How do you treat a pan handler?

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

I think CarolsMarc just likes winding up the VJ folks...a few days ago free lunches, today this....

next up - free condoms. good or bad idea?

[eric&gen 0]

Ignore them simple lol. Tell them to get a job flipping burgers lol

[almaty 19]

i give them a dollar...when i got out of the army i lived on the streets of denver for 6 months..i did not panhandle but ate out of dumpsters...i remember some of the people i knew back then....it is karma

[desert_fox 32]

The police in the town where I live (Clark County NV) doesn't tolerate them. They take em 20 miles out of town and dump them off in the desert and tell them not to come back, to go to Las Vegas.

Im sure glad I got out of Sacramento....winos at every street corner and ppl with signs at intersections. Hide the sign in the bushes so that the next guy could use it.

I would just tell them to get a job.

[Sister Fracas 5]

i give them a dollar...when i got out of the army i lived on the streets of denver for 6 months..i did not panhandle but ate out of dumpsters...i remember some of the people i knew back then....it is karma

isn't that sad that you had to live on the streets after serving your country...something is REALLY wrong there.

[SteveLaura 0]

There are going to be some people who don't want to work and will try to live any other way they can - purely on benefits, stealing, other illegal activities or begging. Some of these people may also be homeless. They may be homeless becuase they lost their job and didn't earn enough to build up savings or just didn't think about it. They may have had problems with their partner and have been kicked out. They may have drug or alcohol problems that they need to deal with beofre they can actively seek work and hold down a job. They may have a mental illness.

I work with homeless men. They receive evening meals at the shelter maybe three times a week, usually from donations from local churches. Other agencies in the city make up the shortfall for them. We also can give out sandwiches when we receive them - not every day. We get clothes donated and give them out too. Some of it is good stuff, so remember that when you see someone homeless who looks a little too good.

The men go through alcohol/drug treatment, if needed. The groups are held throughout the day. This makes getting a job hard, and the men aren't encouraged to do so until they have spent some time clean & sober anyway - they may not be ready for full-time employment otherwise. Men with mental health needs are referred to the appropriate agencies.

My job is to train men to staff houses in the city for people with mental illness. When I interview them, I usually get the same response as to why they want to join the program - "I got a lot of help when I needed it, and I want to give something back." They are taught professional skills to manage a care home (called Safe Havens here). Of the dozen or so men I have in the program right now, all have been housed since joining. All are clean and sober. Some will be leaving this month to full-time employment. I'm currently training 8 more men to take their place.

Give or don't give to panhandlers - I don't honestly care. But don't think that all homeless people are like that. Come to one of my classes, and I'll show you ones that want the same things you want. They just took a wrong turn along the way.

[almaty 19]

i give them a dollar...when i got out of the army i lived on the streets of denver for 6 months..i did not panhandle but ate out of dumpsters...i remember some of the people i knew back then....it is karma

isn't that sad that you had to live on the streets after serving your country...something is REALLY wrong there.

aw thanks sister fraces, somethings happen and i took it hard..and wanted to get away from all the people i knew and family..and drifted out there...and just gave up for awhile....i was able to rebound and come back and worked in a facotry and went to college..it was a growth experience for me....and place me in the direction of human services...

[Mephys 2]

I do believe that some really need it. I also believe that buying a meal to a person begging for money for food is a much better idea.

But still, I personally don't give. There was a man in the Montreal's underground subway, he was at the same stop everyday, in the morning when I was going to school and in the evening when I was coming back. He was always asking for money to take the bus to his job.... Like ok if you did once, but It was kinda obvious he didnt have a job. If he did, he wouldn't have been there every day , all day, and he would have been able to pay for his own transportation sooner or later. And if he did, he prolly lost his job after not showing up for more than 2 weeks cause he was still there.

Another thing, I worked evening in a convenience store, and there was this old man outside asking for money. Few people gave him something, he came right inside, bought a beer, went outside drinking it and then kept asking for more. I had to call the police after few unsuccessful attempts to ask him to go away.

I am a small woman, and I wouldn't personnaly get involed with them because yeah sometimes they can be aggressive and its quite scary.

[Sister Fracas 5]

i give them a dollar...when i got out of the army i lived on the streets of denver for 6 months..i did not panhandle but ate out of dumpsters...i remember some of the people i knew back then....it is karma

isn't that sad that you had to live on the streets after serving your country...something is REALLY wrong there.

aw thanks sister fraces, somethings happen and i took it hard..and wanted to get away from all the people i knew and family..and drifted out there...and just gave up for awhile....i was able to rebound and come back and worked in a facotry and went to college..it was a growth experience for me....and place me in the direction of human services...

Glad you were able to turn it around...

[almaty 19]

i give them a dollar...when i got out of the army i lived on the streets of denver for 6 months..i did not panhandle but ate out of dumpsters...i remember some of the people i knew back then....it is karma

isn't that sad that you had to live on the streets after serving your country...something is REALLY wrong there.

aw thanks sister fraces, somethings happen and i took it hard..and wanted to get away from all the people i knew and family..and drifted out there...and just gave up for awhile....i was able to rebound and come back and worked in a facotry and went to college..it was a growth experience for me....and place me in the direction of human services...

Glad you were able to turn it around...

for my sweet compassionate Canadian sister.....dean

[Sister Fracas 5]

for my sweet compassionate Canadian sister.....dean

errr...that's the second time you've called me Canadian... now let me preface this with a "there is nothing wrong with being thought of as a Canadian....ahem", but Bro Dean, I'm no Canuck! LOL Not that there is anything wrong with that...

I'll take the flower though...

[Marilyn. 340]

for my sweet compassionate Canadian sister.....dean

errr...that's the second time you've called me Canadian... now let me preface this with a "there is nothing wrong with being thought of as a Canadian....ahem", but Bro Dean, I'm no Canuck! LOL Not that there is anything wrong with that...

I'll take the flower though...

for some reason I thought you were Canadian too... I think I had you confused with Reba...

[Sister Fracas 5]

for my sweet compassionate Canadian sister.....dean

errr...that's the second time you've called me Canadian... now let me preface this with a "there is nothing wrong with being thought of as a Canadian....ahem", but Bro Dean, I'm no Canuck! LOL Not that there is anything wrong with that...

I'll take the flower though...

for some reason I thought you were Canadian too... I think I had you confused with Reba...

maybe it was the knowledge of poutine (which I've still never had)....

[Marilyn. 340]

for my sweet compassionate Canadian sister.....dean

errr...that's the second time you've called me Canadian... now let me preface this with a "there is nothing wrong with being thought of as a Canadian....ahem", but Bro Dean, I'm no Canuck! LOL Not that there is anything wrong with that...

I'll take the flower though...

for some reason I thought you were Canadian too... I think I had you confused with Reba...

maybe it was the knowledge of poutine (which I've still never had)....

neither have I.. and I am Canadian...

[Emancipation 2]

There are going to be some people who don't want to work and will try to live any other way they can - purely on benefits, stealing, other illegal activities or begging. Some of these people may also be homeless. They may be homeless becuase they lost their job and didn't earn enough to build up savings or just didn't think about it. They may have had problems with their partner and have been kicked out. They may have drug or alcohol problems that they need to deal with beofre they can actively seek work and hold down a job. They may have a mental illness.

I work with homeless men. They receive evening meals at the shelter maybe three times a week, usually from donations from local churches. Other agencies in the city make up the shortfall for them. We also can give out sandwiches when we receive them - not every day. We get clothes donated and give them out too. Some of it is good stuff, so remember that when you see someone homeless who looks a little too good.

The men go through alcohol/drug treatment, if needed. The groups are held throughout the day. This makes getting a job hard, and the men aren't encouraged to do so until they have spent some time clean & sober anyway - they may not be ready for full-time employment otherwise. Men with mental health needs are referred to the appropriate agencies.

My job is to train men to staff houses in the city for people with mental illness. When I interview them, I usually get the same response as to why they want to join the program - "I got a lot of help when I needed it, and I want to give something back." They are taught professional skills to manage a care home (called Safe Havens here). Of the dozen or so men I have in the program right now, all have been housed since joining. All are clean and sober. Some will be leaving this month to full-time employment. I'm currently training 8 more men to take their place.

Give or don't give to panhandlers - I don't honestly care. But don't think that all homeless people are like that. Come to one of my classes, and I'll show you ones that want the same things you want. They just took a wrong turn along the way.

Great post..Thank you for posting this! I think you are a living hero for the work you do... many dehumanize those on the streets/those with addictions etc etc., even more marginalize them.. You see value in each human life.. Thank you for your work !!!