Would you give a homeless guy a beer

[Supergrit]

I gave a guy 20 dollars once he wanted money for medicine he had the bottle and everything and was almost crying. I never really believed him but I felt sorry for him after I gave him the money I went to Walmart and done my shopping. When I got into my truck left the parking took a right hand turn and saw the guy I gave 20 dollars to open up the door to go in the liquor store.

Given them money most of time is just paying for there addiction a lot of the time.

[Etownpaul]

I pay my taxes. Taxes pay for welfare and social programs that I’ll never use. I feel that’s plenty generous.

Try living in downtown Edmonton or Calgary. You can’t leave your house without getting accosted for money. It really sours a guys perspective seeing these people getting messed up all day everyday while I bust my hump at work 5 days a week.

Like somebody else said earlier, giving them money is like feeding the crows at the dump. They both come back and sh*t all over the place.

[CaberTosser]

I've noticed that aggressive panhandlers and junkies have markedly increased in numbers in the last 4 years. Now instead of the odd squeegee guy you get groups of them on the lane dividers at major intersections or couples begging the traffic line-ups at opposing on-ramps at overpasses. Its almost as though their significant increase was somehow tied to the previous federal and provincial elections...

[HeavyD111]

My brother who has been a jail guard for 25+ Years buys burgers quite often to certain known inmates that are out and he runs into at A&W. Drives his wife nuts but he knows they will soon be getting back in the slammer for winter and he hopes the bit of good karma will make these guys leave his vehicles alone. When you drive a van painted like “the mystery machine” from Scooby Doo you tend to stand out. You run into ex inmates all the time in PA, some guys are ok, others total A-holes, like anyone else.

When I was at the coop refinery a younger worker told me he made more money begging on intersections in Regina than he ever would pumping gas. When I looked at what the many beggars under 30 were wearing (north face is the standard, and nice backpacks), and notice the perfectly white teeth, you kind of second guess how much they are struggling.

[sdb8440]

I usually don't give money but will acknowledge them and wish them luck, but I did take one fellow who clearly had some mental health issues for beer at the legion, he just needed someone who would listen. I did appreciate the guy at 10 AM who said, "Not going to lie, I don't need bus tickets or a sandwich, I need beer money"...buddy got a fiver on the spot!

[tri777]

Originally Posted by sdb8440

I did appreciate the guy at 10 AM who said, "Not going to lie,
I don't need bus tickets or a sandwich, I need beer money"...buddy got a fiver on the spot!

I got a 'Set For Life' lotto addiction sdb8440, can I get a $5'er ?

[barbless]

And it's all tax free income. How many letters you think they get to do their taxes? With no income they can claim every year and get your money anyways. We are supporting them anyways. It is also illegal for them to do that at intersections but our Police service don't do much about it. They are too busy trying to catch law abiding, tax paying, victim citizens. Besides the beggars won't pay the fine if they gave them one.

[kmacisaac]

Nope. And I don't feed wildlife either for the same reason. It may seem like a dick move but there is pretty much always a way to earn your way in an urban area besides relying on handouts.

[Greatwest]

Years ago my wife and I and a buddy and his wife went to the movies. When we come out of the theatre my wife and I were about 30 yards in front of buddy and his wife. We walked past a guy begging for money he asked and I just said “no” Then I remembered buddy walking behind us he is about as crude as they come. I said to my wife stop we gotta watch this. The guy asks buddy for money buddy stops and says “Not a $&@?ing chance get a $&@?ing job u useless piece of @&$?.” I looked at my wife and said see it was worth stopping to watch wasn’t it, she agreed. I do not give money to them but I do donate money to things like Stars and Girl Guides or Jumpstart for kids to help less fortunate kids get into sports and Children’s Hospital fundraisers you know damn well that money is going some place useful.

[Tactical Lever]

Yeah, I would. Had a guy come up and strike up a conversation about my old truck. Nice guy, and maybe it was a bit of a segue into asking for a beer. Guess my old truck looked like it likely carried some, but sadly I did not have one to give.

I have to respect the forthrightness and honesty. Sometimes a guy just needs a beer.

Some here have mentioned feeding an addiction, or enabling, but actually there seems to be better success in some cases by using a rationed approach.

[Dewey Cox]

Keep the hobos drunk or high (whichever is their pleasure)
As long as it keeps them out of my sight.

[Tactical Lever]

Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman

Caught a couple of homeless guys going through our garbages at work last weekend. Asked them if they wanted work, they both turned me down. Said they didn’t want to be on a schedule. I guess you can’t help those who won’t help themselves.

BW

Some might just be unemployable if there is such a thing. Pick garbage, and hunt for a place to stay warm, sleep on a sidewalk, or work doesn't sound like a tough choice for most of us. At least they didn't waste your time.

A homeless guy used to pick garbage looking for something to eat back when Mom and Dad were younger, around Edmonton IIRC. Didn't bother anyone. I think he was embarrassed to ask for food, so Mom would make a really nice sandwich, wrap it in wax paper, and put it on top so it wouldn't touch anything and get dirty.

She was quite a lady; and I was very fortunate to have her as an example.

[Tactical Lever]

Originally Posted by sewerrat

My wife shops at Super store here in Red deer and always goes early in the morning, she says every time she comes out with a load of grocery's they always ask if they can put the cart away, so they have a loonie, she always says no as she always keeps that loonie in the car for the shopping carts. but we do give them the Mc Donald's coffee cards where you collect the 7 stickers on.

Ran into a couple in Edmonton, and the girl asked while the guy kind of looked shifty off on the sidelines. Happened to be in a big parking lot filled with carts, so I declined, and pointed out that probably half a dozen carts should have loonies in them. Kind of funny that they didn't check them. They might have been a little out of it.

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by Greatwest

Years ago my wife and I and a buddy and his wife went to the movies. When we come out of the theatre my wife and I were about 30 yards in front of buddy and his wife. We walked past a guy begging for money he asked and I just said “no” Then I remembered buddy walking behind us he is about as crude as they come. I said to my wife stop we gotta watch this. The guy asks buddy for money buddy stops and says “Not a $&@?ing chance get a $&@?ing job u useless piece of @&$?.” I looked at my wife and said see it was worth stopping to watch wasn’t it, she agreed. I do not give money to them but I do donate money to things like Stars and Girl Guides or Jumpstart for kids to help less fortunate kids get into sports and Children’s Hospital fundraisers you know damn well that money is going some place useful.

Sounds like your buddy is seriously lacking in intellect department.

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by Tactical Lever

Some might just be unemployable if there is such a thing. Pick garbage, and hunt for a place to stay warm, sleep on a sidewalk, or work doesn't sound like a tough choice for most of us. At least they didn't waste your time.

A homeless guy used to pick garbage looking for something to eat back when Mom and Dad were younger, around Edmonton IIRC. Didn't bother anyone. I think he was embarrassed to ask for food, so Mom would make a really nice sandwich, wrap it in wax paper, and put it on top so it wouldn't touch anything and get dirty.

She was quite a lady; and I was very fortunate to have her as an example.

Sounds like a great lady, your mom!

[stuckincity]

When I'm approached by a panhandler I tell 'em that I donate to the Mustard Seed and Salvation Army (which I do) and that's all, and they can go there; or to any other helping agencies around today.

The "aggressive" ones argue about it and get obnoxious and come up with excuses, then I say in a loud voice "THAT'S ALL!!" and walk away.
And I get mouthed-off at a lot by the "aggressive" ones, but I've never been physically attacked - yet - although I'm on High Alert for it.

So tell me exactly what makes them think I "owe" them something and "should" fork over like a good little commie just because they refuse to get their lives in order and can't/won't ask for help from existing agencies?

I'm not a total jerk - I don't carry cash or change but I've been outside bars smoking, and handed out 2 or 3 at times when only asked for one, to someone who seemed genuinely down and out.
I look at their "demeanor" and how they come across ('demanding' don't cut it). And if they seem 'demanding' they get a flat No and I give 'em "The Thousand Yard Stare" that a cop described to me once.

[Bushleague]

Just like my parents told me when I was young, feeding the strays is never a good idea. Some very generous fellows in our little town came up with a program to feed the homeless and give them a place to sleep, now the town is over run with them. I cant let my kids go to the library without supervision anymore, I take my wife out for dinner and find them passed out in the washroom, cant get groceries without them aggressively pushing for the loony in my shopping court, had to forcibly eject one heavily inebriated fellow from the McDonalds a few weeks back because he was harassing some lady and her kids for no good reason. And the whole time I was worried the cops would show up and arrest me.

Just cant understand it, if I got **** faced and hung out in front of a public library, trying to pick fights with random strangers and throwing snowballs at kids it would likely lead to a court battle that would destroy the next couple years of my life. These clowns do it every day with no consequences.

[Dewey Cox]

When you ain't got nothing, you've got nothing to lose.

[260 Rem]

For a few years, my wife and I took in teen girls (foster care program...we were a “receiving” home taking kids on a “short term” basis which ranged from a few days to more than a year for a couple of them). Bottom line is that we got a real close look at how abuse can mess up kids so much they may never recover. We learned very early that not all kids can function in a family, not all feel secure with a roof over their head or food in their tummy. One of our favorites would stay with us a few months, go to the streets, then come back to us...and then be gone again. Obviously she never got beyond Grade 9 and other than street smarts had no marketable skills. From time-to-time she would have been sitting in a median holding a cardboard sign. So, you could stop and berate her for not working but I can assure you she would never be able to hold a job for more than a few hours ... and how many would even trust her enough to offer her a job? So when things got tough she might sell herself ...and it’s hard to think of getting a call when she’d been busted up so badly by a John we could hardly understand what she was saying.
So, I’m OK giving up a few toonies to somebody with no laces in their shoes and dirty hands. What they do with it is their business, it was a gift.
Oh, by-the-way, Alexis, the girl that called us mom and dad and phoned several times a week ... died a few years ago...she was 42

[does it ALL outdoors]

The two major intersections they set up at around me are 97st & 137ave & 137ave & 127st. All 4 corners they stand on has a bunch of fruit and sandwiches sitting behind the pole rotting away, these ones arnt hungry, not for food.

Earlier this "summer" I was in the right lane crossing 97st on 137 about 10 cars back, light changes and everyone starts going untill the car ahead of me in the left lane hammers his binders to give one money while the car behind him piles into him not expecting him to jam on the brakes, idiot.

None of those corner beggars get a penny from me.

I've givin a few a beer out of my case outside the Rozzy and the Transit beer stores but I don't make a habit out of it.

[Ken07AOVette]

I was in Vegas with the corvette, guys strolls over while I am at the car wash, drops a cigarette and lights another one. Proceeds to tell me how it was his favorite color, he absolutely loved it, on and on, while I am standing at a pay and wash. He then stuck his hand out asking for a tenner, says he would help wash it, I said I was fine, almost done but thank you.
Called me every name in the book, I had to stand between him and my car so he didn't do something stupid, then finally got rid of him. He was about the most aggressive I had seen.
Guess he figured I was a soft touch for some reason. Seemed to be mad about the Alberta plate after I didn't give in.

[stuckincity]

I don't know about today because I ain't been downtown for 15 years or so, but 'way back then' some homeless types from the shelters stood on street corners selling a tabloid-type small newspaper called "Street Talk". It actually had some interesting articles in it.

Anyway, they had to buy the papers in stacks of 20 or 30 or 50 etc and sell them for what they could get for each.

I didn't mind paying a couple of bucks for a copy because these guys were DOING SOMETHING in order to EARN money by working at their own risk by buying the papers, like any "entrepreneur".

I also have no problem at all with the can and bottle pickers, or "dumpster divers" because they're at least trying to pay their own way, so to speak.

ALL the dumpster divers I seen when I worked downtown always cleaned up any mess they made - which showed respect for other peoples' property, so I respected them.

[cranky]

Ever stop to think what it would take to get off the streets and get that job yall think they should have. Are you going to hire them looking the way they do?. This is to no one in particular here. Just saying.
First you gotta have address which means months rent and a damage deposit. Gotta have a phone so they can call you for interview.. Gotta have decent cloths. Gotta have at least bus fare till payday and food money. Cant work on empty stomach.. Some folks dont even have a bank account. How do you get that without a address etc etc.

So you say how did they get on the streets. I come from a abusive background. Stuff i dont mention often. I hit the streets as a underage teen so my dad couldnt finish me off as he was getting closer to it each time he lost it. I also suffered through other types of abuse i dont think needs to be mentioned here. I was one messed up kid.. No one would hire me, to young no one would take me in, to young. Didnt have help back in those days for kids. So i did crime and whatever to eat.
Long story about somehow along the way im not going to go into detail i made it off the streets and even ended up being a Owner Operator trucker for many years. Retired not that long ago. But it took alot of help and didnt work the first bunch of times trying to live a normal life.
See it easy to say get a job. Not so easy to do so even if one wants to, you get so far down.

Anyway yup i help sometimes by buying them lunch but no cash money. I give to Hope Mission and Sally Ann for all the other stuff. Many on here have no idea about this kinda stuff. I see 260rem does and some others. Count yourself lucky if you havnt been there.

How many employers would hire a native guy. Be honest now,i bet not many of you would. By the way im not native but by far they constitute the most street folks. So you can say get a job but some are to screwed up to and others cant afford to and lets be honest here some are just the wrong colour of folks. And believe me im no racist just saying it. They dont stand a cahnce from some of the homes they come from. Abuse beyong wehat most on here could even imagine.

[huntinstuff]

Never
No chance
I walk by, smile, never talk or give

[robson3954]

Originally Posted by Etownpaul

I pay my taxes. Taxes pay for welfare and social programs that I’ll never use. I feel that’s plenty generous.

Try living in downtown Edmonton or Calgary. You can’t leave your house without getting accosted for money. It really sours a guys perspective seeing these people getting messed up all day everyday while I bust my hump at work 5 days a week.

Like somebody else said earlier, giving them money is like feeding the crows at the dump. They both come back and sh*t all over the place.

Exactly. There’s free services, free shelters, free rehab and free grub. They all know where to get it and how to access it. There is absolutely no need for the public to give handouts.

[NCC]

The company I work for gives $2500 and about 40 hours of labor to the local food bank in each of our operating areas every year. I think the organized charities help more than individual hand outs do. I also believe that if no one gave the panhandlers anything, they would quit harassing people.

We stopped at Earls in Vernon this spring and had one guy banging on the window before the truck stopped moving and another cracked out bum hit us up on our way back to the truck. It’s unlikely that I will ever stop there again as I don’t like dealing with panhandlers.

In a moment of weakness, I got sucked in by the first guy’s sob story and gave him $10. He had asked for $14 and turned into a dick after I gave him $10. That was the last time I’ll give an adult bum anything.

[tri777]

My July story bum episode. Walking out of a Home Hardware with freshly purchased stuff in one hand,
and the receipt, a exposed $20 & $10 bill in the other that i was going to put away when
i reached the truck. Suddenly I'm aware there's a bum with his eyes laser beamed onto me
and is briskly headed right towards me with purpose. I'm immediately annoyed & not
about to suddenly hide the still exposed money, he comes at me head on, "got any spare change".
I look him dead in the eyes with my cash still at chest level, and sternly & calmly retort
"Abbbsooolutly Not"..my answer shocked him and he said "ok, thx".
I hate people asking for money, Stop it !!
To all the bums out there, go get a garbage bag and just start cleaning up the ditch..i will notice you!!

[260 Rem]

When I give, I do so without condition or expectation other than hoping my gift made someone else’s day better. Who knows, it could be that little bit of cash that turned their desperate mind from breaking into someone’s car?
Yes there are “free”services but some folks are so “damaged” they don’t use the service. Ever think about why anyone would choose to sleep under some cardboard at -30C when the local warming center is open?

[trophybook]

Fentanyl was made to clean up the mess. Sad but true.
I'm camping in the lower waste land and the junkies are everywhere. The best is when their nodding off and asking for money.

[mac1983]

But they sure are happy when i pull into the homeless shelter with my truck box half full of garden produce. They just fill their pockets with my potatoes, I enjoy it as much as they do.