Do you give.....

I've never given money, but I have given food. If I give money, who knows how they'll spend it. Maybe on food, maybe on booze, maybe on drugs. But if I give them food, I know I've helped them without the possibility of me enabling an addiction.

 

I passed one the other day in Jacksonville at the red light holding a sign saying, "Homeless Veteran - Need Food - God Bless"........talking on a Cell Phone.

 

NO, but I would offer them food, but in many cases they are not interested in leavng their spot where they get free money to go eat.

 

Nope, not as a general rule.

1. I usually don't carry money.

2. I have seen a few, when done, walk to their car and get in it.

3. I work with homeless women, and often the "expectation" is harsh.

 

No! I call the police

 

The one I see most is "I want a beer." so no I don't.

 

Money, no.

Food, yes.

 

When I was nineteen and out of a job I caught a greyhound and went to visit my twin sister whose husband was stationed in N.F. Virginia to try to get a job with the railroad. At one bus station while waiting to connect with another bus a young man came up to me and explained he didn't have a job and needed money to buy food. I had probably fifteen dollars in change in my pocket so I just emptied my pockets and gave it to him. I never will forget the look of surprise in his face as he looked me straight in the eyes and thanked me very much. When he left me he continued to panhandle with other people. I told my brother-in-law about this experience when I arrived and he said I had fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book. I was green off of the farm in those days and didn't know what a panhandler was but I still like to think, maybe he did need the money.