Forum Post: Do you ever stop and give a homeless person enough money to buy a meal......?
Posted 10 years ago on June 11, 2013, 9:42 p.m. EST by 71353933
(85)
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was in NYC recently and saw a homeless woman curled up against a building on 5th ave. , completely conscious and apparently suffering.
I stared for awhile and watched several hundred people walk by and do nothing.
I finally decided to put 10 ten dollars in her hand and suggested she buy herself a meal. She looked at me with an incredulous stare.
Im a 99% like you.......but later I thought I should have done more.
I have. I have also purchased clothing. Homeless people become invisible.
I lived on the streets for 2 and a half years.... hitch-hiking from town to town... I loved it... learned more that any book could have ever taught me.... and many bought me meals.....
since then... I always give what I can.....
one of the rememberal ones... is I was walking thru an ally in DC.... and I found a man pulling spaghetti out of a dumpster behind a restaurant.... so I walked up to him and gave him $10 ... he immediately thanked me sooo much and then turned back around and slid more spaghetti from the dumpster... hehe... I got mad... and pushed him and yelled at him to go get something good...he ran away... and I felt bad the rest of the day.... but I still give to anyone who is wearing shoes that cost less than $100 ; )
Given some of them food also been cursed at a couple of times for offering food instead of money. What you did would be a help to some and enabling for others. We can't know so do what you thing is right at the time.
JPB.... when I lived downtown... 5 or so yrs ago..... every morning I went to mc d's and bought 20 double cheese burgs.... and then on way to work.... I handed them out to those who claimed they were hungry.... 80% were grateful... 20% were pissed ....they wanted cash for crack.... reminded me of the bankers... actually... never enough ; )
Yep
I know there are a few here (a very few) ... who do not believe that anyone is homeless unless they want to be.....
well.... I have spent a lot of time with the homeless ... they are real....and there are way more of them than the government or media will admit.....
in Washington DC.... one of the wealthiest cities in the country... I would guess that there are at least 200,000 homeless people.... I have seen many of them personally (and walked among them) "don't talk the talk.... walk the walk" ... is what we say.... most live in abandoned warehouses & apartment buildings.... under bridges and in the underground train tunnels .... the parks, alleys & streets..... homelessness in America is Way Bigger that anyone wants to admit
From what I have heard, there are a lot of "mentally ill" people on the streets along with our vets. But from what I understand a lot of the "homeless" don't want to become part of society -
I guess one reason is they have been on the streets so long it would be difficult for them to join in and become part of todays society - but that's not to say that there are a lot who would love the opportunity to do so.
I remember seeing a story about a homeless person who was allowed to find $100,000 in a dumpster and it wasn't 2 years later that he was back on the street.
He didn't want any part of todays society and was happy doing what he was doing before he found the $100,000. He did help a lot of folks along the way with the money -
that's true SC2.... many are what many call mentally ill... Robert Egger of DC Central Kitchen has likely the very best homeless/addicted to success program in the nation.... he is providing a venue that pays as you learn... and graduates 600+ chefs a year from previously homeless or substance addicted people... but the truth is....
many do not have any opportunity to upward momentum.... especially homeless families with children.... would you hire a homeless person in your business ?... someone who can't even take a shower ? .... you might ... but most won't .... when you are out your out.....
and ... where does that lead ?.... crime, drugs. depression... mental illness ... America has become a VERY VERY un-caring country
Giving to help your fellow man, regardless of what it is, is always the right thing to do.
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A meal? Naw......prefer to give them enuf for a BUZZ