Saw a woman begging for food money.

[Papawx3]

At 8:15 on Sunday morning, you couldn't possibly have been in such a hurry that you couldn't take a few minutes to offer to buy her breakfast and a cup of coffee. [And I KNOW you weren't on your way to church] Even if you have to take her to McD's, Krystal, etc., you have done your good deed for the day.
If she declines and wants only the money, you are free to turn your back and walk away. Either way, you can then go on your way knowing you've done what you can, or what you should.

 

[editec]

Outside a shop where I bought morning coffee for a buck thirty seven. It was only 8:15 am on Sunday.

Should I have given her anything? How much?

Let your conscience be your guide.

 

[SanTropez]

Outside a shop where I bought morning coffee for a buck thirty seven. It was only 8:15 am on Sunday.

Should I have given her anything? How much?

Buy her breakfast. That way you know the money isn't going towards booze or drugs.

I ran into a guy like that at the 7-11 during the afternoon so I bought him a huge sandwich, chips & a drink. They guy then had the audacity to ask for beer money! I was furious.

 

[JOSweetHeart]

^^^ What did you do with the food? If I had been in your spot, I would have saved it for myself to eat later.

Too many abuse the kindness of strangers.

Amen. This is why I try to avoid people who are out there asking and so far, I haven't had any kind of confrontation. I pray that it stays that way for obvious reasons of course. You can't trust anyone out there.

God bless you two always!!!

Holly

 

[HUGGY]

These guys are wasting a good opportunity by begging for beer and drug money. First place yourself at a freeway entrance that rich people have to use going to work. You find THAT by spending a couple of days there just taking a count on what kinda cars use that ramp for say 1 hour between 7-8 and 8-9. Then find an artist to help you make a sign that is clearly readable from 100 feet but still looks hand made. Next the message needs to be very compelling but not over the top like an obvious scam. The request should be something like "I need money to bury my wife/child/mom." There is no time, they want to cremate him/her. OR I lost my house and car and health coverage and need to have surgery. Now for this one you will need a doctor that believes you need surgery and a bank account opened just for this purpose. A person that would never donate to someone's beer fund might very well deposit a sizable amount in a medical fund. Have cards made up with the account number on them. As long as you do have some kind of surgery it's probably legal. If you have a believable timeline figured out and don't go back after the "date of the medical procedure" you might be surprised how much money gets donated. OR you could do a little research and recruit a dozen needy homeless guys that actually do need some kinda life saving procedure and act like thier agent. Put together a non profit. All above board.. then reach the goals for the homeless guys and in your filed papers already have a very sizable salary designated if the fund ever gets that big. Nothing shady about that kind of arrangement. How much do you think the head of the Red Cross makes? They don't do it for the warm and fuzzy feelings.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

There are a couple of times I regret that I didn't help someone.

One time a guy was in front of me at the checkout at the grocery store. He had a bag of cat food and after the checker rang him up he didn't have enough money for everything so he set the cat food aside. I just didn't react quickly enough, but I wish I'd just went ahead and paid for the cat food for him. : ( He wasn't asking for help, but still, I wish I had helped him (for the sake of the cat). Now I keep an eye out for anyone who can't pay for their pet's food, and am prepared to act!

The other time, I was driving and a panhandler was standing at the intersection when I pulled up to the red light. What I noticed about him was the look of absolute, utter despair on his face. It was a genuine look of despair, there was no acting going on. My heart melted, but the light turned green and I zoomed off. I wish I had given him some money, like $50 or even $100. I had that much cash on me. He just looked so sad. And normally I don't give any panhandlers a dime.

 

[High_Gravity]

Outside a shop where I bought morning coffee for a buck thirty seven. It was only 8:15 am on Sunday.

Should I have given her anything? How much?

Should have given her a pack of Newports.

 

[Againsheila]

There are a couple of times I regret that I didn't help someone.

One time a guy was in front of me at the checkout at the grocery store. He had a bag of cat food and after the checker rang him up he didn't have enough money for everything so he set the cat food aside. I just didn't react quickly enough, but I wish I'd just went ahead and paid for the cat food for him. : ( He wasn't asking for help, but still, I wish I had helped him (for the sake of the cat). Now I keep an eye out for anyone who can't pay for their pet's food, and am prepared to act!

The other time, I was driving and a panhandler was standing at the intersection when I pulled up to the red light. What I noticed about him was the look of absolute, utter despair on his face. It was a genuine look of despair, there was no acting going on. My heart melted, but the light turned green and I zoomed off. I wish I had given him some money, like $50 or even $100. I had that much cash on me. He just looked so sad. And normally I don't give any panhandlers a dime.

One time when I was at the goodwill, in front of me was a man, he was obviously special needs. He was a dime short on his purchase and I paid the dime. The cashier had no empathy for him at all. He was buying clothes, necessary items. I thought the Goodwill was suppose to help people in need.

One time at the grocery store, a woman behind me, among her groceries was buying one of those little Whitman's samplers. We got to talking and she was buying it for her stocking for Christmas. As it came time to buy my purchases, I grabbed her Whitman's sampler. Everybody around me just started at me as though I was robbing this woman of her candy. I had the cashier swipe it, which he did, then I just handed it back and said "No one should have to pay for their own stocking stuffers." Immediately everybody signed and some thanked me for the woman, even the woman thanked me and said "That wasn't necessary."

Another time, on my way out of Costco, I had a bunch of roses I'd bought. There was an old woman in a wheelchair waiting for a hearing test and I just pulled out one of the roses and handed it to her. A bunch of people told me that was a great thing to do but I just felt it was my duty. One rose out of a whole bunch, and it but a smile on her face. I tell people now that when I'm dead and they want to put flowers on my grave, buy a bunch, put one of my grave and then go to a nursing home, ask for a woman who hasn't had a visiter in a while, and give the rest to her. Let them enjoy them while they are alive, I won't care when I'm dead and maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to bring a smile to a stranger's face after I'm gone.

 

[Mr. H.]

For a while I was buying a tank of gas a month for any total stranger that pulled up to the pump.
I got to thinking that it adds up quick, and I still have a kid with 5 years of school ahead of her.
It was kind of fun while it lasted. Once got some dandy hugs from a car load of sorority babes.

Last week I bought one of those little solar-powered flower pot dancing things for the lady at the bank. (It cost a whole dollar) She's got a collection of them. She was out so I put it on her desk.

Anyhow she called me this morning. She missed a week of work because her grandmother got real sick and ended up dying. Told me how she appreciated that and it put a big smile on her face.

 

[yidnar]

Outside a shop where I bought morning coffee for a buck thirty seven. It was only 8:15 am on Sunday.

Should I have given her anything? How much?

yes.... the amount is up to you .

 

[Uncensored2008]

Outside a shop where I bought morning coffee for a buck thirty seven. It was only 8:15 am on Sunday.

Should I have given her anything? How much?

How about buy her a meal?

Or you could take the Obama approach and rob your neighbor, and give her the loot.

 

[Uncensored2008]

I don't give to people with their hands out anymore, not since I learned it's actually a good living.

But a street performer or someone selling pencils or some such, yeah, every time.

I feed a hoard of homeless every Thursday.

It started small. A homeless guy was hanging outside Del Taco, so I bought him some tacos, which are 3 good chicken tacos for $2 on Thursday. I kept doing it and the crowd grew. I have no issue feeding people. Like others, I won't contribute to booze or drugs, but no one should go hungry.

 

[g5000]

Outside a shop where I bought morning coffee for a buck thirty seven. It was only 8:15 am on Sunday.

Should I have given her anything? How much?

Buy her breakfast. That way you know the money isn't going towards booze or drugs.

This.

If you want them to have FOOD, give them FOOD.

However, money is fungible. If you buy an addict food, they can use the money they would have spent on food on drugs instead.