Unsure if this belongs in where but, do you help street people, uch as homeless and so on?

You see a man asking for a bit of change, possibly for bus fare, or to get something to feed him.

Maybe you see a man along the sidewalk holding a sign, could especially be very humorous. The humorous sign could affect if you give anything.

Background: I used to beg at the c-store at the old sh!tty place for subway sandwiches. I do not do this any more as I am now working online and ceased to beg.

I helped a man who needed to feed his kids one time, though I wanted a subway sandwich. I put my wants aside for the night as I felt the "father" needed it a buttload more. So, I went without willingly and bought him with the money that I also begged before and bought with that, a grocery bag full of ramen noodles as I felt he needed it. I offered that to him and he took it HAPPILY. I felt good, though hungry.

 

I haven't helped in a long time. Mostly it's fear. I remember several years ago I saw a homeless man outside of a restaurant I was going into. I started talking to him before I went in, and I was concerned. I bought him a meal. He was happy and it was a positive. Although, one time I was starting to park at a grocery store. A women got out of the car by me and was tapping on my car window before I unlocked it. I rolled it down an inch. She was saying they need a jump. I looked over and 4 big men were sitting in her car. All staring at me. I can't say specifically why, but warning bells were going off. Something just seemed really wrong. I kept my door locked and drove off. Another time a homeless man walked up to me in a parking lot when I thought I was alone. He came up kind of closed to me and said "I lost my $5 bill here." I said I haven't seen it. He insisted again, "no it was right here." He wouldn't leave and was blocking where I get in my car. I was getting scared and I started looking around for help. I lucked out. There was a guy sitting in a truck near us. His window was open, and he was watching. He saw my panicked expression and he got out of his truck and asked that guy if he had a problem. The homeless guy took off. Another time I actually had a lady try to jump in my car when she was being chased by the police. Luckily for me I always lock my car doors. I like to help in non-threatening situations at times, but am usually leary of people.

 

Many years back I used to help people if I happened to see them begging for cash on the streets, until I saw a documentary exposing who most of those people actually are. 95% of them are not homeless, jobless or hungry. At the end of the day some of them end up having $300-400 in their pockets. A huge % of those begging on the streets are con artist, druggies and alcoholics.

You belonged to the remaining 5% who actually do need money to survive. I am glad you were able to get yourself out of that.

The best rule of thumb is try to help out those you personally know. Almost all of us know of someone who is financially strapped. Those people should be helped first before any druggie asking for money on the street IMHO.

 

If concerned one could always send a check to the Salvation Army or some other charity, and let them sort out the scammers from the needy.

 

There IS also Salvation Army and a few local places to do that as well.