Went shopping today. When I parked at the store and got out a woman walked up to me carrying a little sign saying she had no job and two kids to feed. She asked if I could spare a few bucks. The hilarious part is that someone posted on here just a couple days ago that they don’t give money to people who are begging who are better dressed then them.
So that popped into my head and I looked closer at the way the lady was dressed and she was in nice sweats and nice sneakers and I actually said to her, “IDK. You’re better dressed than me.” Lol. But WTH, I just gave her a couple dollars, it’s not going to break me.
Maybe when I die God will give me a better seat in heaven at the dinner table for being so nice.
I usually give money to people with signs, theres only a few beggars in this city tho and i rarely go downtown. The place i volunteer hands out bread to the people in the ghetto while we patrol. Good on you for helping someone. The last time someone asked me for money was late at night by the store, she was yelling from across the street at me for some bus fare. I had no money to give tho.
I don’t give money to anyone who’s rude or threatening. I know life on the streets is rough but from what I’ve seen, all the people who have asked me for money are capable of pulling it together for a 10 second interaction and acting polite. About 95% of the people I give money to no matter how bedraggled or ill have given me a polite ‘thank you’ in return so I know that all of the homeless people are capable of asking politely. The ones who act rude or threatening are just not putting out the tiny little effort it takes to politely ask me if I can spare a couple bucks.
When I worked in the city I was generous probably to a fault. But my best memory was helping out a young man with his girlfriend tie a double Windsor knot for his neck tie before an interview. I thought I was such a big deal that morning.
I buy food for the homeless very rarely. Trouble is round here - if you give cash to one of them, the rest get to know, and before ive been followed thru the town for money, whilst there moaning that ive got cash.
They dont realise - i recognise a couple of them as well, picking up fresh needles in the chemist, when im getting my meds. So theres no chance they are having my money.
In on of the cities I used to live in it was common for some folks to post “hungry” signs outside the fast food places in hopes to get money. We would sometimes buy them food as we were going through the drive thru and drop it off on our way by. In the same city I would sometimes give cash to people who were holding signs that said things like “need gas” “need rent” but one time it made me laugh so hard I read a sign that was so honest the guy said “need beer” I think my sister wanted to give him money for his honesty I don’t remember if we did though or not lol.