Consider this…one “homeless” person gets you to open your wallet (the Scout, if you will), then flashes a hand signal to their partner down the block. You walk on down the street proud of your generosity, only to get hit in the head at the end of the block, and your purse/wallet stolen.

My charity goes to reputable aid agencies…just way too much risk in advertising your funds on a public thoroughfare.

Personally, I never give to charity-cases on the street, on the phone, or at my door. When I give to charity, it is on my own terms and to causes that I feel need my support.

Here in Phoenix, one woman famously handed a bag of groceries to a panhandler standing by the road displaying a “Will work for food” sign. He threw it back at her, accompanied by a stream of invective.

While it’s true that, especially when times are as hard as they are now, many people are homeless through no fault of their own, most people who beg for money on street corners don’t plan to spend it on baby’s shoes.

I met a really young guy from the south who was asking for food in Grand Central Station. I got each of us a knish and we ended up talking for over a half hour. He really seemed to need that kind of human interaction.

Sure be wary, if someone gives you the creeps, be cautious, but as someone else said, remember you are dealing with real people.

I would rather make the mistake of giving to someone who doesn’t really need it rather than make the mistake of not helping someone who really does need it. Others may choose differently.

An earlier poster stated that addiction made alcohol and drugs a need rather than a want. Perhaps, I’m not going to subsidize that need.

Some panhandlers have been aggressive like trying to block your walking path as you are trying to go into a nighclub (this happened years ago) and one partially blocked me as I tried to get off the Metro station escalator. When I silently glared at him, he taunted “Cat got your tongue?” so I said F___ you. Of course, then he went off verbally on me. One woman to whom I gave money late one night at a 7-11 in Virginia then tried to talk me into taking her and her male companion (who materialized from nowhere) somewhere in my car, which I no can do.

I work in Downtown DC in a federal office building. I could not figure out at first when I started working in this building why so many panhandlers were on our block in front of the building. Then I learned that there is a liquor store about a block away. I too also have donated money to local food kitchen, So Others May Eat (SOME). I did not know that they had cards you could hand out, but I believe that most panhandlers just want the money for alcohol, cigs or drugs.

I used to see this same guy at my transfer point every day. And every day he would hit me up for change. And every day I would say I didn’t have any, and feel a bit bad for him.

One day I over heard him telling his friend that he had gotten a new (brand name, expensive) stereo for his apartment and the friend should come over for some beers and a listen.

I couldn’t believe it! He was making more panhandling than I was making with a child on the way!

Now that I have some disposable income I donate 10 of it to charity each month, but I never give to people on the street.

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2255/how-much-money-do-beggars-make

But this may not apply in cases as already mentioned that you are dealing with drug and alcohol addictions. I honestly thought some of the outcomes would be people selling the cards for cash, to be used for drugs.

I agree that not all are bad. I’m not wasting my time with granola bars and water.

The Salvation Army has sheltered and fed my own brother when he was a homeless addict beyond the help of family. They will forever be on my list of charities. (and he did recover!) This is a reminder that I need to DO that instead of just say it. Maybe for each homeless person I see, I should put some change in a jar when I get home.

As a note to #22, Kevin, when you are an addict, whether to tobacco, alcohol, or any form of drugs, those products are no longer wants. They are actually needs until the addiction is addressed. When it comes to drug and alcohol use amongst the homeless population, it seems like its a vicious cycle. In some cases, a former drug addiction is what resulted in homelessness. Then drug use is almost necessary to dull the pain of living on the street. As long as the person is still homeless they will still go to drugs, and as long as they are using drugs they will not be able to get out of homelessness.

This is really obvious in Washington, DC. Many of the ‘homeless’ here are resourceful, cagey folks who prefer loafing and living by their wits (and remaining mostly drunk and/or high) to working, etc. A lot of them are indeed mentally ill – depressed or whatever. But it is a CHOICE to be a panhandler. A lot of them stake out specific street corners and beg there every single day. For years. They commute to and from the suburbs, often times you see them on the metro. Panhandling is their JOB.

Not all the homeless are hustlers, of course.

There is a newspaper run by the homeless in DC, and the people who sell it are genuinely trying to better their lives – I buy it from them and chat them up, keeping up-to-date in their journeys.

The non-hustler homeless, down on their luck folks live in their cars, or sleep on the bus, and are often well groomed and holding down jobs or school while they try to get back on their feet.

(I’m not saying the hustlers have an easy life, just that they are consciously taking advantage of sympathetic folks.)

I also give to local organizations such as “So Others Might Eat” (SOME), which help homeless families and individuals obtain affordable shelter, job training, hot meals, showers, etc. And sometimes I give beggars paper cards from SOME that tell them where and when to go to get services. Mostly I just get abuse for handing out useless paper instead of cash. So I usually don’t anymore.

Its just so sad. If you give this homeless man $100,000, and a year later he is back homeless on the streets… why would I give even $1??

For some reason this idea creeps me out a bit. Sort of like sticking tracking tags on the homeless.

I don’t give to beggars anymore. They aren’t really hard up–they just need cash to stay constantly drunk or high, which even if they like it is a pretty self-destructive lifestyle. I wish other people would donate elsewhere if they really want to help.

Why would anyone want to encourage people to beg and wander around drunk and wasted on the streets? Because that’s what your dollars are really supporting.

Not that I don’t have sympathy – mental illness and/or (self-medicating) addictions are tragic for the individual and for society as a whole.

If you really want to help the down-and-out, I think you’re better off donating money, time, and/or resources to the Salvation Army, a homeless shelter, or some similar organization. They have more experience in sorting out the sob stories from the real deal, and your donation will go towards those who can truly benefit from it, rather than towards those who are merely looking for their next buzz.