DescentBB

Why do people give money to the homeless? I give to disabled homeless people, but there’s still no excuse. How hard is it, to go to a homeless shelter (or any place that you can take a bath in) and start applying for jobs… ANY JOB!! Then get a crappy 320$ a month apartment!! OMFG!! And there’s still money for food! And it’s not like it’s a well kept secret. Homeless people know about this and continue being homeless. A homeless person can make 400 dollars a day. Why are we rewarding these people?

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and yes there are some mentally ill people that are homeless that refuse the governments help... Even if it's an unholy decision, i say, if you turn your back on free aid, then you've chosen death. Living on streets shouldn't be an option.

[Sigh] ...and the misinformed stereotypes just continue...

Isaac, it's not \"that simple\". Besides the mentally ill, homeless people don't generally choose to be out on the street. Would you, if you had any other option?

No, they're there for a myriad of reasons, everything from the inability to get and/or hold a job (which you seem to think is just so easy), to domestic violence. Check out \"Why Are People Homeless?\" for a good (albeit statistics-laden) overview.

The more money you give to the homeless, the less they need to spend on food and therefore gives them more money to spend on drugs and alcohol.

People are homeless because they choose to be homeless.

The above is a good (albeit statisticly driven) overview.

ccb056 wrote:People are homeless because they choose to be homeless.

THAT is the stereotype I think is clearly wrong (despite it's popularity). While it's true in a few cases like the mentally ill or those trying to avoid desperate home situations, it's not the case for most homeless.

Most are homeless because they have no other option. Due to whatever circumstances or problems (everything from lack of education to addictions to legal status issues), they can't get and/or hold the kinds of jobs that most of us could easily handle. [Edit: Even those that can get part-time minimum-wage jobs still often don't have enough to get into the "crappy $320/month apartment" mentioned above.]

While it seems like there are shelters enough for everyone, many of those shelters are barely hanging on, often having to turn people away. Heck, my home city recently shut down a local shelter's work at a city park, where they have been feeding the homeless for years.

Let the imprisoned drug offenders out on a one time work release pardon deal (they must help construct new or refurbish run down housing). Repeal most of the drug use laws and mandate treatment in their place. Use the now excess prison budget that used to pay for incarcerating the drug offenders to help pay for the shelters. Use drug testing as a part of the means testing to qualify for low rent housing and anyone who is convicted of drug offenses or caught in the drug testing goes into treatment instead of jail for their drug problem.
At the same time give life without parole for selling narcotics to minors.

Got any more problems? I just tuned up my magic wand and it's really kicking ass today!

Just today (in austin texas) my friend gave some money to a homeless person. Later i asked him why he did that. He claimed he was suckered into it, by his sign. The beggar was over six feet tall and muscular. I still couldn’t convince my friend that he was choosing to live on the street. I don’t know what breed if ignorance or religious zealocy this is. If you want to go to \"score points\" for going to heaven, by giving money away, do it at church. You can even invest in an african business.

Isaac wrote:I don’t know what breed if ignorance or religious zealocy this is. If you want to go to "score points" for going to heaven, by giving money away, do it at church.

So according to you only "ignorant people" or "religious zealots" will help others. what a sad view of the world you have there Issac, some of us give money away and help others because of this little used or understood word called compassion. because we feel its the right thing to do to help our fellow man. thank God for all those Ignorant people and Religious Zealots that gave to all those homeless Katrina victims huh.

P.S. on a side note you can't "score points" for going to heaven doesn't work that way

I get bums asking for money often and while I will occasionally just give them something usually I engage their story and then offer to help instead. One guy said he just pulled into town and ran out of gas so I offered to take him to his car and fill up his tank...he bailed.
Usually they say they are starving so I invite them to come into a restaurant to eat... they never accept the invitation...

Most of them I talk to are drunks or crack heads and panhandling and shoplifting is their job so I don't care where they choose to live. The ones that really need help will find it if you give them a hand so don't just throw money at them to make them go away, talk to them and see what's up before you decide how you might involve yourself.

Will Robinson wrote:I get bums asking for money often and while I will occasionally just give them something usually I engage their story and then offer to help instead. One guy said he just pulled into town and ran out of gas so I offered to take him to his car and fill up his tank...he bailed.
Usually they say they are starving so I invite them to come into a restaurant to eat... they never accept the invitation...

Interesting. I've had some of that same experience, but I've also had them take me up on the offer for food or gas. Some don't even ask for cash; they're starving enough that they'll just take the restaurant leftovers my wife and I have.

Will Robinson wrote:The ones that really need help will find it if you give them a hand so don't just throw money at them to make them go away, talk to them and see what's up before you decide how you might involve yourself.

Agreed!

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Foil wrote:THAT is the stereotype I think is clearly wrong (despite it's popularity). While it's true in a few cases like the mentally ill or those trying to avoid desperate home situations, it's not the case for most homeless.

Sorry Foil I'm just not buying it. I agree that most people don't wake up one day and say to themselves "I think I will go live on the street now". However, in a broader sense, most of us (I'm sure there are exceptions) are where we are in life due to the choices we make along the way. We choose to abuse drugs. We choose to give priority to a risky lifestyle over one that is more stable and productive.

I think that most homeless find themselves in that situation because of the bad choices they have made. So in that sense yes, being homeless is a choice.

A little personal responsibility can go a long way.

What do you guys think of this? Sorry about the long post but this possible solution has been on my mind for a very long time since the question \"What would I do if I win the lottery\" I shared this idea with a few people in my life. I can only think about what flaws this plan has that is keeping the government from taking part in (or even wonder why they haven't come up with this idea yet).

Build a home for homeless people to stay in. The home will be composed of separate buildings for different reasons. The first building will be a place where those who are willing to do it can get back on their feet. For the first couple nights, let them eat, clean up, and rest. After that, have them go to some sort of counseling class where they can listen about tips on what to do to pull their life back together and how to use their money. Then they will be given a week or two to find a job (at a fast food restraunt or something). Once they have a job, they will be moved to another building, where they can pay monthly rents for a small fee. That way, they can still have a play to stay and be able to be clean shaven and look appropiate to work. After the first month or two, they will start paying part of their utility bills. I think this may be a good way to build up or rebuild the experience and the recognition of the fact that they need to watch their money and stay on a budget.
There will be people there to give the homeless directions and to keep track of how much they are making per paycheck.
They will have a limited time of stay in the home to rebuild themselves and get themselves back on their feet. Probably no more than 6 or 7 months maximum of stay in the home. If they show financial problems and still need help, they will be moved to another section of the building to where they can get personal help on maintaining money and knowing how to stay on their feet.
However, this home will not just take in anyone. They must have positive identification and not have a bad record with the government. Those that are staying with the home that end up doing drugs or drinking will no longer be allowed to stay. They can either choose to go back to the street or get help like they were supposed to do in the first place.

I'm sure there are many flaws to this idea. However, it is something I would be interested in doing if I ever suddenly become rich (I wouldn't know what else to do with all the extra money). You guys are welcome to point out the errors of the idea.
I can only imagine that there is probably less homeless people willing to do what they can to help themselves back on their feet and lead a decent life than there are those who chose not to seek it to help themselves. There are so many homeless people in our country, it's overwhelming our homeless shelters.

Those people who offer a helping hand to the homeless... I'm proud of them. Rather than to just give out a cig or some change to help them satisfy themselves for a day, they're doing something that could possibly change these people's lives for the better. I just haven't seen our government do that yet (or I haven't been looking hard enough).
Is there some sort of shelter similiar to what I was just thinking?

Great line from a movie when a bum is trying to get a job.

Manager: Are those your underwear outside your pants?
Bum: Yeah, I guess I just broke the \"no outside underwear\" rule huh?

No i help who ever when ever i can. There are just some people who i will not give money to. There is nothing wrong with that. I have much \"compassion\" for those who fight to live. And i've risked my life doing favors for people, friends and strangers. Yeah if a family has lost their house to a storm, there are agencies that will help them out with people who are ready to take them in. If i owned a house of my own, i'd put my name on that list to.

But if you think sitting on your tush by highway, asking for free cash, is some how understandable, please OPEN THOSE EYES. Take a GOOD LOOK at how much these people make. If they don't want to adapt and respect societies system of life: Leave or starve! Crossing to Mexico is 65cents. Orale!