[PugMom]

in my experience, the people who are truly homeless do not tend to beg. they're the ones you see sitting quietly in a parking lot somewhere, with a cart or bicycle, minding their own business. those hit me the hardest. there's this one 'kid', probably in his 20's, in Leesburg who sits outside a building near DQ. he reads, (no phone) and looks pretty downtrodden. i will openly give to him, buy a meal, or whatever because i know what it's like to be down on your luck & just trying to get by. someone like him will never turn down goods, some food or even a friendly smile, & ive never seen him ask for $$.

[clwahlstrom]

Yes I donate. I am from California and this is nothing. Every street corner is covered with people holding cardboard signs. I pretty much assume they wouldn’t be there unless they really needed it. But that’s just me.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by jagdl

I choose to channel my giving to extra tips for the workers.

Yeah, I have become the same way.

Early in the pandemic, Trump gave us $2400 (I think) for sitting on our butts, so I decided to give more to the people who are actually working, and I have kept doing that.

[rmd2]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I gave one guy my old pocket-umbrella because it was raining and he (obviously) didn't have one (or he'd have been using it). New condition, I never used umbrellas because I never stood out in the rain more than a minute or two.

A woman who I hadn't seen before had a nice message on her sign, said something like "Please smile and have a blessed day" or some other similar sentiment. I was first in line at the red light so I gave her a chit-chat, asked her if she had a cat for a pet - I would've given her one of the cans I'd just bought. She said she had a dog. After another minute of chatting while waiting for the light, I grabbed a handful of change from my car's change compartment and handed it to her. She had horrible teeth. I'd never hire someone like that as a "public face" for my company, because her front teeth were black and pitted, one was missing. Her skin was clear, her hands were clean (because even homeless people know how to use a rest room).

Homeless people have trouble getting a job because most jobs require that they have a permanent address. When you fill out an INS form, you need proof of residence. Without that, you can't get a legal job in this country.

No permanent residence = no proof of residence = no legal job - even if you had good teeth.

I don't normally ever give money. That one woman though was very personable, obviously intelligent, polite and articulate? My guess is that she was bulimic at some point in her life (long-term bulimia causes the enamel to strip off your teeth and then they turn grey, and then they start to rot). I really hope some dentist sees her some day and volunteers to give her a new smile.

Teeth - not bulimic. It's METH.

[rmd2]

Originally Posted by clwahlstrom

Yes I donate. I am from California and this is nothing. Every street corner is covered with people holding cardboard signs. I pretty much assume they wouldn’t be there unless they really needed it. But that’s just me.

Yep, let's turn Florida into California. Way to go!

[OhioBuckeye]

Originally Posted by jdulej

The problem with this approach, as I see it, is that you have just pushed the problem from you and your area to someone/somewhere else. Nothing changed, nothing solved. I know that in California, when RR killed off the state's mental health support system, the homeless problem exploded. And, of course, no money was saved, which was the original goal. It just moved to increased law enforcement. We see well that has worked.

You’re exactly right that’s why California has been in the RED for as long as I can remember. To many stuffing their pockets!

[Opengineer150]

They tell you not to fed the animals because they will become dependent on hand outs the same goes for the homeless ..

[1couple]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

When we cross 441/27 to go to Walmart, many days there are homeless people looking
for money or a handout.

Do you donate to their cause?

What's you opinion on them being there?

never it keeps them coming back and most isn’t homeless at the end of the day you can follow most of them home

[Bilyclub]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I don't normally ever give money. That one woman though was very personable, obviously intelligent, polite and articulate? My guess is that she was bulimic at some point in her life (long-term bulimia causes the enamel to strip off your teeth and then they turn grey, and then they start to rot). I really hope some dentist sees her some day and volunteers to give her a new smile.

Meth is a great destroyer of teeth too and there is a connection between meth addiction and bulimia.

[miharris]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

When we cross 441/27 to go to Walmart, many days there are homeless people looking
for money or a handout.

Do you donate to their cause?

What's you opinion on them being there?

I never do, instead I donate to well run charities that make sure the money is used to actually help people in need, and not for booze and drugs.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by rmd2

Teeth - not bulimic. It's METH.

Meth also causes some kind of weird itch on the face, resulting in people scratching til they bleed. It's been described as the sensation of spiders crawling all over your skin. That's why meth addicts have pockmarks and sores and zits all over their faces.

As I specified - this girl's face was clear. Only her teeth were bad. Bulimia can cause that.

[spd2918]

Giving money directly to "homeless" people keeps them poor and dependant and handouts. Instead give to charities that work to end the reasons they are destitute.

Of course most beggars are not homeless.

[BlackhawksFan]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

When we cross 441/27 to go to Walmart, many days there are homeless people looking
for money or a handout.

Do you donate to their cause?

What's you opinion on them being there?

At least this one I photographed was honest.

Copyright 2011. Depth of Field Photo

[Velvet]

And I need a billion bucks, should I start a gofundme campaign? I’m honest too.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by clwahlstrom

Yes I donate. I am from California and this is nothing. Every street corner is covered with people holding cardboard signs. I pretty much assume they wouldn’t be there unless they really needed it. But that’s just me.

Would you be interested in buying a bridge? I may be able to find one for you……..