If you see a homeless man/woman

reply to post by sugarcookie1


When I was a kid (age 11) things became really hard for my family, no work, dad sick, we eventually were homeless for quite a while. My mother, sister and I would sleep in the car, trying to get help where we could. My mother and sister would work when they could but when you don't have an address or a place to clean up, good clothes to wear, it is hard to get work. Thankfully there were people that were kind and would help. But there were the others who wanted to taunt and torment us - one night while sleeping in the car a group of jerks on motorcycles kept circling our car banging on it trying to scare us - as if we weren't already scared before they arrived - nights were hard and many people who haven't seen hardship can be jerks. It is easy to say "get a job" or "take a shower" when the person doing the yelling gets to go home to 4 walls and a bathroom, hot dinner and the escape of the television.

That time of my life shaped my way of thinking and I will never forget being so hungry that I thought I would die, so scared all the time, and so thristy that even now I feel panic when I don't have water handy. And the worse part was the humiliation. We lived in a shelter for a while, slightly better choice than being on the streets - shelters are just a different kind of frightening and nasty (at least from what I remember).

There was this family, and not sure how we ended up in their home, but they took us in for an evening and made us breakfast for dinner. There was so much food and I couldn't believe that people could have so much or be so kind. I will never forget that. There were many people who came along to asist us. A group of young people helped us and would bring us things in the shelter and they kept some of our stuff that we couldn't take in (we didn't have much but didn't want to lose what we had). They never bothered our things and were very kind. Unfortunately the kind people were fewer than the mean ones.

There were so many people living on the streets and some were mentally ill, a few were really scary, some drug addicts, and some were really fine but just didn't know they had a choice. Not knowing a choice is available is probably the saddest of all. But even the "crooks" on the street were doing what they felt they had to do so they could survive - can't imagine things are much different now. The rules are very different when you are in that position. There were a few who were just lazy but in reality most just wanted to eat, some wanted to self-medicate (can't say that I blamed them) and others just wanted to be left alone. There are so many reasons people end up homeless and in many ways it is a trap that is hard to get out of. Even when the body is taken out of the situation, the mind is still there for a long time and that is why so many keep falling back into that same place.

When things changed for us and we were back in our hometown and I went back to school I just couldn't shake that part of me who had lived on the streets and had to beg. It took a long time to crawl out of that place. Long after I had my own home and a great job making good money (I am one of the lucky ones) I still felt like that kid who didn't have a place to live, who most thought of as trash to toss aside or make fun of. I can still feel panic inside and have that fear of being homeless (not even close to a reality but the fear still hangs in the back of my mind).

I work in the real estate industry and now with all the foreclosures and going into homes where people have been evicted, seeing kids toys and special things that had to be left behind, sometimes even pets (so sad), it takes me back. Makes me feel sick to think another family may be going through the very thing I did and knowing they will never be the same again.

So, to answer the question, When I see a homeless person, I give what I can and treat everyone with respect. Sometimes the respect means more than the dollar I can toss in their cup. I don't choose what to give them, I give them what they ask for if I have it. They make the choice with what they do with the money. So if my dollar goes for a bottle of cheap wine, then wine it is.

I have been homeless and at the time, the people who were kindest to me were those who had the least - the other homeless people.

Anyway, when I see someone homeless now I try to be practical - I'll buy them some bread, fruit and cheese or something, ask if they smoke and give them a few cigarettes(especially if I see people picking up cigarette butts from the floor, I hate that), rolling papers if they want them.
If a friend was homeless I'd try and give them somewhere to sleep at night.
My other half is incredibly generous - he will give anyone in need anything he can - money, tobacco, food, drinks!

Originally posted by MidnightSunshine
Text
I never have any money to give. Once i was downtown waiting at a bus stop for a lonnng time. while i waited i was munchenn on a big bag of combos, and drinking a fresh pepsi. so, im standing there, and i notice the homeless guy, with a sign..need $4 food...So ..i walked over to him, and gave him half the bag. he acked confused, and shoved them into his pocket.
Another time a friend and i were in a different part of the city waitng for the bus, under the little shelter.. It was extreamly cold, if i had to guess id say 5 degress. their were quite a few people in hudled up trying to stay out of the wind. Over walks a homeless man. He did'nt look good. his neck was all swelled out and he was'nt looking very healthy. his coat was next to nothing and tattered. then i noticed his feet. This poor guy was wearing shoes that were waaay too small for his feet. Like kids shoes His unsocked heels were red and black, and sticking way out of the shoe. we stood there for a long time. all of the other people caught their buses. So I had been thinking about it. I probably didnt have any money, and i wanted to help him. I was so just outraged over his feet. So I nonchalanly took off my shoes, and my socks. I remember really not wanting to part with the socks. It was soooo cold, and i happeded to love that particular pair of socks. But i said, F it. I have tons of socks.
so i walk over to him and say something like "here take.." and he inturups me and yells "I Dont want it, and don't try and ask me again!!" so i go "ok"..at that moment, our bus was pulling up. The frozen man was going to be all alone in the bus shelter. So as we're heading out i say to my friend real loud" Hey shan, i'm just gonna leave these socks right here on the bench, I dont want them" And we got on the bus.

I tryed to look out the bus window to see if he took them, but i could'nt tell.

BTW this is my first post. Hello. Sorry about my poor typing skills. I know im supose to capitlize stuff, and use apostrophys and what not...but i ussualy don't and i spell alota sheet wrong too. Ususaly cause i don't know any better, sometimes on pourpus.

Hi MidnightSunshine
And welcome to ATS and you did a great first post!I don't personally care if your spelling is bad or not but a few in here do there is a place called SpellCheck.net check that out and its free..
SometI'mes i think the homeless are just to proud to take what we have to give and leaving your socks like that was a good thing to do I'm sure he grabbed those up mins within mins you leaving..What you did was a very nice thing shows you have alot of heart.thanks for posting!

Originally posted by Hessdalen

Google Video Link

stabtheprincess.com

thanks to ryan i see homeless people with different eyes - they are the mirror of our broken, absurd society - we need to help them. addiciton is an illness what needs to be threatend and not put in jail what usually happens if your lifing on the streets with an addiction. but to be honest in my early age i laught, discriminated and somtimes harmed them...now i let them life and support cloth give-away and stuff...

I watched the video and have to admit it made me very angry it was heart breaking how we humans treat others just because there different..I'm glad this video opened your eyes and your giving with your heart ..
And yes addiction is an illness and most will do anything to feed that habit there is help out there but the waiting list is long and you have to want that help..plus after they have been through treatment there just thrown back on the streets like we helped you so your on your own now..its a sad thing.. PS that was a long video but worth watching thanks

Originally posted by voiceoreason
I don't know about everyone else, but it's fairly obvious to me when someone is completely full of sh&$.

When a street person comes up to you and has an excessively sorrowful, yet urgent look on their face; it typically means that they are sorrowful because they don't have drugs or alcohol, and it is very urgent that you give them whatever they can get out of you so that they can get some drugs or alcohol.

If someone wants food, they won't be hanging outside a place that sells booze or in a zone that is known for crack or opiate sales.

Those that are simply experiencing 'hard times' have the ability to get a fresh start if they aren't hopelessly stuck in the habit of screwing-over every single person that they ever met.

If a street person is pushy in the slightest, then they are a degenerate and don't deserve anything from you.

It is unfortunate that many of the people on the street are mentally-ill; but you are helping no one by supporting beggars. Naivete doesn't absolve you from enabling destructive behavior.

Those that want help will seek it out-- and there are lots of places that offer help to those that legitimately want it.

Best of luck to all on the streets! I hope one day we will all have what we need.

edit on 5-3-2011 by voiceoreason because: preposition.

I'm sure alot of what your saying is true..If there hanging outside a place that sells booze or in a zone that is known for crack or opiate sales no don't give them anything that's what they want but id offer them food or tell them there is help out there and seek it out..
And its sad there is so many on the street that are addicted or mentally-ill but its a fact of life..
I don't think we are enabling every case out there if i see a old person begging for food or a woman with kids your darn right I'm going to give them money or food but that's just how i am!

Originally posted by lizziejayne
reply to post by sugarcookie1

 

Last time I saw a homeless person, he asked for money.

Knowing him to be a drug addict and seeing him look emaciated, I bought him a hot dog and a lemonade instead of giving him cash.

The chap was so grateful he tried to give me some of the money he'd already collected

edit on 5/3/11 by lizziejayne because: (no reason given)

He was probably very hungry and to offer a bit of his money in return shows he was very grateful for the food..I think each case is a bit different even if they are drug addicts..

Originally posted by LRP2010
reply to post by sugarcookie1

 

When I was a kid (age 11) things became really hard for my family, no work, dad sick, we eventually were homeless for quite a while. My mother, sister and I would sleep in the car, trying to get help where we could. My mother and sister would work when they could but when you don't have an address or a place to clean up, good clothes to wear, it is hard to get work. Thankfully there were people that were kind and would help. But there were the others who wanted to taunt and torment us - one night while sleeping in the car a group of jerks on motorcycles kept circling our car banging on it trying to scare us - as if we weren't already scared before they arrived - nights were hard and many people who haven't seen hardship can be jerks. It is easy to say "get a job" or "take a shower" when the person doing the yelling gets to go home to 4 walls and a bathroom, hot dinner and the escape of the television.

That time of my life shaped my way of thinking and I will never forget being so hungry that I thought I would die, so scared all the time, and so thristy that even now I feel panic when I don't have water handy. And the worse part was the humiliation. We lived in a shelter for a while, slightly better choice than being on the streets - shelters are just a different kind of frightening and nasty (at least from what I remember).

There was this family, and not sure how we ended up in their home, but they took us in for an evening and made us breakfast for dinner. There was so much food and I couldn't believe that people could have so much or be so kind. I will never forget that. There were many people who came along to asist us. A group of young people helped us and would bring us things in the shelter and they kept some of our stuff that we couldn't take in (we didn't have much but didn't want to lose what we had). They never bothered our things and were very kind. Unfortunately the kind people were fewer than the mean ones.

There were so many people living on the streets and some were mentally ill, a few were really scary, some drug addicts, and some were really fine but just didn't know they had a choice. Not knowing a choice is available is probably the saddest of all. But even the "crooks" on the street were doing what they felt they had to do so they could survive - can't imagine things are much different now. The rules are very different when you are in that position. There were a few who were just lazy but in reality most just wanted to eat, some wanted to self-medicate (can't say that I blamed them) and others just wanted to be left alone. There are so many reasons people end up homeless and in many ways it is a trap that is hard to get out of. Even when the body is taken out of the situation, the mind is still there for a long time and that is why so many keep falling back into that same place.

When things changed for us and we were back in our hometown and I went back to school I just couldn't shake that part of me who had lived on the streets and had to beg. It took a long time to crawl out of that place. Long after I had my own home and a great job making good money (I am one of the lucky ones) I still felt like that kid who didn't have a place to live, who most thought of as trash to toss aside or make fun of. I can still feel panic inside and have that fear of being homeless (not even close to a reality but the fear still hangs in the back of my mind).

I work in the real estate industry and now with all the foreclosures and going into homes where people have been evicted, seeing kids toys and special things that had to be left behind, sometimes even pets (so sad), it takes me back. Makes me feel sick to think another family may be going through the very thing I did and knowing they will never be the same again.

So, to answer the question, When I see a homeless person, I give what I can and treat everyone with respect. Sometimes the respect means more than the dollar I can toss in their cup. I don't choose what to give them, I give them what they ask for if I have it. They make the choice with what they do with the money. So if my dollar goes for a bottle of cheap wine, then wine it is.

LRP2010 i just finished reading your post and i just cried and cried i have so much respect for you..those times had to be so hard and being a kid had to be so scary i would have been terrified ..Now that i read your post you changed my mind on alot of this subject and your right ( Sometimes the respect means more than the dollar I can toss in their cup. I don't choose what to gIve them, I gIve them what they ask for if I have it. They make the choice with what they do with the money. So if my dollar goes for a bottle of cheap wine, then wine it is) Thank you so much for opening my eyes.. Ive never been in that situation Ive always been sheltered and had 3 square meals never went to bed hungry or scared~~bless you and I'm so happy that things worked out for you but I'm sure those memories will be with you forever~~cookie

Originally posted by Q2IN2Y
If I had enough money, I would help them back on their feet.. of course with my supervision to make sure they stay the path.

But for now, I have to feel sad and keep walking...

I think there is alot you could be doing without giving money why not volunteer your time at the homeless shelters or soup kitchens ..I volunteer at the food shelf a few times a month or more if they need me..thanks for the reply

Originally posted by syntheticbutterfly
I have been homeless and at the time, the people who were kindest to me were those who had the least - the other homeless people.

Anyway, when I see someone homeless now I try to be practical - I'll buy them some bread, fruit and cheese or something, ask if they smoke and give them a few cigarettes(especially if I see people picking up cigarette butts from the floor, I hate that), rolling papers if they want them.
If a friend was homeless I'd try and give them somewhere to sleep at night.
My other half is incredibly generous - he will give anyone in need anything he can - money, tobacco, food, drinks!

You both sound like very giving people the world needs more like you and your other half!

... That depends on the person situation.


There was a time when I had more money than I knew what to do with, ... so if I saw a homeless person say, in front of Mcdonalds, and they gave me good Vibes, .... sometimes I would just two big bags of food, and toss another 50 bucks in the bag.

It wasnt alot for me, ... and money is worthless if you have no need for it. but imagine how much of a difference it makes for them ??

Want to know the irony ?? sometimes they would look in the bag, and actually try to give the money back to me !! lol

We cannot judge a person by their circumstance.

Well considering I see homeless people everyday of my life now here in Saint Augustine, Florida, I usually just walk right past them. I hate when they beg for change.

Originally posted by IntastellaBurst


... That depends on the person situation.


There was a time when I had more money than I knew what to do with, ... so if I saw a homeless person say, in front of Mcdonalds, and they gave me good Vibes, .... sometimes I would just two big bags of food, and toss another 50 bucks in the bag.

It wasnt alot for me, ... and money is worthless if you have no need for it. but imagine how much of a difference it makes for them ??

Want to know the irony ?? sometimes they would look in the bag, and actually try to give the money back to me !! lol

We cannot judge a person by their circumstance.

Thanks for the reply..In this economy 50 bucks would thrill anyone including me that would buy extra groceries but to a homeless person that would mean the world might even feed them for a few weeks even if its mcdonalds..Trying to give back the money in the bag does show me every circumstance is different

I think it can be helpful to try to put yourself in the place of the person who is begging , it's not at all nice to have to ask people to give you money/food/whatever. I always used to feel like, why should these people give their hard-earned money to me.
I think what I want to say is, everyone who is homeless has a different story, they are not always to blame for the situation they were in, and once you are there it is very, very hard to get back from it.

Help isn't alwayus easy to get. In the UK, I sought out help and was basically told if I wasn't willing to admit alcohol/drug abuse or was not in direct threat from someone or pregnant that they couldn't offer me any assistance. That creates a downward spiral in my point of view.

Originally posted by Skate
Well considering I see homeless people everyday of my life now here in Saint Augustine, Florida, I usually just walk right past them. I hate when they beg for change.

I think it makes alot of people uncomfortable

Originally posted by syntheticbutterfly
I think it can be helpful to try to put yourself in the place of the person who is begging , it's not at all nice to have to ask people to give you money/food/whatever. I always used to feel like, why should these people give their hard-earned money to me.
I think what I want to say is, everyone who is homeless has a different story, they are not always to blame for the situation they were in, and once you are there it is very, very hard to get back from it.

Help isn't alwayus easy to get. In the UK, I sought out help and was basically told if I wasn't willing to admit alcohol/drug abuse or was not in direct threat from someone or pregnant that they couldn't offer me any assistance. That creates a downward spiral in my point of view.

well that's a shame to want help and your told that there is limits..there should be help for anyone that needs it in my opinion

If they are just begging, i ignore. If they are actually doing something, like singing, playing an instrument etc i will give them money

Originally posted by BadBoYeed
If they are just begging, i ignore. If they are actually doing something, like singing, playing an instrument etc i will give them money

Thanks for your reply

Homeless Mustard





Sometimes ......................you feel too deep .... and that's why your homeless

reply to post by Lastone


Thank you for the videos there were both very good

From what i know the top 1% of North America makes more money than the lower 50% combined. That makes me sick. There will always be homeless people and poverty with greed and corruption until this world changes its screwed up just look at the people they idolize in our so called reality shows. They worship the Super Rich its conditioning us to accept this madness.

Lets watch the elite buy anything they want useless things while people starve everywhere and have a hard time getting by especially now adays......

Its time for a change watch Zeitgeist series on youtube all 3 videos thats what the world needs to strive for