C_Beth Posted September 19, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 41 Topic Count: 31 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,324 Content Per Day: 1.63 Reputation: 3,617 Days Won: 2 Joined: 06/08/2015 Status: Offline Share Posted September 19, 2016 I try to help everyone I can if I have the ability to do so, always with safety in mind. I am less likely to give money than I am to try to solve the problem, at hand, for them. I buy meals, gas, nights in hotels, gift cards and such or direct them to someone than can assist them. It doesn't always work out as well as I would hope sometimes, but I do as I feel the Lord would have me do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodFruit Posted September 19, 2016 Group: Junior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 138 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 129 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/01/2008 Status: Offline Author Share Posted September 19, 2016 5 hours ago, missmuffet said: I was walking down the street of a well known older neighborhood. I was going to go into the Greek deli and purchase a sandwich. I saw a lady with a sign that said "I am hungry I need money for a meal". I approached this lady and told her I would go into the deli and buy her a sandwich. She said " Are you kidding? I don't want the food I want only the money". Yes, this happens all too often. One day as I pulled up to a stop light at the regular panhandler hangout, no one was there at time but there was a cardboard box with some dry packaged food in it sitting there on the ground that they had left behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodFruit Posted September 19, 2016 Group: Junior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 138 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 129 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/01/2008 Status: Offline Author Share Posted September 19, 2016 5 hours ago, other one said: The TV station I worked for before going to Xerox did a special on those people and we found that about half of them were making 30 to 45 thousand dollars a year standing their accepting donations... and that was back in the very early 70's..... and that was way more than the national average wage at the time as I remember. Fast forward 40 years and it's still the same thing. Our local news stations have been doing numerous undercover surveillance reports and whatnot on the panhandler epidemic for the past year or two and just as you say the majority of them are raking in a lot of money and driving away in fancy cars after their shift is over. All tax free income I might add. I don't ever give to any of them and just ignore them when they stand there trying to look helpless. The thing that always makes me wonder is if they are homeless, where do they get the big black markers and nice big piece of perfectly cut cardboard to make their fancy signs? Some of the signs look very well made like a girl with nice handwriting did them up. Just an observation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodFruit Posted September 20, 2016 Group: Junior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 138 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 129 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/01/2008 Status: Offline Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 5 hours ago, other one said: the seven years I worked nights for Xerox, much of my time was involved with two companies that were right in the middle of the part of city the where the homeless people stayed and in between service calls I got to talking to them and got to know several... they will teach you how to tell the ones who really need help and those who are just panhandling for a living. I found it was extremely fulfilling to help those that needed the help...... many of them have mental problems that just won't let them be a part of society. One in particular I was familiar with asked me for a dollar in a convenience store one morning and when I took out my bill fold all I had was two twenties..... he looked a little lost for a minute and I told him I didn't have a dollar but I would share one of my 20's with him..... you just couldn't imagine how it made him feel and I worried a bit if he might take what he didn't need to eat at the time and buy alcohol with it, but my fears were abated as he started for the front door he asked two of his other homeless friends if they would join him in a real breakfast at McDonald's... you would not believe how much the homeless take care of each other and share just about everything..... and after that time how many breakfasts i bought at McDonald's. What an awesome story and blessed thing you did. That is kind of how I felt about this man who started to walk towards me, he didn't look like the typical hoodrat, he was an older man maybe 60's-70's, hard to tell, but I kind of felt sorry for him. I just thought to myself after I drove away that maybe he was just hungry and wanted something to eat. My heart started to break for him and I felt selfish for everything that I have in life, and I am by no means rich. One time I was at a gas station pumping gas, and a car came barreling in up to a pump. A girl got out of the vehicle and asked me for some gas money. She had another person in the vehicle with her and the look on her face was desperation. I gave her $2.00 that I had. She continued to ask other people pumping gas too. Then she drove across the street to another gas station as I was leaving. Not sure what her issue was but I hope i did the right thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodFruit Posted September 20, 2016 Group: Junior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 138 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 129 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/01/2008 Status: Offline Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 4 hours ago, C_Beth said: I try to help everyone I can if I have the ability to do so, always with safety in mind. I am less likely to give money than I am to try to solve the problem, at hand, for them. I buy meals, gas, nights in hotels, gift cards and such or direct them to someone than can assist them. It doesn't always work out as well as I would hope sometimes, but I do as I feel the Lord would have me do. What a wonderful kind and gentle spirit you have. God bless you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmuffet Posted September 20, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 34 Topic Count: 1,993 Topics Per Day: 0.48 Content Count: 48,691 Content Per Day: 11.76 Reputation: 30,343 Days Won: 226 Joined: 01/11/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted September 20, 2016 Another way to look at it is: Give them money what they do with the money is their choice. You have reached out to help them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodFruit Posted September 20, 2016 Group: Junior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 138 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 129 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/01/2008 Status: Offline Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) Thank you all for your comments, advice and concern for my safety. I work in the law enforcement arena so I know a thing or two about being safe. I guess I have to say that I didn't necessary feel I was in any danger at the time but you are all correct that in today's world it's better not to take chances being alone. I really don't know what that man's mental state was. I hope and pray that the Lord watches over him. In my county we currently have a heroin epidemic so a lot of the "panhandlers" appear to be heroin addicts looking for money for their next fix. Being in my line of work, you learn to identify their traits. This is why I don't give money to them. I don't to be responsible for the next OD we have even if I wouldn't be aware of it firsthand. Edited September 20, 2016 by GoodFruit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_Beth Posted September 20, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 41 Topic Count: 31 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,324 Content Per Day: 1.63 Reputation: 3,617 Days Won: 2 Joined: 06/08/2015 Status: Offline Share Posted September 20, 2016 23 minutes ago, GoodFruit said: What a wonderful kind and gentle spirit you have. God bless you!! Thank you for your kind words. God bless you, also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvadoran15 Posted September 20, 2016 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 3 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 11 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 15 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/05/2016 Status: Offline Share Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) Personally, I would've at least stopped to see what he wanted before I drive off. People end up on the streets for all kinds of reasons. Many beg for money to be used for alcohol or drug substance consumption while others sincerely use it to buy food. Whatever the case, I like the example Peter set in Acts 3:6 "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." While giving some money is entirely up to your judgment, the best thing we can give to the beggar is the Gospel that is able to transform lives. God has a special place for the needy and homeless, and we are commanded to make disciples of all nations. What a wonderful testimony it would be, to see God take a lowly beggar off the streets and turn him into something even better. This is all, of course, only if the person in question is not mentally deranged and dangerous. In that case, it probably is better to drive off. Edited September 20, 2016 by Salvadoran15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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