[jcvdd1]

OK, I get it. The Villages is a great place to live but some of the surrounding area near The Villages is not very desirable. Specifically the area just south of the Spanish Springs Town Square. Some of the supposedly homeless folks gather at the intersection holding onto a torn cardboard sign indicating that they are homeless and asking for money. They are not asking for food nor work but they are asking for free money.

My question is do you guys give these people money out of the kindness of your heart? It appears to me that if anyone is constantly giving money to these same people, then we as a society are partially responsible to the contribution for the state of homelessness that these people are in. If everyone stopped handing out money to these people and possibly offer them any type of work, then possibly this will provide them with the incentive to stop asking for money and start working in order to better themselves. I'm not referring to highly technologically demanding work, but rather any odd jobs that you may have at your residence. Although I'm sure that there are a few bad apples in this group and everyone needs to use common sense, but I'm certain that a majority of these people are good people if offered an opportunity.

[BobnBev]

How's the weather up there, with your head in the clouds. With all the construction in the area, there is no reason to be without a job. Some people just don't want to work, easier to beg.

[Velvet]

Yes, my mother used to ask them to do something for her, bring her groceries, maybe help around the house for money. She had no takers, ever.

[Marathon Man]

I agree with the others. Street corner pan handling is not new. I've never heard of a single time when work was accepted when offered. And I know many who have offered.

[manaboutown]

Some of those people bring in $100K/year tax free begging! Why work?

Man confronted by panhandler who rejected offer for work - Story | FOX 13 Tampa Bay

[vintageogauge]

I was always told to "help them to help themselves" and offering to get them work would fall into that category, giving cash would not. There is a pan handler in Key West that sits with a sign stating "Please help feed the ugly" that is one exception to my rule, he gets cash from me for having the guts to put that on a sign. The people in Key West doing this make a ton of money from tourists up here it's the same people going past them daily and they probably don't do all that well.

[jane032657]

Interesting topic. I am presently volunteering as an Executive Director (my profession) to help open a shelter for the homeless in Daytona/Volusia County where we live part of the year. The word homeless describes a state of being, not a person. The people who are homeless cannot be categorized under one umbrella. Certainly there are some who are fully functional but for whatever reason, prefer this life. However, there are so many people who are not as together as the rest of us. Addictions, Mental Health, Veterans with PTSD and other issues which changed their lives, those who lost their home or their jobs, those disenfranchised for so many sad reasons. Opportunity to get clean, or sober, or cleaned up and have some health care; to have some help getting into housing and job training, and life skill training, sometimes a hand up, sometimes unification with family. One day, take someone to coffee and buy them a meal and hear their story. It is so easy to judge until you get to the heart of the person. Not everyone who is homeless is just wanting to have a sign and a quarter given. People are people, everyone is different. And so many people are a paycheck away from finding themselves destitute. Consider your blessings a gift for your good fortune in life, and offer some hope to someone, even if it is just some kind words. You do not know what a difference you make to someone when you just listen and give a smile and some hope.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by jane032657

Interesting topic. I am presently volunteering as an Executive Director (my profession) to help open a shelter for the homeless in Daytona/Volusia County where we live part of the year. The word homeless describes a state of being, not a person. The people who are homeless cannot be categorized under one umbrella. Certainly there are some who are fully functional but for whatever reason, prefer this life. However, there are so many people who are not as together as the rest of us. Addictions, Mental Health, Veterans with PTSD and other issues which changed their lives, those who lost their home or their jobs, those disenfranchised for so many sad reasons. Opportunity to get clean, or sober, or cleaned up and have some health care; to have some help getting into housing and job training, and life skill training, sometimes a hand up, sometimes unification with family. One day, take someone to coffee and buy them a meal and hear their story. It is so easy to judge until you get to the heart of the person. Not everyone who is homeless is just wanting to have a sign and a quarter given. People are people, everyone is different. And so many people are a paycheck away from finding themselves destitute. Consider your blessings a gift for your good fortune in life, and offer some hope to someone, even if it is just some kind words. You do not know what a difference you make to someone when you just listen and give a smile and some hope.

Excellent post.


As for the topic, I typically give to those...who aren't actively asking.

The people who are obviously struggling, and sitting on the curb at a convenience store...are the ones who will most likely make me open my wallet.

[red tail]

Originally Posted by jane032657

Interesting topic. I am presently volunteering as an Executive Director (my profession) to help open a shelter for the homeless in Daytona/Volusia County where we live part of the year. The word homeless describes a state of being, not a person. The people who are homeless cannot be categorized under one umbrella. Certainly there are some who are fully functional but for whatever reason, prefer this life. However, there are so many people who are not as together as the rest of us. Addictions, Mental Health, Veterans with PTSD and other issues which changed their lives, those who lost their home or their jobs, those disenfranchised for so many sad reasons. Opportunity to get clean, or sober, or cleaned up and have some health care; to have some help getting into housing and job training, and life skill training, sometimes a hand up, sometimes unification with family. One day, take someone to coffee and buy them a meal and hear their story. It is so easy to judge until you get to the heart of the person. Not everyone who is homeless is just wanting to have a sign and a quarter given. People are people, everyone is different. And so many people are a paycheck away from finding themselves destitute. Consider your blessings a gift for your good fortune in life, and offer some hope to someone, even if it is just some kind words. You do not know what a difference you make to someone when you just listen and give a smile and some hope.

[Velvet]

Hm... I think what individuals give on the street is quite random and inadequate, the church discourages it too, it encourages dependency... what is needed is a comprehensive program to deal with the various people’s needs.

[Jima64]

San Francisco spends over 300 million a year on programs for and problems caused by homeless people,,,, all approximately 5000 of them.
So give, make your shelters, you can't make them change if they like the street life.

[Velvet]

Honolulu has the largest per capita homeless probably in the US. At least that’s their impression. I have been following their attempts to deal with these people (who are often given a one way ticket to Hawaii from the mainland by their relatives etc.) The homeless particularly love Waikiki because of all the tourists from the mainland. For example, there was an incident of a tourist walking along the street with a slice of pizza he just bought. A homeless attacked him and ate his slice. When the homeless person was arrested and asked why he did it, the answer was: “The tourist was fat enough already, he didn’t need it.”(Star Advertiser)

[Bogie Shooter]

A few years back at about dusk, I stopped at the l75 exit at CR44.
Saw two of the poor homeless guys meet at a nice new van behind a service station, get in and drive off.
They did have a job it was panhandling.
How do you really know anybody with a handout is homeless?


Panhandling laws in Florida
https://legalbeagle.com/6953774-panh...s-florida.html

[Velvet]

They are homeless in Hawaii because accommodation are so expensive, even the working poor can be homeless. Up north where I am, it’s different, we have a local lady who goes through the trash to pay her property tax on her beautiful, expensive home near by.

That might be some people in TV with the property tax increases soon.

[Bill32]

Nope....