Street Beggars/homeless

[givemeaspell]

Do you give to street beggars?  We have had a woman in the past week sitting outside our local supermarket with a sign (I need help, homeless, please donate your spare change).  She had her head down with a cap on, quite thin, I don't usually give to street beggars but for some reason I felt the need, however when she lifted her head after I had placed the money in the container I could see she was clearly suffering the effects of drugs..very sad indeed.  I would have rather gone buy her a drink or some food than perhaps donating to her habit. 

[catsnknots]

When I lived in Melbourne there was this well known beggar and when I actually met someone that knew him personally I found out he earned about $3000 per week begging on top of his unemployment benefits and lived in a  house way better than mine... 

from then on I stopped giving as I had given to this bloke and genuinely thought he was a homeless man in need... 

I have also known kids that have left perfectly good homes that went and lived on the street and begged.... they also earned a good amount on top of their unemployment benefits...

[margomeoz]

I used to give to them all the time, there were always heaps of them outside Paddy's Market, and I hated to walk past any of them without trying to help.

Then one day I got cured.

There was this particular guy in a wheel chair appeared to have Cerebral Palsy and with his wonky hand hit a xylophone all day, I always gave to him, then one of the other stall holders said to me to watch him all day see how much he gets and see what he does when he finishes.

I did this and saw he collected a lot of money, then at the end of the market this guy wheeled his chair over to a disabled spot where a mecedes was parked, he jumped out of the chair straightened himself up threw the wheel chair in the back and drove away with a lot better days takings than I was ever able to get.

I never gave another halfpenny after that. :^O

[lakeland27]

theres always been the pro-fake beggars. there was a famous one who lived in an upscale london suburb and caught the train in to town in a suit with briefcase. he changed at the station toilets into his beggar costume. he'd lost his job and couldn't get another, supported a wife and 3 kids this way.  these people are rare though. most are genuine.

[i-need-a-martini]

cat and margo - there are rorters in any system.

But what I see is genuine. Probably because I work close to a few crisis centres and hostels. The people that use the services offered by the Sydney City Mission and and the centres around my end of the city are absolute in need. 

[izabsmiling]

giving money to someone who is obviously a Junkie, is not helping the addicted person at all.  They need to hit rock bottom to trigger a real desire to stay off the drug.

 hitting rock bottom (being homeless) could also be what it takes some to actually start  taking the drug in the first place ?

[catsnknots]

cat and margo - there are rorters in any system.

But what I see is genuine. Probably because I work close to a few crisis centres and hostels. The people that use the services offered by the Sydney City Mission and and the centres around my end of the city are absolute in need. 

100% agree there is a real problem and it is huge... 

I just won't give directly... ever again..

I did see an old lady give a guy a sandwich on Tuesday... 

He had his bag of goodies in one hand, bottle of half drunk wine in the other... no shoes and well groomed. 

I would rather he was given the food rather than cash... 

[the_great_she_elephant]

I wonder how many of the people who rant against 'druggies' are themselves hopelessly addicted to nicotine. The only difference between the two forms of addiction is that nicotine is a relatively cheap drug and while it may have a serious impact on physical health, doesn't affect one's ability to function in everday life.

[margomeoz]

I wonder how many of the people who rant against 'druggies' are themselves hopelessly addicted to nicotine. The only difference between the two forms of addiction is that nicotine is a relatively cheap drug and while it may have a serious impact on physical health, doesn't affect one's ability to function in everday life.

I wonder what your comment has to do with beggars and people giving to them. 

[catsnknots]

Remember this guy??? 

Revealed: 'Barefoot, homeless' beggar has apartment and 30 pairs of shoes

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/revealed-barefoot-homeless-beggar-has-apartment-and-30-pairs-of-sho...

[the_great_she_elephant]

I wonder what your comment has to do with beggars and people giving to them. 

It has to do with the fact that many people (including at least one who has posted in this thread) refuse to give to beggars because they believe they are all druggies who brought their misfortune on themselves and are therefore unworthy of assistance.

When you and I were teenagers, Margo, illicit drugs were not easily available and our drugs of choice were alcohol and nicotine. Most of us did not become addicted to alcohol - we did however become addicted to nicotine. Some of us have managed to kick that addiction, most of us haven't and I'm willing to bet if nicotine addiction cost us our jobs, homes and dignity and reduced us to begging on the streets, most of us still wouldn't be able to give it up.

And in case anyone is wondering, no I am not a smoker - but only because there is apparently something peculiar in my makeup that allowed me to smoke like a chimney when I was younger without ever becoming addicted. When I realised what smoking was likely to do to my health it didn't cost me any effort of willpower to give it up.