# Giving money to beggars - a factual answer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 6, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-beggars-a-factual-answer/614932 "2012-03-06T15:32:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-beggars-a-factual-answer/614932/41 "2012-03-08T20:31:54Z")
If we all stopped giving cash, it would reduce the number of beggars (but not homeless, at least much), and that would be good in the case of obnoxious and scary/threatening ones. Don’t give cash. If you must- carry around a spare pair of wool socks. Socks are much needed by the homeless. Junk food is appreciated. The better strategy is to donate to groups- and volunteer ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-beggars-a-factual-answer/614932/42 "2012-03-09T00:34:24Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > If we all stopped giving cash, it would reduce the number of beggars (but not homeless, at least much), and that would be good in the case of obnoxious and scary/threatening ones. > > Don’t give cash. If you must- carry around a spare pair of wool socks. Socks are much needed by the homeless. Junk food is appreciated. > > The better strategy is to donate to groups- and volunteer Socks are very popular. I always include them in the bag of food stuff I hand out. Junk food is appreciated, but there is a high population of diabetes among the homeless. Relevant story that a formerly homeless friend of mine sent me today, about trying to convince people not to give money to beggars: [http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2012/03/ft\_lauderdale\_homeless\_food.php](http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2012/03/ft_lauderdale_homeless_food.php) -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-beggars-a-factual-answer/614932/43 "2012-03-09T07:19:21Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Is withholding money from panhandlers an effective strategy for reducing the number of homeless people in a city? The factual answer is no. They are still going to be homeless whether you give them money or not. They are not out there begging for rent money. The reason they are panhandeling is not because they’re homeless but because they are jobless. There are, of course, a good number of reasons why they are jobless but that is the root of the problem. And the only solution to that is for them to get jobs if they are able to work or shelter if they cannot. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-beggars-a-factual-answer/614932/44 "2012-03-09T14:09:18Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > The factual answer is no. They are still going to be homeless whether you give them money or not. They are not out there begging for rent money. The reason they are panhandeling is not because they’re homeless but because they are jobless. There are, of course, a good number of reasons why they are jobless but that is the root of the problem. And the only solution to that is for them to get jobs if they are able to work or shelter if they cannot. Not really. About 1/3 of the homeless are that way due to serious drug problems and/or mental illness. Most of these don’t beg much other than lay there with a cup. 90%+ men. They can’t hold down a job. It’s even hard for many of them to get into a shelter. The next category are those who are homeless by choice. They enjoy the lifestyle. They are the one you see with the signs, the one who are mostly the “professional beggars”. They are not going to get a job, except as a temp stop gap. They will stay in the shelters when the weather is bad. Lastly are those who were “one paycheck away from being out on the streets” and who _lost that paycheck_. More likely to be women. They are usually too proud to beg, and usually either live in their car or couch surf. They want and need a job. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-beggars-a-factual-answer/614932/45 "2012-03-09T17:44:22Z")
You know this is GQ, right? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-beggars-a-factual-answer/614932/46 "2012-03-09T18:22:33Z")
Who are you talking to? I have actually worked with the homeless, sat on Commissions, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-beggars-a-factual-answer/614932/47 "2012-03-09T19:11:05Z")
Are we supposed to guess that? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-beggars-a-factual-answer/614932/48 "2012-03-09T20:10:41Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Are we supposed to guess that? I don’t see how his post was any less factual or supported by evidence than [this one](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14844163&postcount=28). ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-beggars-a-factual-answer/614932/49 "2012-03-10T01:45:29Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > In Peru we have to main groups. > > 1. The “real” beggars. People completely poor, living day to day. There is a much smaller network of help. > > 2. “Professional” beggars. They either hire children (at about minimum wage) or heavily fake a disability. Also, kids are sent b their parent to get extra income for the house. > > I give money to the first group, usually very old people. > > I don’t think there is a factual answer. There’s a factual answer but the question keeps changing. responses listed in the first post are both correct in their own way. Certainly there are legitimate pan-handlers from the perspective that a person is truly down on his luck. If you’re intent is to do no harm and help people and not encourage pan-handling or hurt businesses then there is only one answer. Give money to charities that specialize in helping the homeless. If it doesn’t bother you that a homeless person may OD on drugs from your donation (possibly) or harm businesses (probably) then giving money in the hopes it brings a little ray of sunshine to a lost soul will eventually land in the right pocket. It’s been awhile since I had any “spreading around” money so charities have been off my radar. I’ve tried to focus on family and friends who are in obvious need. I’m also too pragmatic to give to strangers because I want to ensure my money gets the best bang for it’s intended use. I wish I could help everybody but I can’t and I don’t want to hurt anybody in the process and that includes businesses. So while I can appreciate the argument that it’s on the panhandler to spend it wisely I think that also applies to me. If I operate on the assumption that only a percentage given away will hit the intended people that means a percentage is wasted (and would go further). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-beggars-a-factual-answer/614932.md?page=2)