Giving the homeless money

[Terzo]

Originally posted by: shortylickens

Originally posted by: Via
Homeless people who throw away meals and walk to fancy cars after they're done begging?

:roll:

link to some actual proof of this sort of behavior (not right wing commentary)

I cant speak about homeless, but in my town every thrift store & Salvation Army & Goodwill and all the other similar places are filled with Cadillac Escalades and Lincoln Navigators and the occasional Lexus or Infinity.
I stopped donating a long time ago. Now hand-me-downs go straight to friends and family that I know need the stuff.

As for the homeless, I donate regularily to a handful of CFC listed charities. Anyone whos not on the CFC I tell to fuck off.

I thought that Goodwill sold donations and used that money to help the needy, rather than sell goods at low cost as a form of help?
Also, what is the CFC?

 

[darkxshade]

Originally posted by: Via
Homeless people who throw away meals and walk to fancy cars after they're done begging?

:roll:

link to some actual proof of this sort of behavior (not right wing commentary)

If you're a good speaker, it's not hard to beg your way into a tax free $20/hour, especially in touristy areas.


With that said, I noticed everyone has the same idea, buy them food instead of giving them money. That got me thinking, homeless people must be really well-fed. I think I'll buy them toilet paper from now on

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: Terzo

Originally posted by: shortylickens

Originally posted by: Via
Homeless people who throw away meals and walk to fancy cars after they're done begging?

:roll:

link to some actual proof of this sort of behavior (not right wing commentary)

I cant speak about homeless, but in my town every thrift store & Salvation Army & Goodwill and all the other similar places are filled with Cadillac Escalades and Lincoln Navigators and the occasional Lexus or Infinity.
I stopped donating a long time ago. Now hand-me-downs go straight to friends and family that I know need the stuff.

As for the homeless, I donate regularily to a handful of CFC listed charities. Anyone whos not on the CFC I tell to fuck off.

I thought that Goodwill sold donations and used that money to help the needy, rather than sell goods at low cost as a form of help?
Also, what is the CFC?

WOW! Lurk much?

Anyway, the CFC is the Combined Federal Campaign. Its a huge government list of charities that meet certain standards. If the charity takes too much money for administrative costs or doesnt help many people, they cant be on the list. I only donate to charities on that list. The Red Cross frequently fails to make the cut because only 25 cents of every dollar they get actually goes to helping people. Of course that number fluctuates every year but they have to improve a lot in order to be listed.
Some charities manage 100% efficiency and those are rare but very good.

http://www.opm.gov/cfc/html/faq.asp#Charitable

 

[FeuerFrei]

Maybe 90% of homeless remain homeless because they choose it.

I'm not going to finance that lifestyle.

 

[dr150]

Originally posted by: a123456
I'm not for giving straight up cash since a lot of it gets wasted on smokes/drugs/laziness/etc. Food and blankets are for those who actually need it. There are way too many "professional panhandlers" out there to just give cash. From what I've seen, a good one can bank 10-30$/hour, which is more than they would get at a normal job so they stick to begging because it nets more cash, especially after taxes. You get jaded after you see one of them at the end of the day walk into a fancy car.

I read a recent study that showed that a panhandler in a major city can earn $50k-$70k++!

Wow! :Q

 

[goog40]

Originally posted by: dr150

Originally posted by: a123456
I'm not for giving straight up cash since a lot of it gets wasted on smokes/drugs/laziness/etc. Food and blankets are for those who actually need it. There are way too many "professional panhandlers" out there to just give cash. From what I've seen, a good one can bank 10-30$/hour, which is more than they would get at a normal job so they stick to begging because it nets more cash, especially after taxes. You get jaded after you see one of them at the end of the day walk into a fancy car.

I read a recent study that showed that a panhandler in a major city can earn $50k-$70k++!

Wow! :Q

I've heard there are pros in Vegas. They'll beg all day and then go home (as in an actual home they own) in a nicer car than a lot of the people who end up giving them money.

This is the best solution.

 

[Kalmah]

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: Kalmah
My brother-in-law was homeless between age 14-22. That guy busted his ass for everything he ever did. He didn't walk around begging for money. He relied on himself to get what he needed to survive. He found food, he found clothes, he found shelter.. He didn't ask for food, ask for clothes, or ask for shelter.

He finally was able to get a job at a Buffalo's cafe as a cook and slept behind the dumpster at night. My sister worked there with him. He ended up making enough money to get his first apartment.. and then a car...

And now he's happily married with 2 awesome kids and is the best brother-in-law one could ask for.

Homeless don't need to beg. They just need motivation and need to bust their ass to get what they want.

That's an impressive story. Not too many people could make it being homeless for 7 years starting at age 14. Must be one hell of a determined person.

He doesn't even know the kind of respect that I have for him.

His parents where shitheads.. put him up for adoption. Adopted parents where shitheads. (he was treated like some assholes treat their family pets). He ran away when he was 14. This was in Michigan. He somehow made his way to Georgia through hitching rides and whatever else. He's told me about nights sleeping under bridges and almost freezing to death. Making fires and all that.

Recently he found his real mom online and talked her into coming down to visit. She was at his house for less than 30 minutes (after a 15 hour drive) and said that she had to run to the store to get something. Never heard from her since. She never came back.

Since then he's said fvck it and wants no connection with any of them.

He's not the brightest guy that I know. (he only had school until he was 14). But damn he busts his ass like no one else.

 

[zCypher]

I have no sympathy for beggars, period. I've been in a position where I had to bust my ass or be on the street and I managed with no help so why the fuck should I give my hard earned cash to some fucking lowlife scumbag?

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: cherrytwist

Originally posted by: Crono

Originally posted by: cherrytwist
I had a discussion with my wife and her friend about this. She watched a suit take a homeless man at McDonald's order whatever he wanted. He got a tray full of food and sat down. The suit left and she kept an eye on homeless man. Not 5 min later, he got up and threw the entire tray of food in to the trash and left.

We related similar experiences that we'd had, and I'm of the belief (sad as it is) that I won't contribute to whatever shenanigans that got them where they are. I realize there are legitimately sick and mentally ill people who need help, and that's sad. We've come to a point where we're punishing the needy and rewarding the ungrateful.

If a guy on the street who looks like he's suffering asks for a smoke, I'll buy him a pack. I've offered food to people and they've refused. My favorite was a teenage runaway who asked for some change so she could buy a gun and make some REAL money. My wife and I chuckled and gave her $5 for entertainment value.

What the...

sarcasm meter check

Eh? I don't think there's a meter strong enough to find the sarcasm there