Is panhandling worth it? My preliminary results.

originally posted by: Rikku
i think your pathetic.
but youre begging for money so i guess you dont care what people think.

You're right, it is pathetic.

I'm not happy about my situation and I don't like what I'm doing. I've had to set aside my pride and my dignity and ask complete strangers for help. Thankfully, there are some that will help.

a reply to: N3k9Ni

Was your civilian line of work also as an electrician?

originally posted by: Rikku
i think your pathetic.
but youre begging for money so i guess you dont care what people think.

Wow, that's rude. People run into hard times.

I have a feeling that a whole bunch of Americans will be joining him very soon, he just may have a leg up as he'll be further in the line.

Hopefully you won't be one.

originally posted by: caterpillage
a reply to: N3k9Ni

Was your civilian line of work also as an electrician?

If I were a civilian electrician I wouldn't be in this situation, believe me. Most of my experience is as a line cook but I've done a lot of other jobs in between.

a reply to: boncho

Okay, maybe lucrative is not the right word but I suppose it's a relative term. If I can make a hundred bucks in a few days, to me that's lucrative.

a reply to: N3k9Ni

Hey I was thinking....are you near the east coast or can get there? (NYC)

I may be able to help you.

I can get you a job man. I have been in the hospitality industry for a while. I know some people. I wont lie, if you dont check out as far as normal job requirements I wont vouch for you. (weed is not a problem if you arent a grungy stoner) If you do, I can put in a great word for you with some people. Hell I will even lie a little if you are on the up and up.

a reply to: tadaman

I also know a bunch of food kitchens that give out free meals and let you take some plus some clothing if you need. NYC. Let me know N3k9Ni.

a reply to: tadaman

Thanks for the offer. I live in the Midwest, though. Quad Cities. It's a metro area that straddles the Iowa and Illinois border.

a reply to: N3k9Ni

ok well, whats your longest time working with a specific cuisine or most frequent type of cuisine you worked with?

I can look for something for you online if you like. I am pretty good at finding jobs in the industry. I seem to have better luck than most or I just know where to look. Also if you need to make your resume sound better I can help you out. I dont need to have your specific info, I know this is the internet and I am no one to you. BUT if you give me the jist of it, I can bang something out for you and you can plug in the details. I have hired before and owned my own business, managed others, ect...so I know what to look for.

Let me know man. I am here to help and I happen to work in what you do. If I can help I am here.

Hold it down.

a reply to: N3k9Ni
I live fairly close to you in Joliet, Il. I've had to sleep in hallways and stuff before I'm talking -10 degree weather. My advice is join a church.

a reply to: N3k9Ni

Dear N3k9Ni - I will keep you in my prayers from now on. That's what I can do from my end.

You are not pathetic in the least and I cannot even imagine how hard that was for you to do. You are doing what you need to to survive and get by.

So many people love to help. If I may offer any kind of advice a good place to try might be at a natural type grocery store (where they sell organics and health stuff) or where you see young families with little ones. Parents love to hand money to their little ones to hand to people in need and they do it so their children learn to have empathy for others who need help.

You might also check at grocery stores/warehouse food stores and ask if you can get a discount on expired food/damaged canned food, that sort of thing.

I love to browse Kijiji ads / Craigs List ads. You never know who is selling what or what crazy blurb you'll read. Anyway lately I see many, many ads looking for assistance. That's another avenue you can try. It doesn't cost anything to post an ad.

I hope you find your feet soon and take good care of yourself. We are all at the mercy of our job status, our health and certain circumstances that slam us in life. Keep your head high.

a reply to: Rikku

Do you feel the same way when banks go to the government begging to be saved from their own destructive policies? Or do you save your disgust solely for the little guy?

a reply to: Rikku

What's the difference in going to a church pantry for some free food? Heck, my "job" is a mild form of panhandling - delivering pizzas - and this guy made more in a few hours than I did yesterday in nine hours so I say good for him.

What's so wrong in asking for help? I'm sure hundreds of people say no, it's their choice just like it's the choice of those who give.

Your response saddens me.

Can you make all of this make sense?

You are obviously of sound body and mind, your fairly intelligent I gather from your post and the fact you went to some trouble to get a permit and do what your doing legally. You most likely have some sort of skill sets from your time in the army so why the hell are you talking about begging on the streets like its an acceptable career choice?????

You have had a job offer already on this thread, something tells me you either wont follow it up or if you do you will make excuses as to why you cant do it.

Guess its just easier to get money from either the gov or people who do work.

Good luck with your new career path, Im sure it will pan out nicely (pun intended)

What's so wrong in asking for help?

Absolutely nothing

It becomes wrong when you decide asking for help is a career option

As some here know, I just spent a year in a group facility ( if you don't know the story, suffice to say it is long, complicated, and does not involve ankle bracelets or sheriffs deputies - nor rehab ). During that year I spent six months with a roommate named Bennie - who prided himself to be the King of the homeless in the city I was staying in.

This facility helps people get SSI and SSDI - as it happens Bennies day came and he was approved for SSI. He told a string of lies to convince everyone that he had secured a one room apartment and he moved on.

Four weeks later we read Bennies obituary. He had gone back to the streets and reclaimed his spot as the number one panhandler in Columbus, GA.

The official story is that he was hit by a train - a train going about two miles an hour. The story on the street is that he got robbed for his daily take, knocked unconscious, and left in between train cars so that when they coupled, as the train began moving, it would kill him.

This is a man who began begging on his return from Vietnam in the seventies and only took 6 months off to get a check. He knew the streets and the people and that did not help him in the end one bit.

Marginally on topic, but I felt that pointing out the fact that there are dangers involved in panhandling was something worth adding to the dialogue.

I want to thank you all for your comments, suggestions and criticisms.

I didn't mention it before, but there are some restrictions by city ordinance as to where and how a person is
allowed to panhandle.

Chapter 27 Article VII

Section 27- 150 Soliciting funds in city streets

(a) No person shall solicit funds for any purpose when the person requesting such funds must go into the travel portion of the roadway ( including medians and pedestrian walk zones) to obtain the funders solicited.

(b) No person shall block or interfere with the normal progress of traffic in order to solicit funds for any purpose.

Section 27- 151 Aggressive solicitation prohibited

No person shall aggressively solicit the donation of funds from any person in a public area, intercity transit bus or bus stop; within 15 feet of the entrance to any bank, credit union, check cashing business or automated teller machine.

Basically, they're saying that you can't be washing windows at stoplights or standing on the sidewalk begging for spare change. All you can legally do is stand in a reasonably safe distance off the road and take whatever people offer as they pass by. Violating this ordinance can result in a fine up to $500 and/or 30 days in jail.

This is it very reasonable solution to an ongoing situation and other cities have actually considered adopting similar ordinances.

I needed money and I took advantage of an option that was available. This is by no means a career choice and I don't intend to continue. Would I ever do it again? You betcha.

a reply to: N3k9Ni

I have no issue with panhandling. Its aggressive panhandling that bothers me.

Some of the greatest men who have ever existed, none of us knows their names. They begged for food, too. The tradition goes back millenia in India.

Sounds to me like you can expect to earn about $10 an hour working the kindness of others. The part about the McD's employee...that was quite interesting.

Thanks for sharing.

originally posted by: IkNOwSTuff

What's so wrong in asking for help?

Absolutely nothing

It becomes wrong when you decide asking for help is a career option

The OP is trying to get on his feet again, not start a new career so I don't know what tripe you are spouting. He never said this was for the long term yet you have made it into that. Nice how you make the OP into a ass for "turning down" a job...in a freaking place he doesn't live, BTW. You also must be under the impression it's easy to go out and get a job these days. I'm wondering if you even inhabit the same reality as I do, as your derision and scorn of the OP is really quite sad. A human being trying to improve his lot in life and all you can do is take a dump on him.

Reply to this or not, I don't care. I don't see us agreeing any time soon so the argument would be useless.