# Giving money to panhandlers/beggars/homeless on the street **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 29, 2011, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001 "2011-09-29T11:44:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/21 "2011-09-29T17:57:44Z")
I’ll give some change or a dollar when I have cash on me, and I contribute to food banks. Until we fix the severely broken mental health care system in this country we are going to have homeless. The push toward “de-institutionalization” in the '70’s resulted in a number of people having no place to go. Their mental health issues have worn out their families, who will no longer take them in. (In many cases I completely understand.) Many of them end up in jail. It is a fact of life that some people cannot function on their on. It’s not a large segment of the population, but they are there and they slip through the cracks, ending up homeless and self-medication to try to stop the “voices” or the pain or however their illness manifests. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/22 "2011-09-29T17:57:59Z")
> [@thatguyjeff](#): > > I don’t hand out money because it discourages the use of public assistance/services available to them that a good chunk of my money is already helping to fund. Are there no poorhouses? ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/23 "2011-09-29T18:30:30Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Wow, that was…dehumanizing. Unfortunately a lot of people behave like animals a lot of the time. (Yes, I know that technically all people are animals but you know what I mean.) The grip of drug addiction can really undermine a person’s ability to act in a civilized way. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/24 "2011-09-29T18:35:42Z")
I give, what I can, when I can, without a thought to what they’ll do with it. Maybe $2 will make their day and I’m willing to risk it. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/25 "2011-09-29T18:38:37Z")
I’ve given a few times. Most I’ve given a bum was 20 bucks, but that’s because he seemed intelligent and he didn’t ask (although it was plain to see he was homeless). I’ve also (occasionally) given a buck or two to people I’ve seen sitting outside (who are obviously homeless), but who I’ve witnessed not ask anyone who passed (including me) for any handouts. They were always grateful. ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/26 "2011-09-29T18:47:22Z")
Thread I started on the subject a few years back: [Does giving money to homeless people help them? - Great Debates - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=396252) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/27 "2011-09-29T18:52:55Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Unfortunately a lot of people behave like animals a lot of the time. (Yes, I know that technically all people are animals but you know what I mean.) The grip of drug addiction can really undermine a person’s ability to act in a civilized way. Once again, living on the streets can rip the civilization right out of you. Poor food, little sleep, no possessions to speak of, no friends to turn to, dirty clothes, dirty body, and the utter indignity of either begging to use a bathroom or pissing in an alley. It doesn’t take too damn long before you look and act like a drug addict whether you are one or not…and not too long after that before you would welcome _any_ drug that would allow you even false and temporary escape from that miserable life. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/28 "2011-09-29T19:08:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Once again, living on the streets can rip the civilization right out of you. Poor food, little sleep, no possessions to speak of, no friends to turn to, dirty clothes, dirty body, and the utter indignity of either begging to use a bathroom or pissing in an alley. It doesn’t take too damn long before you look and act like a drug addict whether you are one or not…and not too long after that before you would welcome _any_ drug that would allow you even false and temporary escape from that miserable life. Assuming for the sake of argument that that’s all true, it confirms my view that it’s a form of selfishness to give money directly to these people. If you want to help them, give (anonymously) to organizations which help these people get cleaned up and don’t tell anyone about it. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/29 "2011-09-29T19:13:19Z")
If I have it, I’ll give it to him/her. What (s)he does with it is between his/her conscious and God. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/30 "2011-09-29T19:14:42Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Assuming for the sake of argument that that’s all true, it confirms my view that it’s a form of selfishness to give money directly to these people. If you want to help them, give (anonymously) to organizations which help these people get cleaned up and don’t tell anyone about it. And in the meantime the homeless can…? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/31 "2011-09-29T19:17:35Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Once again, living on the streets can rip the civilization right out of you. Poor food, little sleep, no possessions to speak of, no friends to turn to, dirty clothes, dirty body, and the utter indignity of either begging to use a bathroom or pissing in an alley. It doesn’t take too damn long before you look and act like a drug addict whether you are one or not…and not too long after that before you would welcome _any_ drug that would allow you even false and temporary escape from that miserable life. This resonates as true to me. Donating to charities and various organizations is great but for these lost souls you encounter on the streets _now_, the sad truth is “saving them” is very likely not going to happen. So who the hell am I to pass judgment over their lowly requests for pocket change?? I’d probably end up losing that 75 cents laying around in my jeans anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/32 "2011-09-29T19:25:35Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Normally homeless people are drug addicts, alcoholics, mentally ill, or some combination thereof. So they are not competent to spend money for their own good and in fact are likely to spend that money destructively, i.e. on drugs or alcohol. > > The other harm is that giving money encourages homeless people to solicit, accost, or harass other people in the same neighborhood. This is exactly correct. All you are doing, in all likelihood, is enabling them to live a destructive lifestyle. The added downside is it reinforces the obnoxious behavior. For the most part, we don’t have that problem in Virginia, where they don’t tolerate it. However, one of my offices is in Rockville MD; their political culture almost encourages the panhandling, which is why we have dozens of homeless guys ‘working’ the intersections up and down, and around, Rockville Pike (the main drag). That seems pretty dangerous to me. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/33 "2011-09-29T19:28:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And in the meantime the homeless can…? Eat in soup kitchens and stay in shelters. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/34 "2011-09-29T19:30:37Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I don’t give money to anyone on the street. I do donate money to organizations that fight homelessness. My thinking is that if I give a handout to an individual, it’s not going to change his situation and the money would be better spent on a structured effort to get people off the street rather than funding someone to continue to stay on the street. Yet many people must think differently than me, because lots of people do stop to give money to these folks. > > What is your way of thinking on this? More often than not, I’ll give. I’m under no illusions that the money is likely to be spent wisely; I’ve spent to mucb time working with the homeless to think that. But if they choose to spend my charity to shoot up or get drunk, that’s between them and their conscience. If I say “screw off,” it’s between me and mine. There are exceptions: I do not give to people who I think are obviously lying to me or trying to run a scam, and I do not give to people that are, IMO, deliberately inconveniencing/guilt tripping people. Ask, and I’ll probably give. Lie or try to bully me, and it’s screw you. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/35 "2011-09-29T19:31:53Z")
> [@Mr\_Smashy](#): > > This is exactly correct. All you are doing, in all likelihood, is enabling them to live a destructive lifestyle. The added downside is it reinforces the obnoxious behavior. For the most part, we don’t have that problem in Virginia, where they don’t tolerate it. > > However, one of my offices is in Rockville MD; their political culture almost encourages the panhandling, which is why we have dozens of homeless guys ‘working’ the intersections up and down, and around, Rockville Pike (the main drag). That seems pretty dangerous to me. So how do you tend to the homeless in Virginia? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/36 "2011-09-29T19:33:57Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Eat in soup kitchens and stay in shelters. Did you happen to see post #16? ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/37 "2011-09-29T19:38:20Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What food is available, and when? Most homeless wake up to an empty stomach, and those stomachs stay empty until either they raise funds for a barely nutritious fast food meal(cooking anything is mostly out of the question), and if you are subsiding on nothing but crappy fast food both your health and your energy level are going to go south fast. Some places provide a meal in the evening, … While not arguing with much of what you say, IME nearly all overnight shelters do some kind of dinner and breakfast. May only be cornflakes and coffee, but **IF** you’re in shelter, some kind of breakfast is the norm. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/38 "2011-09-29T19:49:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Did you happen to see post #16? Glanced at it yeah. In my area (NYC) there are tons of resources for homeless people. I concede that there might be some parts of the country where there are not. But either way, giving to homeless people is a form of selfishness. Because the reality is that they will in all likelihood spend the money on drugs or alcohol. By giving them money you are just indulging yourself in a fantasy that you are actually helping another human being. When the reality is that you are helping them to hurt themselves and also encouraging them to annoy other people. All so that you can have a smug feeling of moral superiority. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/39 "2011-09-29T19:57:42Z")
> [@furt](#): > > While not arguing with much of what you say, IME nearly all overnight shelters do some kind of dinner and breakfast. May only be cornflakes and coffee, but **IF** you’re in shelter, some kind of breakfast is the norm. In Portland there are two general shelters in town that are open at night, a couple more that are for Vets. For women and children there are a couple in town and 4 more from 8 to 16 miles from town…and waiting lists for all these. Food and space is limited for all shelters, and since you have to get in line early to stand a chance of getting in, you don’t stand much of a chance of getting in another shelter if the one you are in line for fills up. Teens have it much worse in that they are prey in the adult shelters and not part of a family for the family(women and children) shelters. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001/40 "2011-09-29T20:00:40Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Glanced at it yeah. In my area (NYC) there are tons of resources for homeless people. > > I concede that there might be some parts of the country where there are not. > > But either way, giving to homeless people is a form of selfishness. Because the reality is that they will in all likelihood spend the money on drugs or alcohol. By giving them money you are just indulging yourself in a fantasy that you are actually helping another human being. When the reality is that you are helping them to hurt themselves and also encouraging them to annoy other people. All so that you can have a smug feeling of moral superiority. If that excuse allows you to sleep at night, more power to you. I, on the other hand, remember what it was like and how complicated the real truth of the matter is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-money-to-panhandlers-beggars-homeless-on-the-street/598001.md?page=3)