Author Topic: what do you do.. (Read 811 times)

slim rem 7 · « **on:** May 08, 2009, 04:44:28 AM »

man at an intersection with sighn ,,will work for money for food..
whats your thoughts.. it was a time in this country when i thought anyone couldn t work in thiis country just didn t want to work.. not so now.. there but for the grace of god go i..
times is changing.. don t judge,, just help our brothers an sisters..
theres some possibility he needed a dime rock or two.. thats what they use to call it anyway.. but not mine to judge ,especially now.. theres already a judge..
imagine having to do that because you are down to nothing.. it has to happen a lot more ,,as things are going in this country..what if he has a child an wife somewhere..he was clean but totally without pride.. i saw myself in his eyes..god help us.. slim
ps i did ask him to pick up the area... his eyes

rockbilly · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2009, 05:32:55 AM »

Slim, I live in a small town in West Texas, we have our share of "street people" here too. Many of them hang out at two major intersections where they ask for handouts. They collect a few dollars then head straight to the liquor store for a quart of wine. I NEVER give these people money, I ask if they are hungry, if the answer is yes I go buy them a hamburger and drink and return it to them. Sometimes I either direct, or take them to a Mission run by my Church. Here they can get a hot meal, bath. clean clothes, bedding or other items to help them survive on the streets, everything is free.

Several years ago we had a older fellow in a wheel chair that worked one intersection, he had a sign that read, "Homeless Vet Please help." Folks donated lots of money to him until the local newspaper did an investigation and found he was not crippled, he was not a Vet, he drove to a location near his panhandle site in a late model car, lived in a nice house, all paid for by folks that thought they were helping a crippled Vet.

I am aware of the fact that a lot of the people asking for help are mentally ill, but there are also a lot that could hold a productive job if they really seeked work. It is easy to sit on your butt, ask for handouts and drink at someone else's expense, so I am very cautious of who I donate MONEY too.

Beers · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2009, 05:36:30 AM »

Don't be fooled.

My uncle used to run a farm here in Bruceton, WV. My brother and I always worked summers on his farm growing up. We didn't have an "allowance" we had "earnings", but that's another rant altogether...

When we had to run into town for anything we would always run across one of these guys with the 'ol "Homeless, will work for food" sign. They spring up like dandelions at every intersection as soon as the weather turns nice here. Every time he saw one, my uncle would roll down his window and make the same offer: "Hop in! I've got a farm up the road, I can always use an extra pair of hands. I'll not only provide room and board, but I'll pay you as well." Not once was his offer accepted.

Bum speak is a little known version of the English language, but as far as I can tell "will work for food" translates into "I just need enough change for tonight's bottle of rotgut".

Land_Owner · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:14:08 AM »

These "indigent" fellows (and gals) are not unlike strippers and whores. Some rake in the dough in this unlikely of venues by putting on a haggard face, holey clothes, dirt smudged hands, cardboard, hand written, poor english signs, and finding just the right corner where urbanites in their comfortable SUVs and good faith handout to the down trodden thinking pass out the dollars, fives, tens, and twenties.

Apparently there is a wealth of disposable income for the asking.

Singleshotsam · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:25:41 AM »

I always wonder... where the hell did they get the marker to make the sign if they don't have enough money to buy a $1.00 cheeseburger?

A buddy and I were at a McDonalds one day and saw a homeless guy holding a sign. We bought an extra meal and drove over to him. The sorry SOB wouldn't accept our offer for food. Said he'd rather had the money for booze... So we split the bums meal.

slim rem 7 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:27:24 AM »

fellas ive seen things as you say you have.. its my opinion times are changing..
more good people that would if they could ,,just can t find a way to make it..
it ll get a lot worse possibly..
as to whether i recommend helping ,my only comment is a lesson hard learned by myself.. theres already one appointed to judge..mine is to practice charity
if theres no danger involved to me or mine....like i said i guess you had to look in this guys eyes..i just saw myself, if i was younger an had no marketable way of making a living..
i do know this ..my father in heaven, teaches his children the lessons they are in most need of learning..at least he does me,and i think he loves all his children as he does me..he don t quit on us, an i won t quit on my brother or sister.. not to be comparing myself to him.. for me its just a goal..slim

rex6666 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:30:34 AM »

Some where i read a study done by some college, they clam some of these people, on a good corner are knocking down $2-300.00 a day
that is tax free.
they got so bad in Dallas, they were fighting over what corner belong to who
Dallas has pretty much run them off.
I have offered jobs, they always can't come today but maybe tommrow.

slim rem 7 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:40:45 AM »

im gonna be frank here.. i find people here i enjoy reading..
but the way the post so far separate themselves from these people scares me a bit..god help us if we have to be taught to understand the need for charity an to not judge our fellows,,the hard way.. im not pointing fingers ,,i understand where you coming from.. been there..not there any longer ,but this scares me pretty bad as to our people and what lesson they might need....
in any case i appreciate the honest responses. slim

hunt-m-up · « **Reply #8 on:** May 08, 2009, 07:00:29 AM »

Give the same $$ or canned goods to a food pantry or food bank in your area, they will make sure it gets into the right hands. They will also make sure it gets to the children who need it the most, not the dad who will make sure your money never goes any further than the dealer or liquor store.

Beers · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2009, 07:03:33 AM »

Listen slim, There are shelters here that provide a roof and three meals, there are soup kitchens, the Salvation Army, Christian Help, as well as a few churches that provide daily meals to the down and out. ANYBODY holding a sign saying "will work for food" is conning you. If they're hungry they don't even have to work for it, it's theirs for the asking.

Believe me, no money they wind up getting with their sad little sign is going to be spent on food.

If you want to be charitable, donate money to your local shelter, the Salvation Army or a similar volunteer staffed organization, that way you know your money actually goes toward helping folks that need it, rather than advancing someone's cirrhosis.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2009, 07:08:09 AM »

I pay taxes , just look at the govt. sponsered shelters and you to will see you are already doing alot .

slim rem 7 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 08, 2009, 07:12:02 AM »

these are good ideas.. im thinking of quiting my security job an may involve myself with one of these agencies as what ran me out of retirement was not having anything to do..hardest 6 months i ever pulled.. im gonna need something.. good suggestion..slim

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #12 on:** May 08, 2009, 07:20:33 AM »

slim , look around there are con men panhandeling in every city today . The shelters were set up to help those in real need and protect those who donate . In Richmond if you beg you must buy a lic. or face a fine .
In todays world it is hard to tell who really needs help and who is taking us for a ride .

lakota · « **Reply #13 on:** May 08, 2009, 09:51:06 AM »

I saw a guy on an off ramp once holding a sign that read: "Not going to lie I need a drink"

At least he was honest.

Hodr · « **Reply #14 on:** May 08, 2009, 11:12:43 AM »

Hey Slim,
Try seeing if there is a scout organization around. Quit buying booze and start helping prep those who plan on leading and contributing. Scouts don't want your money as bad as they want your time,although they willtake offered money.

blindhari

Sourdough · « **Reply #15 on:** May 08, 2009, 01:47:29 PM »

When I lived in DC, one of the guys I worked with was always bragging about the area of Waldorf Maryland where he lived. How all the people that lived in the area were well off financially, in other words it was the rich area of town.

One day we were heading over to one of the other military installations near by. As I drove down the highway my co worker saw a man that looked familiar working the intersection panhandling. As we returned he looked closer and realized it was his next door neighbor. That night he went over and approached his neighbor, asking if the fellow had lost his job or what. The neighbor informed him that he made more money there working that intersection than he could make at a second job. So in other words that was his second job. Here was a guy making over 100K a year panhandling in his spare time.

Last year I offered to take two panhandlers that showed up in North Pole to Pizza Hut for the all you can eat lunch special. The young guy got mad he wanted the money. The old man took the meal.

We have a few truly homeless people here in Fairbanks. Most are mentally ill, and they get taken care of. The police know them and see that they get to a shelter or that someone takes them home when the weather gets bad.

Sourdough · « **Reply #16 on:** May 08, 2009, 01:50:40 PM »

lakota: Have seen both a guy and a woman here in Fairbanks with the same sign.

teamnelson · « **Reply #17 on:** May 08, 2009, 02:21:34 PM »

Worked a lot of food banks, homeless shelters, relief agencies ... hungry people go to churches and food banks; people really looking for work show up at Home Depot or Lowe's, or come by the church office, or go to the shelters that often know of day labor opportunities. I used to get a dozen down on their luck fellas to help unload 40' refrigerated containers of donated food, and their families would help sort and seperate the food for distribution. Gave them first in line privilege; and even when they got work, they'd come back and help out if they could.

Had a homeless guy show up at the back of our church in Tombstone one night - had made his way down from Nevada. Tough story; let him sleep in the basement for a night. By the next night he had 3 jobs in town, including a tent lot with hookups at the KOA in exchange for cleaning the restrooms and emptying the trash. A few weeks later Billy had a beater car, and pushed on to Mexico. Never smelled a drop of liquor on him; nicer guy you've never met. Gave my wife a metal cowboy cross we hung on the door, and take with us wherever we move.

Big difference between homeless and a bum.

slim rem 7 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 08, 2009, 03:53:53 PM »

i know exactly where you guys mindset is.. it was mine..
still is in certain situations..
but friends ,,god help you to see ..times are changing fast..
how many people you know,, that still make something at a factory.. around here .. it a small percentage.. where did those people go from closed factories.. most to service work.. now that is dwindling..where are people gonna work.. they gonna mow yrds ..
operate tree services.. i know a young inovative man will work.. but what of the old an infirm.. unless family is there they can be up against a hard place ..drug addiction ,alcoholism an such is a hard thing to beat.. some of my favorite people in life ,were addicted..one because he broke his back in a car accident..he was every bit a man ..oren was making more as a mason than any of his friends who finished school... but ten yrs. after the accident he didn t have any pride at all left..this from a man who i watched as a young man turn the worst bully in monroe n.c. around if they saw him coming..this before his accident.. man still laid brick after he got to hobbling around..
but the alcohol was more than he could whip..
i have a knowledge an faith in my god or id be where he finally came to before he died..i still say brothers add more faith an charity, an a little less judgement.. this i say to solid folk that i have come to understand on this forum. i am you. i hope you take no offence if i say that slim..ps one other thing brothers .. know this one day you gonna wake up an not be the man you have been..there no switch that brings that on.. it slips up on you an one day its there..god bless you

powderman · « **Reply #19 on:** May 08, 2009, 04:17:13 PM »

I saw a guy with a sign that said, will work for food a couple of years ago. I approached him and asked if he was hungry, he said he hadn't eaten in 2 days. I told him I didn't have any work right then but would gladly buy him a meal, we were by Mcdonalds. He smiled real big and said, God bless you Sir. We went there and I told him to order anything he wanted, he did. We sat a bit and he ate like he was starving. Another time I saw a young girl being propositioned for sex for a meal outside a buffet in downtown Lou Ky. I told the guys to beat it and took her inside. She asked what she could have, I told her anything she wanted, she said, what do you want in return??? I said nothing, just to see you fed. She was very hungey and ate quite a bit. Times are even harder now. The homeless aren't all deadbeats, drunks, and druggies. There are thousands of folks out there today that used to be just like us. It could happen to any one of us. POWDERMAN.

slim rem 7 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 08, 2009, 04:26:12 PM »

powderman you show wisdom born of hardship..its the only real way to understand
being down an out..what ever price you paid for that knowledge ,it was a bargain ,ill bet jmo slim

splicer · « **Reply #21 on:** May 10, 2009, 02:07:35 AM »

I figure that if they use the money for booze its on them,Its hard to tell who is legit.What if its an angel in disguise?Testing you to see if you would help your fellow man.If I give them a couple bucks at least I gave it out of compassion for them and tried to do good.

Questor · « **Reply #22 on:** May 10, 2009, 02:37:15 AM »

My policy is to give to the Salvation Army because it is translated into real help for people who really need it, and with little administrative overhead. Bums, as I call them, have a well deserved reputation for squandering charity. I do not give to them directly because of this.

The event that cured me of this kind of direct giving was when I had little money but gave two dollars to a guy who said he needed money for food -- I was living on beans and rice and corn then. I watched him go straight into a liquor store and he came out with a big can of beer.

I think Powderman's approach of feeding needy people is a respectable one.