Giving food or drinks to homeless people
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I have a very good friend who is technically homeless. She's living in an Inn as a winter rental because nobody will rent to her. A combination of unbelievably bad luck and a few (very few, really) poor decisions. She works. She is a single mother. She fights every single day for what is right. She gets absolutely no respect from anyone around her. You'd hardly know based on her social situation that she has a masters degree and should, by all rights, be earning 6 figures.
She takes nothing from anybody, ever. She never asks for help. She just endures and survives. She contemplates suicide on a regular basis but has the constitution to not go that far. She's seriously an amazing woman who just can't catch a break in life.
I used to be a highly conservative person. I've wondered how, over the years, I've become more liberal in my social views. I've only recently come to realize that knowing her has made me that way and made me a better person overall.
Sometimes all it takes is a little forced perspective in order to see what life is really like for other people.
She takes nothing from anybody, ever. She never asks for help. She just endures and survives. She contemplates suicide on a regular basis but has the constitution to not go that far. She's seriously an amazing woman who just can't catch a break in life.
I used to be a highly conservative person. I've wondered how, over the years, I've become more liberal in my social views. I've only recently come to realize that knowing her has made me that way and made me a better person overall.
Sometimes all it takes is a little forced perspective in order to see what life is really like for other people.
______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.
@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:
I gave a homeless person an apple I had left over from lunch. He threw it at me when I walked away.
Maybe he had bad, or no, teeth and could not eat an apple.
I'm sorry that happened to you. I would imagine this could happen 1 out of 100 times. Go with your heart - I believe you will do this again. Don't let one person spoil your kindness. Too many people out there need food and sometimes just for some-one to talk with them. Good luck.
@HonnyBrown wrote:
I guess the needy can live in affluent neighborhoods?
When I lived in Los Angeles, I would have my friends volunteer at Habitat for Humanity on my birthday (the weekend after). We usually rehabbed a house none of us could afford on our professional incomes.
Honny, I have a friend that helps build homes for Habitat for Humanity (Jimmy Carters program), it's a really great cause. There are so many ways to give, many needy folks out there. I stated I give clothes to the woman't centers for abused woman. Homeless live where there are food kitchens in L.A. so they get a decent meal (at lest here)....you wouldn't go into the hard core homeless area with drugs and killings., offering a piece of cold stale pizza, let's get real. I had given to Cancer research when I could, I'm sure we all have our favorite charities.
Live consciously....
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/2017 04:22PM by Irene_L.A..
I am TREMENDOUSLY moved to comment negatively on several thoughts on this thread. This is unlike any reaction I have had for any comment on this site.
I hope this argument presented comparing feeding stray cats and feeding homeless is a momentary lapse of reasoning.
I hope this argument presented comparing feeding stray cats and feeding homeless is a momentary lapse of reasoning.
Why not? Drug dealers, drug users and killers get hungry also. And what is your obsession with cold, stale pizza? When I give away my pizzas, the recipients are getting a hotter, fresher pizza than if I drove all the way home and ate it myself.@Irene_L.A. wrote:
you wouldn't go into the hard core homeless area with drugs and killings., offering a piece of cold stale pizza, let's get real.
None of this has anything to do with mystery shopping. You are all off topic. This helps no one.
I was talking about pizza shops.@gbarnes wrote:
None of this has anything to do with mystery shopping. You are all off topic. This helps no one.
So that justifies him throwing the apple at me?
@tidedancer wrote:
@HonnyBrown wrote:
I gave a homeless person an apple I had left over from lunch. He threw it at me when I walked away.
Maybe he had bad, or no, teeth and could not eat an apple.
"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
It may happen 1 out of 100 times, but it only had to happen to me once. Once and done.
@Margo wrote:
I'm sorry that happened to you. I would imagine this could happen 1 out of 100 times. Go with your heart - I believe you will do this again. Don't let one person spoil your kindness. Too many people out there need food and sometimes just for some-one to talk with them. Good luck.
"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
I don't do Habitat for Humanity out here because I don't have the same circle of friends here.
Instead of giving a cold stale pizza or an apple, I tithe to my church, give to Red Cross and the United Way on occasion, and I shop at Goodwill. That way, the people in the drug infested areas, neighborhoods I don't go into, and people in need are helped.
Instead of giving a cold stale pizza or an apple, I tithe to my church, give to Red Cross and the United Way on occasion, and I shop at Goodwill. That way, the people in the drug infested areas, neighborhoods I don't go into, and people in need are helped.
@Irene_L.A. wrote:
@HonnyBrown wrote:
I guess the needy can live in affluent neighborhoods?
When I lived in Los Angeles, I would have my friends volunteer at Habitat for Humanity on my birthday (the weekend after). We usually rehabbed a house none of us could afford on our professional incomes.
Honny, I have a friend that helps build homes for Habitat for Humanity (Jimmy Carters program), it's a really great cause. There are so many ways to give, many needy folks out there. I stated I give clothes to the woman't centers for abused woman. Homeless live where there are food kitchens in L.A. so they get a decent meal (at lest here)....you wouldn't go into the hard core homeless area with drugs and killings., offering a piece of cold stale pizza, let's get real. I had given to Cancer research when I could, I'm sure we all have our favorite charities.
"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
Yes there is a lot of help in Southern Cal. and in many other cities. Unfortunately there are many homeless that are unwilling or unable to accept the help. There are those that are scared, or for psychological reasons are bothered by paranoia so they stay away from handouts or even a night somewhere. I have also heard that the shelters, at least here, can be as or more dangerous than staying on the street somewhere. And there are those who just do not want to follow rules that the government and the "people" have made and most of the agencies that offer help have rules. But there is also a vast number of people who would love to get into a program to help them or would be willing to accept handouts. Unfortunately the percent of people the current programs can serve is small.
So just keep doing what you are doing to help out whether direct or indirect thru donations and by encouraging your local community to find resources that you believe in. Keep an open mind as to why a particular person might react differently than you would expect them to. We are all different, even those of us with homes.
So just keep doing what you are doing to help out whether direct or indirect thru donations and by encouraging your local community to find resources that you believe in. Keep an open mind as to why a particular person might react differently than you would expect them to. We are all different, even those of us with homes.
"Homelessness is a disease of choice?"
That's just about the most heartless thing I've ever heard.
That's just about the most heartless thing I've ever heard.
Homelessness can happen to each and every one of us.....sickness leads to losing your job, divorce leads to losing a home, etc......it is closer than you'd like to believe., no one chose's homelessness unless you choose drugs which is in itself a disease.
Live consciously....
@HonnyBrown wrote:
I don't do Habitat for Humanity out here because I don't have the same circle of friends here.
Instead of giving a cold stale pizza or an apple, I tithe to my church, give to Red Cross and the United Way on occasion, and I shop at Goodwill. That way, the people in the drug infested areas, neighborhoods I don't go into, and people in need are helped.
@Irene_L.A. wrote:
@HonnyBrown wrote:
I guess the needy can live in affluent neighborhoods?
When I lived in Los Angeles, I would have my friends volunteer at Habitat for Humanity on my birthday (the weekend after). We usually rehabbed a house none of us could afford on our professional incomes.
Honny, I have a friend that helps build homes for Habitat for Humanity (Jimmy Carters program), it's a really great cause. There are so many ways to give, many needy folks out there. I stated I give clothes to the woman's center for abused woman. Homeless live where there are food kitchens in L.A. so they get a decent meal (at lest here)....you wouldn't go into the hard core homeless area with drugs and killings., offering a piece of cold stale pizza, let's get real. I had given to Cancer research when I could, I'm sure we all have our favorite charities.
Live consciously....
At one time I did a route of location which were dinner fast food shops for a loser that never paid me He was a sole proprietorship ot of PA his name was Bob cant remember this occurred 1998 99 At any rate I had to visit a fast food location W y's and purchase orders to go and the survey did not involve taste or quality of the items only temperature and speed of delivery. There is no way I could eat all those burgers, fries and Sodas. So I gathered two coolers and placed them in my vehicle one for the fries and burgers the other for the sodas and when I would return I would purposely run my route so I would be on the Pulaski sky way heading east. I knew the homeless sheltered themselves under the roadway. When I exited onto 1 and 9 in Jersey city I would pull off the road and under the raised roadway and pass the food out of my window to the awaiting homeless I received many thanks from all those people after all I was doing 10 to 12 locations a night I was more then glad to see it being eaten then thrown out.
@tidedancer wrote:
@HonnyBrown wrote:
I gave a homeless person an apple I had left over from lunch. He threw it at me when I walked away.
Maybe he had bad, or no, teeth and could not eat an apple.
Are you saying if he had no teeth or bad teeth he should, in turn, throw the apple at her? Come on. Whatever the reason, her intention was good and in no way would she deserve the apple thrown at her
Doing what I can to enhance the life of my family! I LOVE what I do 
@Morledzep wrote:
@HonnyBrown wrote:
I gave a homeless person an apple I had left over from lunch. He threw it at me when I walked away.
LOL. Are you in CA? Only place I've ever been that homeless folks don't appreciate what is offered.
I have found it to be the same in Tulsa and OKC
I had an interesting experience on an off ramp in CT. There was a homeless guy asking for money at the bottom of the exit, where my car just happened to run out of gas. I had no money, and didn't have AAA. The guy approached me and I was a bit nervous as I couldn't imagine what he wanted from me. He asked me what was wrong. I explained I had run out of gas. He asked if I had a gas can, which I did. He said he would take it to a gas station and be right back. I thought, there's no way I'm getting that gas can back, but lo an behold, ten minutes later he arrived with 3 gallons of gas for me. He even put it in for me. I was absolutely blown away. He said he had done well that day, and wanted to give back for all the people who had helped him. I will never forget his kindness. so, don't judge a book by its cover!
crooked, that is so amazing! I am so glad he paid it forward! I know that warmed your heart.
"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
For those of you who won't give money, I was told that by giving homeless people food, it just means the next person who gives them money means they no longer need to use it to buy food with. It can go to something else. So there's no getting around it. Give if you want to or don't. We can't control what people will choose to take or do with what they do take. I think giving is done with good intentions and intrinsically makes people feel better to do so too.
Doing what I can to enhance the life of my family! I LOVE what I do
I have not given food or beverage that was acquired on the job to a homeless person. I have seen people who may have been hungry, thirsty, broke, and/or homeless, but I have never been certain that those people really were in need and not part of a research project or something. It is pathetic that we may have a good heart in our giving but cannot know if we are actually providing help. *sigh*
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
This wasn't on a mystery shop, but when my wife and I were dating, we met halfway in downtown Pittsburgh. There were a lot of homeless people with signs stating they needed money for food. We felt really bad about one guy and went into McDonalds to buy him food. He turned his nose up and asked for money, so we took it about 20 feet up the street and asked a group of homeless people if they wanted it. These people were grateful to take the food and thanked us.
Fast forward six years later. We live outside of Youngstown, OH and there's this plaza where people panhandle and fake being homeless. The only reason we know this is because they mostly live in a few of the cheap motels and go to Speedway to buy alcohol with the money they panhandle from others (usually they drive there in cars nicer than ours). Needless to say, we're careful about who we donate to anymore.
Fast forward six years later. We live outside of Youngstown, OH and there's this plaza where people panhandle and fake being homeless. The only reason we know this is because they mostly live in a few of the cheap motels and go to Speedway to buy alcohol with the money they panhandle from others (usually they drive there in cars nicer than ours). Needless to say, we're careful about who we donate to anymore.
Arguing with fools is like playing chess with a pigeon...
...No matter how good you are, the pigeon will s@^t on the board and strut around like it won anyway.
Not scheduling for ANY company.
...No matter how good you are, the pigeon will s@^t on the board and strut around like it won anyway.
Not scheduling for ANY company.
I had a homeless person, RETURN the food and ask for a refund, I saw it with my own eyes, when I went back into the store, I was told he said he saw a bug in the food and wanted a refund, he got the money!!
That's a shame. That's where a cold, stale pizza would come in handy.
"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
Then he wanted money not food and quite likely not homeless.
Then you get the phony beggars that give you a dirty look. They do not want food, they want "change"
You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want ..Zig Zigler
The reason why they throw back an apple is that their teeth cannot chew it! This lady in our region bought a huge bag of apples and not one homeless person took one. It was not that they didn't want it, their teeth are so bad that they can't eat it!
THIS WAS AN EYE OPENER FOR ME!
Heck, I know a few elderly people who are on a decent income that take an apple and cut it into tiny pieces- along with pickle slices and bread slices because they can't chew harder things.
Please don't knock those who are less fortunate. Yes, it was sad that it was thrown back, and I'm sorry that happened.
THIS WAS AN EYE OPENER FOR ME!
Heck, I know a few elderly people who are on a decent income that take an apple and cut it into tiny pieces- along with pickle slices and bread slices because they can't chew harder things.
Please don't knock those who are less fortunate. Yes, it was sad that it was thrown back, and I'm sorry that happened.
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