
@ceasesmith wrote:
@sestrahelena wrote:
@Kenzie wrote:
@HonnyBrown wrote:
No, I didn't talk to him first. The sign around his neck said "Money for food," or something of that nature. I gave him my apple. He threw it at me.
The economy is bad and people are struggling, but pretty much NOBODY needs to beg for food in this country. There are food pantries and soup kitchens just about anywhere (not to mention "food stamps"/EBT). "Money for food" usually means money for alcohol, cigarettes or drugs. Consequently, panhandlers get pissed off if someone actually tries to feed them, especially with something of minimal value such as an apple.
I don't know where you are, but where I am, you CANNOT get food stamps/EBT unless you have an address and ACCESS to a kitchen where you can cook. I'm not really sure of the reasoning behind that. Also there are restrictions -- you can't use them to purchase "prepared food", like in a restaurant. But you certainly can buy plenty of sodas and chips and cookies and "processed" food. Obviously, if you're homeless, you don't have an address, or access to a kitchen or other "cooking facility". And since you're homeless, by definition you don't have a refrigerator or storage, so you must get food every DAY, or buy food that can be kept without refrigeration or safe storage.
Haven't you ever heard of "food deserts"? Many people -- not just homeless -- have limited access to healthy food.
I have been homeless and without income. But I had a CAR, which made me infinitely wealthy compared to others. I HAVE begged for food; I have stood in a parking lot and told passers-by "I'm sorry to bother you, but I lost my job, and I have no money. I am hungry. I have $2, and I can get a chicken in WalMart for $5. Could you possibly spare $3?" No one was ever rude. In fact, the kindness of most people left me in tears.
There is no soup kitchen within 60 miles of me.
The closest food pantry is 12 miles away.
There was no public transit system until last year; we now have a bus that will deliver commodities and food bank boxes. The bus charges $5 per delivery. The $5 fee is covered by donors for those who cannot afford it; but these are NOT homeless people. The bus delivers to HOMES.
According to government "health statistics" that I read somewhere last week, about 19% of the adult population smokes cigarettes -- and 78% of those smokers live at income levels below Federal "poverty" levels. Only 1 in 11 of people who make more than $75,000 a year smokes cigarettes.
I didn't mean to rant, but I have been "down and out" -- and I feel that if someone hasn't been, they have no right to judge. You know, the old "walk a mile in his shoes" saying -- if you haven't been there, you have no idea how demeaning/degrading the whole thing is.
If you want to donate, I suggest The Salvation Army. They go directly to where the homeless are and hand out mittens, blankets, warm hats, and sandwiches, with no strings attached. And they do it without judgement and with GREAT compassion.
I know, because I was a recipient.