Feeding Street Beggars

[pharmseller]

I gave money to a guy on the side of the road, his sign said "I'll wrestle your mother-in-law for $1."

He got the dollar and an address.

 

[The B]

my father always gave money to anyone who hit him up.. if you mentioned they were probably going to buy booz or drugs with it, he'd say "whatever gets em thru the day"

word, paps. word. most christlike man ive ever known. not an ounce of judgment in that bro.

 

[johnny bob]

I'd rather eat it myself than give to them.

Recycle save our planet

 

[Ruger Rich]

I believe there is a percentage, very small, of deserving people asking for food or cash. My problem is

I just can't tell the real from those scamming.

 

[JustShoot]

In another life I was often at the point of ending up out on the street broke a, lot. Always wanted work but at times it was rough. Took the bus as I had no car. Main hub was down town part of the city. So would be going from one bus to the next. Often would be stopped by someone. Common line was they were on their way to CA for work and were hungry. If I was flush, I would offer to buy them food at one of the eateries that were all over. This was always declined, some times not very politely. ONE time a guys face lit up, he said are you serious? Said yes follow me. Little eatery there, we walk in, I ask hamburger and fry's sound good? He again lit up. I ordered the food and a drink, paid, told counter lady give it to him when its done and paid. That guy thanked me a LOT. Felt good both knowing I helped someone who wanted help, and that I knew the rest were just scum.
Flash forward many decades and now its almost all druggies looking to buy drugs. There is still a TON of work going begging. 99% of the begging want to live as they do and they are welcome too it. They are not getting my money other than what I get taken by taxes that goes to them

I did that one time.. Never again .
Was eating outside table of restaurant over here in Cornelius, between Hillsboro and Forest Grove . homeless dude was standing around there looking skinny, hungry and dirty . I said hey. ..." buy you a burger and fries ".
So I bought, gave to him. He Ate it . Then hour later, when place was closing, he ended-up naked, Locked-in, laying in bathroom floor with his dick in hand, till owner and help threw his bubblegum back out on the street .
.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

In an effort to suppress my negative attitudes, I am rethinking my view of beggars. I normally look on them with extreme disdain, scum of the earth type feelings. Now I am thinking I should try giving them some help with the belief that one or more of them is actually hungry. I have no intention of giving out any money but might keep some package food items in the car in case I see an especially needy looking beggar. What inexpensive packaged food items would you suggest under 50 cents per package cost? Top ramen, peanuts, cracker 6 packs, etc.

Enabling theft and crime doesn't help anyone. It just makes the problem worse.

Just today a lady posted on nextdoor a homeless man who was given a bunch of bottled water by someone thinking they wanted to help. The video shows him pouring out every single bottle onto the pavement, presumably so he can take to bottle return I guess. I'm not going to get into the countless car thefts, drug deals, raving drugged out people such as the guy last night, property crime, following young girls and exposing themselves, attempts to steal children, attacks on average people just walking around, breaking into houses, attacks on those who can't defend themselves such as old ladies etc. these are all daily occurrences around here largely because nieve people enable them making it easier for them to stay here and to continue acting the way they are.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

FYI religious stuff is prohibited on this forum.

 

[Vierings]

Bottled water. I tend to keep a case in the car and offer it freely to most anybody. The homeless, the person working out, the kids riding bikes (do with caution) construction workers, first responders, laborers.

 

[revjen45]

Two answers to bums wanting money:
1) NO
2) Get a job.

 

[Mikej]

We donate to a shelter for battered women that helps them start over and get back in the workforce again. The government has too many handouts now for homeless. We help those that want a better life for themselves and their kids.

My brother-in-law recently passed away. Wifey wanted to find some place to donate his belongings, mostly clothes, many still new and unworn, that wasn't going to turn them into money. Like goodwill would. We had around five huge bags stuffed with folded clothes. After some searching she found Portland Recue Mission works directly with the homeless. A LOT of them may be dirt bags, but clothing is pretty darn important. PRM also runs a shelter for battered and abused women trying to get back on their feet. Wifey had to make an appointment to drop the clothes off. That happened to be the women's shelter near NE 132nd and Halsey.

I had to go into Salem after work yesterday and saw a bum on Lancaster holding a sign that said "I'd rather ask for help than steal", I thought that was a good thing to say, hope he meant it.

No, he didn't mean it. It's too easy these days. No one is allowed to stop thieving scum, besides various police agencies. Maybe. and they don't come for such petty nonsense.

these are all daily occurrences around here largely because nieve people enable them making it easier for them to stay here and to continue acting the way they are.

You and I know what it's like first hand.

 

[ma96782]

Aloha, Mark

 

[Jtp]

There like raccoons if you feed them they'll keep coming back and terrorize everything

 

[teflon6string]

This is more anecdotal than anything, about one of the rare occasions when I gave something to anyone with a sign.

Late last century, I pulled into a Walmart parking lot in Oceanside, CA. Sitting atop a low brick wall at the entryway was a teen-20 looking girl with a backpack and a 6-month old doggie. The girl looked about the age of my own son and his friends, holding the typical cardboard sign - "Anything Helps."

Without a word in the store, my GF turned left and I turned right. We met back at the door a few minutes later. Besides what we went there to buy, she had a bag of dog food and I had a couple Quarter Pounder meals.

Leaving the parking lot, I stopped to trot our contributions over to the homeless waif. She thanked me and took the two bags to set on the slope behind the wall she was sitting on. From my standing perspective, I was now able to see 12-15 more bulging McDonald's sacks on her right side, and easily twice as many puppy chow bags on her left. Dozens and dozens.

I'll always wonder what she did with all those 'contributions' when the store closed that night and the traffic went away.

 

[Mikej]

.

 

[Alexx1401]

This is more anecdotal than anything, about one of the rare occasions when I gave something to anyone with a sign.

Late last century, I pulled into a Walmart parking lot in Oceanside, CA. Sitting atop a low brick wall at the entryway was a teen-20 looking girl with a backpack and a 6-month old doggie. The girl looked about the age of my own son and his friends, holding the typical cardboard sign - "Anything Helps."

Without a word in the store, my GF turned left and I turned right. We met back at the door a few minutes later. Besides what we went there to buy, she had a bag of dog food and I had a couple Quarter Pounder meals.

Leaving the parking lot, I stopped to trot our contributions over to the homeless waif. She thanked me and took the two bags to set on the slope behind the wall she was sitting on. From my standing perspective, I was now able to see 12-15 more bulging McDonald's sacks on her right side, and easily twice as many puppy chow bags on her left. Dozens and dozens.

I'll always wonder what she did with all those 'contributions' when the store closed that night and the traffic went away.

Hopefully the dog got at least one good meal