Tried to Hire a Homeless Man Today

Id like to ask, how many of you posting here would be homeless were it not for having family or friends to turn too? What would you do if you had nobody to turn too and became homeless? You want to know what it's like? Walk out your door with nothing but the clothing on your backs, no cell phone, no ID, no money, nobody to call and spend a few days in the middle of a city. Then come back and judge.

Two days ago, I was about to enter the subway in NYC when I saw an old guy whom I had seen standing in the same spot many times before. Dirty, ragged, gaunt... Every now and then he'll stick out his hand to a passerby, but he didn't when I passed. I stopped and asked him, "Did you eat yet today?" He answered, "No, sir." So, I went to a nearby deli and got him a hot sandwich, a coffee, some chips, an apple and a chocolate bar. The man went on and on with his thank yous and bless yous... It's a good feeling to see such a smile and such genuine gratitude. Altruistic? A bit. But also, selfish a bit too, because the warm and fuzzy feeling I get from helping somebody in need sure feels good.

In NYC I'm asked for $ two or three times per day. Most times I don't give because I question how genuine the individual is, but every now and then, my gut tells me that a person really needs help.

A couple of years ago there was a news report about an unkempt and desperate-looking woman who was well known in the midtown streets. Her hair was in bunches and face smeared with dirt. She would lay on the sidewalk with a ragged blanket as cover. One day, a local news reporter decided to watch her for a while and follow to where she went afterward. The reporter was shocked to find that as the sun started to set, the woman would stand up, wearing a track suit, grab her blanket and walk a few blocks and hop in the subway. She was followed to her apartment, where apparently she lived a nice and cushy life.

To give, or not to give, that is the question.... I'll keep giving, but will rely on my instincts and b.s. detector to guide me.

Do a search on how much a panhandler can make, and some are doing quite well for themselves. Of course, this depends on location and competition and the state of mind of the panhandler... Check out this excerpt from an article on the subject:

Police: Oregon panhandlers raking in the green
www.komonews.com...

Feb 3, 2008
COOS BAY, Ore. - A police survey says panhandlers outside Wal-Mart in Coos Bay can make $300 a day. Inside, it takes a clerk a week to make that much.

Police say people who have a problem with that needn't look to the law - asking for money is considered protected free speech.

reply to post by Bluesquid


Nice way to insult me without knowing me at all. For you information I have helped countless people in my life who were truly in need. This is not a thread about the banking industry it's a thread about the homeless. To go around on a high horse without realizing that over 60% of homeless men and women are vets, many are drug and alcohol addicted (Something I know about myself actually), and a strong percentage are mentally unstable. Without treating the underlying issue you are not helping anything. I do not mind buying somebody a burger, or actually taking them someplace where they can get real help if they are in need. But if somebody is out there making business only then I will ignore them and help somebody who really needs it. So go take your insult to somebody whose gonna bite down on them.

reply to post by onehuman


Those to be pitied are the fools who give their hard earned money to these free loaders. Bleading heart liberals who "feel good" by giving to charlatans and con men are the same fools who send off their money to Benny Hinn to "spread the gospel". Like PT Barnham said, "There's a sucker born every minute."

I am glad that ATS is here...else we would think that there was such a thing as homeless people, when clearly all homeless people are actually wealthy living in big houses and nice cars.

I guess it helps people sleep better knowing they contribute nothing, then curse government trying to help out with programs those in need...all while calling themselves christians (no doubt)

reply to post by SaturnFX

One problem with your argument...

Not all homeless are pan handlers.

Most all pan handlers are not homeless.

I think people are getting off track here.
The point is, many of these people who hold signs wanting help, don't want to do anything but hold their hand out.
When they hold signs that say "will work for food" or "need money will work" then they turn it down and still have the nerve to ask for money ...

There are some who are indeed grateful for whatever they are given. But most are just greedy dirtbags who want money for booze and drugs.

I used to work at Vons (grocery store) and every morning I had to go out and recycle their cans and bottles. I would give them their tickets to go inside and exchange for money and you know what most of them bought at 7a.m. ... a couple 40oz and Ding-Dongs. This is what they did every day.

I'm starting to envision a new form of volunteering. Across the nation, people quietly shadow every panhandler to see if they're legitimate or not. Then, have some kind of certification system.

I'm only half-joking . . .

I think that you never know why people are put in your path. ....personally, I don't really have a problem with pan handlers - most of the time they never hurt anyone and it's your choice to give them something or not. As far as lazy, who's more lazy - the person sitting on the corner doing the time or the person sitting on the couch collecting the check? Either way you pay for it but only one way gives you a choice, right?

When I was in college I gave money to a homeless person walking through Pizza Hut....my friend thought I was nuts because all he was going to do was spend it on booze or whatever. I didn't feel that was really any of my business......

Years later I gave $20 to my manager at a restaraunt because she needed money to feed her 4 kids.....she spent it on pot. That's on her not me and I did not regret giving her the money either.

In the same restaraunt (actually a diner) there was a homeless man who would come in every night on the late shift. Yep he was an alcoholic, stunk to high heaven, and we just loved him to pieces. He would wander in about the same time every night and all the college kids would come in after the bars closed and buy him food, coffee, give him cigarettes whatever. It made them feel good about themselves no doubt and he sort of had a family in all of us. He had a heart attack once and gave my manager the money he had to hold for him until he got out of the hospital (same one who took my $20) and I think he had over $600 in cash.....lol. She gave him back every penny too. Loved that guy and it broke my heart when I heard he passed away....

Same restaraunt - I was opening up one morning very early and was the only one in the place. Some guy walked in and started getting smart with me, creepy smart, nothing that seemed dangerous at the time.....I noticed a beat up pick up truck stopped at the light outside the window and recognized a homeless woman and her "old man" driving (she also came in the diner.....it was a classy place lol). She turned her head and saw me and the guy; she jumped out of the truck and walked in the store, jumped over the counter and stood between me and the guy and threw him out. I thanked her and she left......I found out about an hour later the guy she threw out robbed the mini-market across the street at gun point. This same woman did time in a fed prison for dumping gasoline on her husband and setting him on fire (same guy driving the truck).

You just can not judge people.....everyone has a story and we are all here for each other in different ways at different times I think. If you feel compelled to help someone out you should never regret it, just be smart about it by not putting yourself in harm's way. That's my opinion anyway.

S & F for the thread

The reason a lot of people are homeless is they usually have a life of expensive addictions, why get bogged down with running a home, being responsible, paying bills, getting a job and other expenses when they can just spend every penny on alcohol and drugs and stink of faeces making ordinary people feel guilty for being in control of their lives.
I have been homeless, I have gone without money but I have refrained from giving in to drink and drugs or crime and I worked my way out of a situation using available help, keeping my nose clean and acting responsibly.
A lot of homeless here in the UK aren't 'homeless' per-se they have a hostel or emergency accommodation all paid for with no bills but are just too wrapped up in a world of drink, drugs and crime.
Don't bother to put the politically correct white knight hat on because I've been there, I've had enough happen to me through my life to grow some filthy habits and be a pain to people on the streets but then I always believed in when you are pointing a finger their are three fingers pointing back at you.
The only thing these people are hungry for is drink and drugs and if you feel sorry for the act then try living with a few, you will soon change your opinion.

reply to post by Blaine91555


Thanks for your candid, insightful post. No doubt there were some painful memories dredged up in writing all that. Reading it definitely brought back a few memories for me in that I once came very close to being a homeless person due to a co-dependent relationship with an alcoholic. Lucky for me, the fear of it happening was enough of a wake-up call for me to end the relationship, just in time. It took quite a while to get back on my feet without his "help", but my perseverance paid off. Sadly, 24 years later that same person is a homeless street person, more often than not due to his bad choices in life. Do I care? Yes, but I don't wear my heart on my sleeve any more.

I just look away from homeless people, cause their story tends to make close to no sense at all.

Like this one woman i would see walking through the train cars with her 4 year old daughter... or 7... begging for money to help them get through the day. ACS system in NYC sucks, yes, but damn. they would of had that mother go on welfare or took the child away from her.

majority of the times, its all just simple laziness. there was a clip on tv i saw some time ago of a woman begging on the streets for a while, then calls it a day and walks back to her BMW. you're homeless and driving a BMW...

wtf?

Many years ago I worked in NYC and did a little extra for someone there and she threw me some money to get some food. Since I was commuting in, I grabbed as much carry out fried chicken as I could with the money and it was way more then I could finish in one shot, so I was carrying some leftovers. Waiting for my train to get home, a homeless guy hit me up for some money and I couldn't spare it but I did offer my leftover chicken, which he graciously accepted . . . but made it a point to peel off all the skin before wolfing it down. Somehow, that struck me as being very funny.

reply to post by onehuman


onehuman, what may be wrong is the idea of raking leaves to put them in a bag and throw them in the trash. Perhaps the guy knew more about environmental practices than you think. Wby don't you just leave'em on the grass?

Of course, 20 bucks an hour was a good offer. Any sane person wiling to work for a slightly better living wouldn't refuse that.

Originally posted by Blaine91555
Id like to ask, how many of you posting here would be homeless were it not for having family or friends to turn too? What would you do if you had nobody to turn too and became homeless? You want to know what it's like? Walk out your door with nothing but the clothing on your backs, no cell phone, no ID, no money, nobody to call and spend a few days in the middle of a city. Then come back and judge.

Having been homeless myself, I can tell you it's a scam.

All of the "will work for food" people (And similar sign-holders) are all scammers. If you don't believe me, offer one of them work. NONE of them will accept it. Not one.

I first encountered one of these guys in San Francisco and was foolish enough to gibe him two bucks that I had worked hard for. Later when I was homeless myself, I found out it's just a big scam, half these guys aren't even homeless!

You want to help them? Offer them work.

Originally posted by AnitaCigarette
My dad once told me he knew a really rich man. He had a mansion & it was gated in & everything. Everyday this man would put on some dirty clothes, roll around in the dirt & mess up his hair & then go pretend to be homeless on the street corner. My dad never could figure this out till he was older. This man would make around at the least $100 in a very short time doing this.

My dad realized that some people are just worthless & aren't even worth paying.

When that homeless man said, "I can make $20 standing here in an hour," you should have just kept on moving. There is no use helping those who don't want to be helped.

I also have my own story about a homeless man.

When I lived in Rochester, NY, a homeless man approached me & asked "can I have 25 cents?" I said, "Sure!" figuring it would bring me some good Karma.

After I handed him the quarter he said, "wow, thanks man! A friend of mine told me he could sell me some crack for $5 & now I have it!" He ran off & I stood there... absolutely astonished. (mind you, I was homeless, too, so I really should have kept that money to myself)

Why am I not homeless now? I have family that loves me & helps me whenever I need & I have a desire to support myself & it feels amazing to pay for the roof over my head, even tho I have a job that makes me want to scream "SHOVE THIS JOB!".

edit on 9-4-2011 by AnitaCigarette because: *added some background

edit on 9-4-2011 by AnitaCigarette because: *fixed typo

edit on 9-4-2011 by AnitaCigarette because: *added another sentence

thanks "man" are you not female ? i'm confused, like grey alien confused.

Simple. They just don't want to work. Labor is not within their means which is %50 why they are there in the first place.

Again, WoW.

What a rush to judgement. So many of you are so quick and certain about your conclusions. So steadfast with your prejudments and so cliche' in your sterotyping.

Go read a book or two. Go watch a good old movie.
Did you know George Orwell lived as a "bum" in order to understand poverty?
He was born well-to-do but had compassion. Mercy.
Obviously he is the exception.

I'm sure of one thing. If I was ever on trail, I wouldn't want most of you as jurors.
Especially if I was innocent of the charges.

www.youtube.com...=18

reply to post by austingoeshard


As a man that has been homeless, I resent that statement. Don't generalize anything. It's prejudice and ignorant.

-B

reply to post by onehuman


Dear onehuman,

I understand your confusion; but, people are homeless for a whole lot of reasons. I have had homeless people live with me in my house (when I had one, lol). I spent a week on the streets myself many, many years ago. Many are homeless because they have mental problems, others are homeless because of addiction problems (I know one who was homeless because of a gambling problem). Others are homeless because they lost their jobs, wives....

Once someone has been on the streets for too long a time, they often stop trying and give up. Considering this, your job (while well intentioned) is not going to get them off the street and in an apartment. It did not offer stability and enough time off the street. The homeless people that stayed with me stayed for about a year before I lost the house. It was long enough for them to find a stable situation although being homeless again is still a possibility for all of us.

It is easier to become homeless than it is to get off the streets. That is my experience and it may or may not help you to see what happened in a different light. Be well.