Ask Lemmy

If someone is trying to do the most good with their money, it seems logical to give via an organization that distributes the funds according to a plan. To instead hand out money to people closest at hand seems it could be motivated more by trying to make me feel good than to actually make a difference.

Furthermore, there are larger scale systemic issues. Begging takes up a lot of time. It becomes a problem if it pays someone enough to outcompete more productive use of time that could, in some cases, pay, and in other cases, at least be more useful: childcare/teaching kids, home maintenance, cooking, cleaning, etc. In contrast, state welfare programs and aid organizations usually do not condition help on that the receiver has to sit idle for long times to receive help. Add to this that begging really only works in crowded areas, which may limit the possibility to relocate somewhere where living might be more sustainable. Hence, in the worst case, handing out money to those who begs for it could actually add to the difficulty for people stuck in a very difficult situation to get out of it.

This "analysis" of course skips over the many, many individual circumstances that get people into a situation where begging seems the right choice. What we should be doing is investing public funds even heavier in social programs and other aids to (1) avoid as much as possible that people end up in these situations; and (2) get people out of these situations as effectively as possible.

I'll throw a few bucks here and there. Bought a guy a six pack once. Fuck it life sucks enough as is when you're homeless, may as well have a drink and forget for a while.

I wouldn't because I'm broke as fuck

My advice to them would be: go shoplift the corporate chain

Eat The Rich

I give money if I can afford to and it's for charity, or a person asking for themselves. I don't give if I can't afford it, or if it's the police. They really should be getting funded through taxes.

I never give cash. I've personally had to provide emergency service for ODs that came directly from someone's "last fix".

My GF donates to the food bank at the end of our street when she finds a great deal on an item.

I’m poor, so I’ll do what I can. Especially if it means ignoring people I’ve seen shoplifting. Because, no, I didn’t.

I don't agree with it for two specific reasons, non is a judgement of character or moral failings:

1. If you are willing to give a beggar any amount, those dollars would be far more useful in the hands of a good organization whose aim is helping people. Want to feed them? Give them food or donate to the food back. Want to clothe them? Give to a shelter.
2. The reality is that these people are likely not capable adults due to a variety of reasons (no judgement). They are not capable making good decisions for their own well-being and giving them money is fueling an unhealthy choice, like short term happiness for long term pain and potentially death.

My belief is that we should mitigate suffering, help them live good lives, and set them up to be contributing members of society, and that isn't accomplished by randomly giving people money.

I give food or consumables only.

• canned food
• dry food
• fast food
• Gatorade mix
• multi-vitamins
• socks
• clothes
• coats
• water bottles
• life straws
• soap
• sanitary wipes
• dry shampoo

I will not give to anyone who panhandles in dangerous locations. I will not give to people who stop me.

the only time I will give cash is if they have kids with them and I have seen them interact positively with the kids.

there's one woman in my area that has her three kids with her. she's everywhere in town. she does not have positive interactions with the kids. one day I saw her and the kids sneaking back to a parked escalade in a park across from where they were at. very nice, new, and clean. clearly she is using her kids for sympathy. this is why I have that rule.

There are a lot of homeless people that stand on the side of roads with signs asking for charity where I live. There is almost an equal amount of people who do it as a "job" and take turns being on shift with their buddies before they walk to a nearby parking lot and drive back home at the end of the day. They usually do not accept food if offered. Actual needy people will gladly take food. If I were to give cash to someone, I'd offer food first.

I say, it's your money, make the choice yourself. I'd rather donate time and money to an org like Food Not Bombs where they can use the same amount of money to help more people. But, let's face it, I'm too busy these days to find the time to volunteer. So for me, if I have money--and I usually don't--I'll give them what I feel like I can.

Here they are always on street corners. I never give money because I don't want to encourage unsafe behavior, as our streets are pretty high-speed. I would much rather provide to the shelters.

I'm getting the very minimum basic income aid, I'm struggling too so I dont give 🤷

Depends on how they behave. If they get right up in my face and immediately tell me their whole life story how they're sick and hungry and have twenty children to feed, I'm usually skeptical. On the other hand, if someone is polite and especially if they ask for food instead of money, I'm more inclined to help.

Overall, I'm happy to help those who really need it but I've had too many bad experiences with people who were in it out of greed more than necessity. Prime example, some time last year I was on my way home from a vacation and had to wait at the train station for a couple of minutes when a guy came up to me and asked me for money because he was hungry. I told him I had no cash with me but I could get him a sandwich from a nearby vending machine where I can pay with my credit card. On the way to the vending machine, he asked me if something from the bakery at the other end of the station would also be okay. That was already a bit weird but okay. I left my partner and my luggage at the platform and took him to the bakery. On the way there, he pointed out that there was an ATM where I could get cash for him which I refused, then at the bakery he asked me for two of the most expensive snack they had plus something to drink, a total of over 20€. Quite the difference between that and the 4€ sandwich I had initially agreed to. The whole situation was so uncomfortable, I can't even remember what I got him in the end. And from the way he acted, I wouldn't be surprised if he just threw away the food once I was out of sight and asked the next person for money.

It's sad. There are so many people who ask for what they need and are genuinely happy when they get help and then there are greedy assholes like that guy. And because I usually can't tell the difference at a glance, I'm often overly careful and don't help even though I feel I should.

Donate money to your local food banks, homeless shelters, or any other non-profit that has a good reputation for assisting those in need.

If someone approaches you asking for money, absolutely under no circumstances should you give it to them. Be sure to say that you do not carry cash to give them. Then if you are feeling that you need to give to them, then offer a meal or buy groceries using a credit card. You'll find that most of them will decline.

They are using YOUR GUILT to get their next drug fix most of the time. That guilt is artificial and the result of manipulation techniques they are employing against you. It is rather contemptible to be perfectly frank.

I generally don't, especially not when people come up to me and ask for money. Though that's just because I don't like unsolicited interactions with strangers in the first place, not because they are beggars.

However, I never use cash in Switzerland so every time I come back from Germany I'll just dump all the change I accumulated there on the first beggar I find.

I don't give. I donate to organizations that give, but I don't give direct. I'm not particularly trusting that it's going to the right place. I'm not interested in buying you a beer, and I don't believe the train ticket story, because I've heard it a million times.

My wife works with the homeless. She gets them housed. My wife found a dude who shed gotten housed out busking telling people he was homeless. It's happened more than once.

If you're going to give to a person, give to an organization.

I no longer carry cash so the question is moot. Also a cheap way out ….

I used to occasionally, but

• I no longer work downtown so rarely encounter homeless
• I am more likely to recognize scammers and am more likely to run into them. An oversimplification is the more aggressive ones are more likely scammers
• I used to think it was a good thing to empty my pockets for whoever was in need, but too often they were offended I would offer change
• if someone was hungry I used to buy them a meal, but too often it was an excuse to beg for a larger amount and they’d be offended at a meal

Now I theoretically donate larger amounts to services for homeless ….. although it’s been far too long since I have

Depends on where. I never do where I live. Not just beggars, but most charities that engage me on the streets as well. I just need to get through my day, and the money I have is already reserved for something, and anyone who knows me knows that the least enticing way to get me to do anything is to show up out of the blue and ask for something, or ask for something when I'm just moving through to some destination or purpose.

EDIT: My GF reminded me of a major exception to the above: There's this magazine often sold by people down on their luck. I usually buy it, even if I don't always read it, because the ones selling it are usually in the beginning stages of (hopefully) turning their life around. People fresh out of rehab, etc. They're making an effort, and I'll happily support them doing so.

I do support some charities, but none of the ones I support bothered me with expectations of social etiquette when I've got shit to do and places to be. I've finally reached the point in my life where I don't give two shits about coming off as rude or unfriendly.

When I'm somewhere foreign I'm a bit more nice/giving, though. For starters, I don't know much about local circumstances to know which hardships and lack of support anyone I meet face. Secondly, I am usually carrying some local jimjam currency I won't need once I leave. A prime examle of this is when I saw a beggar in Mobile, AL last year, and I walked past someone with that "default" sign of being a veteran et.al. I was leaving the next day and didn't really need whatever local currency I had in my pocket, so I gave him 40$. If he truly needed it (which I assume he did), then I hope it took a load off his shoulders for a while. If he didn't then it wasn't that big of a loss to me.

I'm used to automatically disingage with them but I kinda shouldn't. I'm working on it.