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Do you ever help homeless people?
Orthaos
Member Posts: 51
Every year, once for my birthday, once during Thanksgiving (or a day or two before, depending on what I'm doing) and once during Christmas (or a week before, if I'm planning a vacation)...I give a pillowcases full of 5 dollar bills to homeless people I see on the street. Sometimes depending on how much money I and my family earn, I give out cases of 10 dollar bills.
Money is tight right now for us, but I still gave smaller sacks of money away just yesterday.
Its a family tradition for us, ever since my father gave money to a homeless family (they had three kids) a few years back, we've started doing Help the Homeless as we call it. Its not only money either, my father gave the dad of the family a job as a construction worker...and a couple years later, the family came back and thanked us for all the help. Not many construction jobs these days, but the family is still doing well and keeps in contact with us occasionally.
Do you ever help homeless people? Its said one person can't make a difference, but each of us in my family have made a large difference in many lives.
Comments
I used to but I don't anymore. The homeless people around here have adopted a rather bad attitude towards anybody that doesn't outright give them change or what not. About 5 years ago a truly homeless guy walked up to me and asked me if I could spare some change for food. I offered to take him to any restaurant he wanted within walking distance (there were tons of them in that area) and buy him whatever he wanted but he insisted on money. At the time I didn't see any harm so I gave him $5 and and he went on his merry way while I was standing there and chatting with a buddy of mine. Not a minute later I see the same homeless person walk out of a corner store with a fresh pack of cigarettes that he bought with the five I gave him along with whatever other change he had. He was obviously not looking for food else he'd have taken the offer for a meal that would have more then likely exceeded $20 that I would have been glad to pay.
Ever since then I have stopped caring. That coupled with the fact that a lot of the beggars out there now are fairly well dressed, in clean clothes with clean appearances makes me realize that they are there because they want to be not because they have to.
No required quests! And if I decide I want to be an assassin-cartographer-dancer-pastry chef who lives only to stalk and kill interior decorators, then that's who I want to be, even if it takes me four years to max all the skills and everyone else thinks I'm freaking nuts. -Madimorga-
Occasionally. However, my holiday helpfulness is over. I helped six people who got stuck in the snow in front of my house today. Being in Oklahoma I do not have heavy snow clothing. Busted my knee and twisted my ankle (black and blue from knee down), frost bite on my toes, feeling of hypothermia and having difficulty breathing after inhaling so much cold air while doing strenuous activity. I hurt all over, but I feel great for being able to help those people.
Pan handling has changed in the last couple of years by people who aren't homeless. People drive to parts of the the city that they don't live in then walk up to random people at fast food restaurants and ask for $5.00 so they can put some gas in their car to get home. I gave in to this once and 3 or 4 days later in a different restaurant the same guy asked me for money again using exactly the same spiel. Since then about 4 other people have tried the same thing in my suburban neighborhood. I look at it as a reminder that most of the panhandling is not done by desperate people but by those looking to make an easy buck.
There are very little homeless in my city. However, there are still some people on the street. 1 thing I like is when a private gas station says its ok for people to wash peoples windshield for tips. After I encountered that for the first time I realized these guys must be making quite a bit during rush hour as there is a constant stream of cars, and they are getting on average $1 every other car.
I stopped when some guy asked me for money for food. I told him I don't carry cash. I went to Subway to eat across the street and boght the guy a steak and cheese sandwich. I gave it to him and he acted all pissed off because I didn't give him money. That's why I usually don't help panhandlers.
If I have bills with me, ya I'll flip them a few. I sometimes ask them if their going to buy alcohol or beer with the money and if they say no, I joke with them and say "oh too bad because I was gonna give ya cash for a sixer". That usually gets a laugh, then I flip them some bills anyway.
look, I know what these guys spend their cash on and its not going to support their college fund. At the end of the day, theyre not the guys breaking into houses or shoplifting from stores. They suck up their pride and ask for a hand out so they can buy a beer or a bottle of wine or whatever floats their boat. If it helps them cope, and I have the spare cash Im more than happy to help them out. You only live once and if this is how they want to live their life.. more power to them. Too many of us are caught up in the machine.
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a robot foot stomping on a human face -- forever."
I lived in Miami for 4yrs and there are more beggers and homeless than I've ever seen in my entire life.
You learn to ignore them after awhile.
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I've had similar experiences in the past as noted above with "homeless" that were really panhandlers. Now, I donate my money directly to my chosen local charity, typically in the neighborhood of $2000 per year and donate my old car every few years (which really pisses my kids off as they are still driving older cars). I sleep just fine after blatantly ignoring the "homeless" on the streets.
They are always drunk and spend any money you give them on booze and drugs so fuck em.
No.
do you have any idea how addictive nicotine is?
No I don't, but given the choice between staying alive or gettin my "fix" I'd take food over cigarettes any day.
No required quests! And if I decide I want to be an assassin-cartographer-dancer-pastry chef who lives only to stalk and kill interior decorators, then that's who I want to be, even if it takes me four years to max all the skills and everyone else thinks I'm freaking nuts. -Madimorga-
No I don't, but given the choice between staying alive or gettin my "fix" I'd take food over cigarettes any day.
I dunno I quit smoking just like that and I never had and urge to smoke again.
edit nvm
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No I don't, but given the choice between staying alive or gettin my "fix" I'd take food over cigarettes any day.
I dunno I quit smoking just like that and I never had and urge to smoke again.
Nicotine Addiction
What causes nicotine addiction?
Nicotine is an addictive drug. It causes changes in the brain that make people want to use it more and more. In addition, addictive drugs cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. The good feelings that result when an addictive drug is present — and the bad feelings when it's absent — make breaking any addiction very difficult. Nicotine addiction has historically been one of the hardest addictions to break.
The 1988 Surgeon General's Report, "Nicotine Addiction," concluded that
* Cigarettes and other forms of tobacco are addicting.
* Nicotine is the drug that causes addiction.
* Pharmacologic and behavioral characteristics that determine tobacco addiction are similar to those that determine addiction to drugs such as heroin and cocaine.
What else does nicotine do to the body?
When a person smokes a cigarette, the body responds immediately to the chemical nicotine in the smoke. Nicotine causes a short-term increase in blood pressure, heart rate and the flow of blood from the heart. It also causes the arteries to narrow. The smoke includes carbon monoxide, which reduces the amount of oxygen the blood can carry. This, combined with the nicotine effects, creates an imbalance between the demand for oxygen by the cells and the amount of oxygen the blood can supply.
How does nicotine in cigarettes increase the risk of heart attack?
Cigarette smoking may increase the risk of developing hardening of the arteries and heart attacks in several ways. First, carbon monoxide may damage the inner walls of the arteries, encouraging fatty buildups in them. Over time, this causes the vessels to narrow and harden. Nicotine may also contribute to this process. Smoking also causes several changes in the blood that make clots — and heart attack — more likely.
What are the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal?
* irritability
* impatience
* hostility
* anxiety
* depressed mood
* difficulty concentrating
* restlessness
* decreased heart rate
* increased appetite or weight gain
How long does nicotine stay in the body?
From 85–90 percent of nicotine in the blood is metabolized by the liver and excreted from the kidney rapidly. The estimated half-life for nicotine in the blood is two hours. However, smoking represents a multiple dosing situation with considerable accumulation during smoking. Therefore, it can be expected that blood nicotine would persist at significant levels for six to eight hours after smoking stopped.
Nope. Its like tossing money into a fire. Like someone else mentioned, there are no shortages in S FL. I was on an Orlando trip and 3 different people on separate occasions used the same stupid "my car is broken down and I need to get my family back to the hotel" excuse. SERIOUSLY you're driving around Orlando with your family, but have no money and no credit card? Its the dumbest story I've ever heard. Unfortunately my all too NICE Christian co-worker gave each of them a few bucks. The rest of us called him stupid, but he said, he won't miss the money. I can understand that, but to me its just a waste. I'd rather give the money to the Humane Society, which is where all my donations go. Animals have no control over their misfortunes. People do. I feel far more sympathy for a dog about to be put to sleep than some drunk who'd rather buy a 40 than a burger. Is that wrong=)
People are homeless because they choose to be. VERY few are in that situation through no fault of their own.
To put it a selfish way; aslong as you think its going to help them, who cares?
5 bucks is a cheap price to feel like you absolutely helped somebody.
I give money to bums a lot; even if for every 20 bucks I spent, one guy who really needs it gets a toonie, I'm more than happy.
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
If you're going to give out sacks of money, it's probably a whole lot more useful to give to a local charity that helps the homeless, or the aged, or needy families or whatever you're interested in. Giving to a homeless charities will help them provide food, clothing, blankets, etc. You might not get the immediate thankful reaction that you would by handing someone cash, which I guess is what people are after, but in the long run your money will go further and have a more lasting and beneficial result. A lot of charities really need people to donate their time, too. I'm not sure that most people want to go that far. Handing out cash is easier than actually getting involved, although not even close to being as helpful. And, yes, we give to charity, although we have never handed out sacks of cash to individual people.
Yes, Yes I do help those less fortunate. But you are NOT helping them at all by giving them cash or one meal. You help them by giving them a means to help themselves.
If you really want to help them you can do this by volunteering your time and needed supplies to accomplish this. Time is more valueable than a pillow case full of cash. You can volunteer to make them well if they are sick or injured by volunteering at the local free clinics or if you are able, volunteering medical services at homeless shelters treating those who need it. You can call and have a shelter come pick them up if they need a way there. You can volunteer to come make them meals at the soup kitchens or shelters, or donate food to the food pantries. You can volunteer to transport the needed items to where they are needed most. You can donate blankets, personal care products, clothing, educational or how to books, computers, internet access and toys to local shelters. You can volunteer to teach a class at the shelters to give them much needed skills to help themselves. These are the things they need most, these are the things that need to be done. Giving them one meal or a pillow case full of cash is only a cheap thrill, what they need are real solutions that will help them get out of their situation. Without good health, regular meals, proper hygeine, shelter , hope, and the know how it takes to pull themselves back up, they will just continue the decent into their demise.
You must stop them from falling before you can help them back on their feet again.
Yes, in any thing that I know Ican help them, Every simple things that made them happy. And they do appreciate it, Sometimes I want to help them more in terms in material things but that I can't do more. Because I'm also a simple person living in a city. Sometimes when i saw them begging specially the person I know that he can still look for other work instead of being just a beggar. i can't understand some of them... they must believe in their selves
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm138/Syreange/mysigcopy-1.jpg
No, because I'm not a socialist.
"Listen, you fuckers, you screwheads. Here is a man who would not take it anymore. A man who stood up against the scum, the cunts, the dogs, the filth, the shit. Here is a man who stood up." - Robert DeNiro
Being a caring, compassionate, individual and making the personal choice to help others has nothing to do with Socialism. Socialism is based on the belief that people are naturally inclined to do bad and not help one another so they need someone else, a " ruling class", to make the decision to help others for them. I disagree. I believe people are naturally inclined to care for one another and can make that decsision on their own.
There is a HUGE difference between deciding for yourself that you wish to help others and trying to force everyone to. It is free will. It is your choice not to help others, as long as you are free, you can make that decision. Though you choosing to do so or not to do so should not be based on whether or not you believe in " Socialism" but rather whether or not you feel it is how you want to spend the very short time we are given on this earth. Life is too short to have regrets.
Passed a guy many years ago in NYC who was homeless and had the most adorable kitten... his sign said that he was trying to get money together to get the kitten its shots.
I was about to give him money when I realized... this guy probably got kittens off of the streets, sat them out on display for a few weeks until they were starving, then tossed them away to die for another kitten. All so he could get more money.
Unless their sign says "need food for food," I won't give them anything. If all they want is food though, I'll stop somewhere, buy some food and give it to them. Or donate time/money to homeless shelters.
Sadly, as with most things involving humans, the ones who stand out and beg for attention are normally the worst types of people you'll run across.
Why not just put the money in a pillow case and burn it. If you want to make a change for the better donate it to a good charity that will actually do something positive for the world instead of giving it to some waste that will most likely spend it on booze and/or drugs.
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