Do You Ever Give Money To Panhandlers

[areias]

There is a lady that rides around my local walmart area, in a motorized scooter with a wagon that has a 75-100lb Rottweiler mix dog in it. She has a sign that says "Homeless, Please Help, Dog Is Hungry". I know she is homeless..I camped at the local park and saw her there under a tarp, with about 100 knick knacks set up around there on plastic shelves? Set up in the middle of the woods. First thing, please find a home for the dog, where you know he'll be fed, if you're worried about him going hungry. Second, stop spending your f***ing money on a MOTORIZED SCOOTER, it is not a wheel chair, it is for recreation. I would love one myself! Third, no offense to anyone that is pleasantly plump, but she is a very large lady and I have no idea how she keeps herself that large being 'homeless'. Maybe the dog is hungry because she eats all his dog food? lmao, sorry it may sound mean but I don't understand.

That said, normally I will give some loose change or maybe a dollar or two, after I talk to the person and get a feel for them, but I prefer to give them food. I remember talking to one guy in St. Pete, who played REALLY good guitar and looked like hank jr...I was gonna give him a few bucks but I noticed he had a leather briefcase and a can of beer behind him, and even pulled out a joint and started smoking in front of me and my friend.

[jackie]

There is a lady that rides around my local walmart area, in a motorized scooter with a wagon that has a 75-100lb Rottweiler mix dog in it. She has a sign that says "Homeless, Please Help, Dog Is Hungry". I know she is homeless..I camped at the local park and saw her there under a tarp, with about 100 knick knacks set up around there on plastic shelves? Set up in the middle of the woods. First thing, please find a home for the dog, where you know he'll be fed, if you're worried about him going hungry. Second, stop spending your f***ing money on a MOTORIZED SCOOTER, it is not a wheel chair, it is for recreation. I would love one myself! Third, no offense to anyone that is pleasantly plump, but she is a very large lady and I have no idea how she keeps herself that large being 'homeless'. Maybe the dog is hungry because she eats all his dog food? lmao, sorry it may sound mean but I don't understand.

The scooter may have been a donation, and they are not usually for recreation. If she is really large, it is probably the only way she can get around. I can't really see an obese person being able to wheel themselves about in a traditional wheelchair.

I don't like seeing homeless people with animals either, but I do understand it. It must be a very lonely life, and they probably need all the companionship they can get.

[catnapper]

stop spending your f***ing money on a MOTORIZED SCOOTER, it is not a wheel chair, it is for recreation. I would love one myself! Third, no offense to anyone that is pleasantly plump, but she is a very large lady and I have no idea how she keeps herself that large being 'homeless'. Maybe the dog is hungry because she eats all his dog food? lmao, sorry it may sound mean but I don't understand.
.

Wow, how utterly sarcastic. Like someone else said, that scooter might be the only way she can get around, and might be the only big thing she actually owns from her life of NOT being homeless. She might still have some pride and take good care of her scooter and her dog.

As for being overweight and homeless... more than likely she is overweight because of being homeless. It is far, FAR cheaper to feed herself on a $1 worth of junk food than it is to get a whole meal. You eat the quick and cheap junk food, the hunger pangs go away. Meanwhile you gain a ton of weight because the last time you has any true protein or whole grains was too long ago to remember. Look at how McDonals, Burger King, and Wendy's now have a $1 menu. You can get "Whole meals" for $2 (a sandwich and fries) You can actually feed yourself for $5 a day. Then do the same thing with $2 worth of Purina Dog Chow for the pup.

[CathyBogart]

There is a lady that rides around my local walmart area, in a motorized scooter with a wagon that has a 75-100lb Rottweiler mix dog in it. She has a sign that says "Homeless, Please Help, Dog Is Hungry". I know she is homeless..I camped at the local park and saw her there under a tarp, with about 100 knick knacks set up around there on plastic shelves? Set up in the middle of the woods. First thing, please find a home for the dog, where you know he'll be fed, if you're worried about him going hungry. Second, stop spending your f***ing money on a MOTORIZED SCOOTER, it is not a wheel chair, it is for recreation. I would love one myself! Third, no offense to anyone that is pleasantly plump, but she is a very large lady and I have no idea how she keeps herself that large being 'homeless'. Maybe the dog is hungry because she eats all his dog food? lmao, sorry it may sound mean but I don't understand.

Wow, isn't that sensitive? First, if she really is that obese, she probably needs the scooter to get around. She probably remains so large because she uses the money she can get to buy high-calorie, fattening foods, and frankly, if you don't know where your next meal is going to come from it just makes more sense to go that route.

As for her dog...if it looks underweight or poorly cared-for, call your local animal control or Humane Society and report it. Maybe you can get her companion and guardian taken away from her. If he is cared for...why should she have to re-home him? There are enough low-cost veterinary clinics in most places that someone who truly cares abhout their pet can usually get good vet care for them.

[BOBS DAD]

There is a lady that rides around my local walmart area, in a motorized scooter with a wagon that has a 75-100lb Rottweiler mix dog in it. She has a sign that says "Homeless, Please Help, Dog Is Hungry"... etc., etc...

All I can say to this is "you're young". Wait until life deals you an unpleasant blow!

As far as people not really being homeless, making good money, professional panhandlers - I can understand and appreciate everyone's take on these fronts. Personally, I do not have the time or energy to try and figure out if they are "needy or not". Anyways, they are certainly not "getting rich" on me. As I said, I don't always give money - it is more like occasionally. I try to remember to give a little if I have some smaller notes on me. But that's just me.

And for those who simply have no compassion at all - no tolerance or a complete lack of understanding - I say listen to BOB DILLON'S "ROLLING STONE"... Yeah... how does it feel... to be without a home

[RICHARD]

I stopped giving to politicians.

[lbaker]

By the way Bobs Dad, it's Bob Dylan

[lizbud]

By the way Bobs Dad, it's Bob Dylan

I knew that. Great song

[BOBS DAD]

By the way Bobs Dad, it's Bob Dylan

I knew that!!! LOL! ARE YOU EVER TYPING BETWEEN "what you should be doing at work" - and you have a mental block. I typed it several times and knew it looked wrong!!! LOL! But heah... Once upon a time you dressed so fine... You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?...

Youve gone to the finest school all right, miss lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out youre gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
Hes not selling any alibis...
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And ask him do you want to make a deal?

OKAY... I spelled his name wrong... SO SUE ME!!!

[RICHARD]

Back in 99 I worked with my brother for the summer. I quit my job, payed off all my bills and went bohemian.

During that time money was short. So living paycheck to paycheck was a challenge. We found every place that sold three tacos for a buck, 99 cent cheeseburgers and all the rest.

At the beginning of the summer we were hashing out how to spend the 6 or 7 bucks we had on lunch.....Well that bought us three giant cheeseburgers a giant order of fries -we stockpiled cokes and stuff to drink during the day so we were all set.

As we sat in the truck the last burger was calling my name....so I asked Mike if he was still hungry, He said, "no, but save it....."

Hokay...we headed home and as we drove thru Griffith Park he pulled over to the curb, got out of the car with the burger and a few cans of Coke.

He walked over to a guy with his dog at a picnic table, handed the burger and pop to him, said a few words to him and came back to the truck.

I told him that was really neat, thinking about this guy.


I asked him who he was.

I don't know..

You don't know?

My brother never got his name or what he was all about...but he took the time to buy extra food and stop to give it to the guy. We did that for most of that summer.

I am more apt to give a guy something to eat, than to reach into my pocket for change....

Money or food?


It's all giving.

[lbaker]

"How does it feeeel, to be own your own, with no direction home, like a complete unknown.."