Ask Lemmy

I give them a fiver and ask them if they need anything else. Saying 'they might buy something wrong' is a slippery slope to 'people shouldn't get benefits because they might buy beer.' And I have heard right wing politicians literally say the latter.

If someone asks, I'll offer to buy them food or other supplies. My wife hands out handwarmers during the winter. We used to put together care packages for people, but lost the habit. I don't give out money because I don't want to enable addictions. When you offer something other than money, you are able to more easily separate people who want a fix over people who want to improve their situation. Your resources go farther when you help the latter.

edit: One thing that helps people out a lot is buying them public transit passes. It gives them mobility to get to shelter/services they wouldn't have access to otherwise.

I had a lady come up to me in the grocery store with her child and ask very quietly in very broken spanish/english to help her buy food for her and her daughter - who looked to be about 2. My first reaction that I acted on was to say sorry and walk away. Then it hit how cold and callous that was. Even if she was a scammer, that is not an easy way to make money. So I found her gave her $20 and walked away. A few minutes later I saw her with a cart and some food with a smile on her face.

My opinion is that if I have a bit of money that I can do without there is someone that could do with it I'll let them have it. The money may go to a scammer from time to time and I know in the past it has, but if I can help one genuinely needy person I do what I can, not going to let the shit bags (both scammers and politicians) keep me from trying to help

I been on the bottom rung. So I know that kind of living. And because of that I help when I'm able to.

I try to give a bit of money, reasons like they are going to spend it on *bad thing* aren't for me to judge or evaluate and people don't become rich from begging on the streets. There is also a bit of a hope that someone will give me a bit of money if situation will reverse once.

I once saw a guy searching through the trash for "Pfand" Bottles (German recycling system) that are worth 25 cents. He didn't ask me for anything, so I gave him 5€.

PS: I could tell that he was genuinely grateful (or at least a great actor) and I had that gut feeling that he is a good guy.

I won't help every time, but if someone asks and I'm feeling generous, I usually stop and talk for a few mins and hand them $10-20, no strings attached. I'm not the ethics police and if they buy insulin or liquor doesn't matter to me as much as them getting the impression that they aren't invisible and people want to see them prosper. It's too easy to see myself in their situation for me to be an asshole about it. Most of us are only an accident or bad decision away from homelessness and poverty.

Just handing them money? No, I don't. I don't have much myself.

But I do work in a downtown area near a shelter and see a lot of the same people pass by every day. I'll give them cold water and extra food if I have it. Certain others I will let go through my scrap metal for stuff they can sell to recyclers, and occasionally I'll hire someone for the day to help me clean.

I still feel like a dick setting in my air conditioned truck ignoring the person setting outside in 100F+ weather with a "help me" sign.

As someone who's been homeless, I deride the term beggar. Still, It depends, If I have something on me I can part with. A joint, a cigarette sure. Got a fairly annoying allergy that means I often wind up with some food stuff I can't eat. If I have bills they can have cash. Change is kinda worthless here. If someone looks hungry, I'll give them something. But there's so many now in the area, you can't help everyone.

Anyone willing to do that probably needs the cash more than I do. Who am I to say? If I can spare it, I share it. If I can't, I still try to give a little of my time to recognize them as a fellow human being, because I know begging or just being destitute in general feels dehumanizing.

My thinking is that as long as I'm given the choice, I'd rather be scammed out of $20 than fail to help someone who legitimately needs it.

As a short woman who can't run fast, it depends on how safe the situation feels. In general, I keep moving if there's someone coming out and approaching people, because some of those folks can switch from a scam to a purse-snatch/assault in a flash. But I've occasionally tucked a 20 into the cart of a woman sleeping on the sidewalk, and I don't care what they spend it on. I donate monthly to my local food bank as well of course.

Loud street beggars - never. They are usually members (or victims) of criminal organizations. Even if they are forced to do it, giving them anything only makes the business profitable for their bosses.

Poor people you know otherwise. Like for example a homeless person in your neighborhood who doesn't usually ask for anything. Help them if you can, especially with non-monetary support. Food, clothes you don't need, personal hygiene supplies, etc...

Vehemently against it. Far too easy to abuse - there's been criminal gangs that force people to beg. I've even heard of criminal gangs crippling people they traffic to give them visible disabilities to make the begging more effective. Giving money to beggars - even if they're not being trafficked - still makes begging worthwhile and increases the likelihood it will be made into a gang activity. We need government programs that handle it, or give your money to a charity instead, which makes sure the money goes to effective programs that help people in real need.

A lot of them have drug or alcohol problems. I don't want to fund their self destructive behaviour. I'm more than happy to give money to homeless shelters, food banks and other related charities.

I'll throw a few bucks here and there. Bought a guy a six pack once. Fuck it life sucks enough as is when you're homeless, may as well have a drink and forget for a while.

I wouldn't because I'm broke as fuck

My advice to them would be: go shoplift the corporate chain

Eat The Rich

Where I live, there are a lot of people who hold signs on the side of the road and the end of off ramps. I'm a funeral director, and I've had to cremate homeless people who got hit doing that. It makes me very anxious to see someone running across traffic to grab a dollar from someone three lanes over.

So that in particular bothers me pretty bad

I’m poor, so I’ll do what I can. Especially if it means ignoring people I’ve seen shoplifting. Because, no, I didn’t.

When I can, I do. Life is difficult enough without having to beg to survive. Don't give a damn what they spend it on. Just want them to have what little comfort it can afford

Occasionally I will say "how much more to get some product" followed immediately by "how much ya got". If they show change in their palm or otherwise engage honestly, I'll usually top them up. Have your beer dude, if your life is so crummy this is what you need to feel OK go ahead. Never ever ever ever ever ever ever give to somebody that claims they are hungry because that is a bald-faced lie.

But generally the way I give is to check on the addicts in the bus shelter during extreme winter nights, bring them hot/cold water, supplies to plug wind holes and otherwise keep it warmer, plus whatever I salvage in my travels. In summer I maintain the community "ice water" zone which is just at the stump of a tree, but now that all the people in the hood know it's there, it's raided continually. I honestly can't keep up as I just have a tiny freezer but it's replenished as often as reasonable for me. The community chips in now as well... they've started to bring lidded takeout cups and plastic bottles and leave them there so I don't have to constantly scout containers.

I should more than I do. It's a good thing to give when you're able.

I never give cash. I've personally had to provide emergency service for ODs that came directly from someone's "last fix".

My GF donates to the food bank at the end of our street when she finds a great deal on an item.