Giving money to people on the street

Thanks ga for the clarification. The "system" is clearly flawed.

Your last sentence says it all - the need for connection.

Thank you for the I, Daniel Blake suggestion, I will watch it at some time.

Who are any of us to judge why they're there in the first place ? We know nothing of the circumstances.

I probably should know better than to rise to Gabriella's inflammatory, judgemental and frankly disgusting post about homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction and associated mental health issues.
Like granny activist, Ive worked with many people who had tough times throughout their lives as a result of which, they needed help. Few of the people I met through my work in over 40 years were frightening. The one's that were inevitably ended up with long term prison sentences as a result of the crimes they committed. The vast majority fitted into the 'their but for the grace of God go I' category.
The most vulnerable are often asked to make the hardest choices. Women with abusive partners are asked to get him out rather than face statutory involvement with their children. Getting him out, may mean he's on the streets. He could be a former service man who has PTSD, a man she'd loved for years before the service he gave his country left him a risk to her and her children.
No easy solutions. Especially when services, hostels for men and for women, drug and alcohol services, family centres, mental health services etc etc are becoming increasingly rare. I keep returning to the mantra - Shameful.
Gabriella, I'm sure you're too safe in your bubble to believe any of this could ever happen to you or your own loved one's. Be thankful rather than judgemental.

I was recently collecting for a “well known listening charity”
And it was quite heart warming people s comments and good wishes and donations, so thank you all who give,
I do give to beggars and try not to dwell on are they genuine
Or not ,

Well said Iam64. I was gong to answer the said post but thought better of it as I'm not known for being tactful such as yourself.

* going, not gong.

I am seldom in the city but when I am I usually give something to a begger or two. If I see someone smoking or picking up nips, I will give them my cigarettes and a spare lighter as I know what it is like to be desperate for a ciggie. I know it is only a drop in the bucket. BUT, being brutally honest with myself, I realise that I do this, principally, because it makes me feel good. Much more satisfying than a regular arms length donation to a homeless charity.

The local town has both Salvation Army and Shelter Charity Shops, I am a regular donator and buyer, often buying an outfit for an event and handing it back in a week later Just another way to help the homeless.

I have missed some weeks of benefit payments because of changing circumstances, and not feeling strong enough (bearing in mind I am in my warm home, using a landline, and with a coffee in hand) to spend over an hour waiting to get through to the dwp.
I decided my mental heath was more important than trying to explain my situation over and over, or to have to go to the soul destroying job centre.

I support the local foodbank by just adding donations of tins or packets when i shop. I cant afford to give money to beggars but i dont notice a couple of tins of soup from my shopping

Gabriella G54 I think your post is lowering the tone of Gransnet. I think you have written those rude comments to be inflammatory. In God's eyes we are all equal.

Has anyone on Gransnnet been homeless?
If so would it be something we'd be ashamed to admit to?

My brother died aged 52. He was an alcoholic. He could so easily have been on the street if he hadn't had us. He was a lovely person who sadly became addicted. People shouldn't judge.(*GG*)
I try to help anyone I can. I buy food or give money on the streets depending on how I judge the situation. Also give to homeless charities Salvation Army and food banks. (as well as Cancer charities etc) I am glad I am able to.

I remember my son making a sandwich from turkey and taking it to someone in a doorway one Christmas when he was 12 or 13.I was so proud of him. An act of kindness ,however small, is never wasted.

In our town centre there’s often a man with the ‘dog on a string’. He seems to do quite well for money around 3:30pm when the secondary school girls go past him. After they pass he ups and goes. One day I was waiting for a friend and watched him from a distance. He kept counting the change in his empty coffee cup carton, putting most of it in his pocket and setting the empty or almost back in front of the dog. Whilst I was there a mate of his went up to him, they both went into a telephone box and came out pinching their noses (drugs). Then the beggar passed his mate some money from his pocket and he went into the bookies across the road.

Beggars empty their cups Urmstongran, it makes sure no one can run past and steal it. A number of posters have commented that if they were homeless, drugs and alcohol may become inevitable, even they hadn't been the initial cause of homelessness. As for sniffing drugs, it seems sniffing cocaine has become a fairly regular part of dinner parties in some wealthier parts of the country.
There but for the grace of God...

You must had stood watching the poor man for ages Urmstongran

Yes I get that. I was just putting out here what I’d witnessed. I don’t think giving to beggars is a good idea. Charities, yes, if you want to. Otherwise I’d feel like an ‘enabler’. We are all different I know.

I did Anniebach my friend texted me to say her train had been cancelled so she’d be about half an hour. I sat on a bench whilst I waited. It was a sunny morning so it wasn’t a hardship.

We had a homeless person very close to where I live begging for money. Someone bought him chips and a coffee and he refused it swearing at the doner. Turned out he had a flat about 2 miles away and was a regular in a pub near his flat! Amazing what you learn on the internet next door site as people were trying to get him somewhere to stay out of the cold and feeling so sorry for him. But regulars at the pub knew him well. I never donate to homeless people but give clothes to charities that hand them out to those genuinely living on the streets.

I don't give to people on the street, I know there may be some genuine homeless. My son used to work in a bingo hall and there was a woman who sat across from it begging all day. At 5:30pm she used to go upstairs to her flat and come across and play bingo with the money. I give money, clothes toiletries and sleeping bags to homeless charities who will know who the genuine people are.

There is a beggar with a dog and a crutch in Shrewsbury town. He looks like he lives on the streets dirty and unkempt and finds walking difficult. One dsy, I saw him running up the road without the crutch to put money in the parking meter.

There was a Friday night talk show some years ago and they discussed controversial topics. One week it was begging. A young lad was getting around a £1000 per month which was a lot in those days. A gentleman in the audience offered him a job saying he was enterprising and should make a good worker. The lad declined as he could get more money begging. This has always stuck with me.

Hmmm food for thought here.

I only give food or a hot drink as I worry about supporting a drink/drug habit.

Dear me, utter despair at some of these comments. Sadly in all situations a minority will take advantage.

I think most of us would reach for a little comfort to black out the horrors of " living" on the street.
Be it alcohol or the evil that is spice, it would take a will of steel to ignore these temptations.

We are all 2 pay packets away from the gutter.

www.skullfades.co.uk/skullfades-foundation.html

This is a very good organisation if anybody is interested.