(December 28, 2011 at 10:27 pm)aleialoura Wrote: One night I went downtown to a restaurant I love and bought 2 quarts of their most delicious soup to take home and share with my boyfriend and kids. This homeless guy approached me as I was leaving and asked me for money to get some food. I tried to hand him a quart of soup, and he got pissed, and said, "Naw, I want some money!"
I don't hand money to homeless people anymore, for that reason, but I do donate food to food banks around town. Mostly soup.
I've had more than one experience similar to yours.
I happen to work (well, worked, before I went on disability) in one of the most homeless-friendly cities in the country (Portland, OR) - we have a high rate of local homelessness due to unemployment, as well as homeless-friendly ordinances and policies that result in a lot of homeless migrating here from other not-so-friendly areas.
My office building happens to be located within a few blocks of a few shelters / soup kitchens (we're in the "cheap" part of downtown). Despite the availability of free meals, there are numerous panhandlers working the area, obstensively wanting money for food despite the close (and free) availability of meals for the needy in the area. Some of the regulars have been here for years, a few for as long as I have worked in the area (12 years).
As a result, I've heard pretty much every story under the sun. I really do have a lot of sympathy for the homeless, but now very rarely will give panhandlers cash, because I know a fair number of them are going to use the money for drugs or alcohol and enabling substance abuse isn't going to assist them in breaking the cycle of homelessness.
So, much like you, I give donations of cash and food to the food banks and shelters, where I know that at least the assistance I give won't be misused. Which reminds me, I just got my disability check for the last week and now is a good time to pick up a box of canned goods for the food bank.
