Whether for beer, crack, a big mac or whatever, and whether truly needed for imminent survival or not, here is the question:

What would you give to panhandlers?

Zilch. There used to be a HUGE problem with panhandlers at my local shopping mall, until mall security stepped things up, put up signs, and drove the offenders off. In two seperate incidents, one man, who had a cup of change in one hand and a small jerry can in the other, actually tried to jump through my open driver's side window while I was pulling out of the mall, demanding money for gas. He promptly got my window scraper, which I keep stored in the backseat of my car in warmer weather, right to the face.

Another time as I was exiting the mall another man grabbed my arm. A complete and total stranger grabs my arm, demanding a ride to the nearest recruiting station. If you want something from a complete stranger, wouldn't it be better to just say, "Pardon me", or, "I hate to bother you, but could I have a moment of your time?", or even better, "Hey buddy, could you help out your fellow man?"

I prompty told the man to let go of my arm or Uncle Sam wouldn't take him because of the stump he'd pull back. I thank my lucky stars often that he did let go and leave me alone.

Panhandlers get nothing in my book. Period. Not to say that I don't care, I'm just watching my own butt. You can never be too careful these days.

Most of the panhandlers I see are holding a sign asking for food, work, gas, a ride, you name it, with one hand, and smoking a cigarette with the other. I figure that if they can afford cigarettes they don't need my help...

zip--zero--nothing..
i'm lucky that i live in a state where you don't see a lot
of hard core begging..when asked why i don't give money away
i tell my buddys that there is a difference between helping
people and letting them take advantage of you...

For some reason they never want what I offer to give them.

Once, outside the train station in lovely Newark, a guy asked me for money because he "needed to get to Morristown." I said "Wow, what a coincidence - that's where I'm going! Come on, I'll buy you a ticket when we get on the train. Hey, where are you going - the train's this way!"

If I don't have any of my family with me & I've got a loaded weapon handy then I go grab them a value meal from the closest fast food joint. I hand it to them thru a partially rolled down window with the door locked - ready to punch the gas if need be. Still risky, but I've never had a problem.

I have this strange desire to help those who are in a bad place - regardless of how they got there. Plus I feel really good about myself afterwards. Maybe it's misguided, but that's what I do.

Funny sidestory: About a year ago I saw a guy begging on the corner & then later that day saw him further up the road walking & talking on a cell phone! LOL

I don't give out handouts in the street. My children & I spent yesterday evening helping provide dinner and a place to sleep for some wonderful homeless people from a nearby large town.

Once a week my local church hosts homeless folks for the night. Last night there were about 38 souls there. We feed them dinner, give them a safe warm place to sleep, give them a place to shower & cleanup, and then feed them breakfast before busing them back to the area where they came from. Most of the dinners are donated lunchtime "left-overs" from nearby schools. It is really quite good food.

Most of them are decent people who are just down on their luck. About half are the same people coming back week after week. Some are new faces. A few weeks back there were 8 children spending the night there. Last night there was only one set of kids - a 5 year old boy and his 18 month old sister.

My children & I treat them with the utmost of respect - as we would want to be treated if we were staying the night there.

Usually when I lived in Philly I'd let the homeless have my leftovers after dinner. Had to walk a lot around downtown (no car then), and never had a problem. Of course, it was usually late at night (which means COLD) and these guys are huddled into doorways. I figure the truly homeless could use a good meal. I also figure A) I've got my Cold steel with me, and B) if they're under-nourished, I should be able to run fast enough to get away.

Big city bums get nothing from me (hahaha... I guess Philly isn't a big city?) during the day. We had one couple in West L.A. that, rumor had it, earned enough panhandling off college kids to afford their house.

KenK..
thats exactly what i was talking about only put in a better
way..helping people rather than letting them take advantage of you..

I never use cash for anything so when they ask for $ for food I can tell them I don't have any. I might have an emergency stash in a separate place but I don't use that for myself either. When my wife worked downtomn and there was no where to park I would have to pick her up and they would always stop and ask for money for food so I would tell them i don't carry any cash as I use the bank card for everything then offer them some food that I carried with me and they never wanted the food.