Comments on: The homeless gauntlet http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2006/06/01/the-homeless-gauntlet/ A blog about mental health Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:55:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Inez Newmann http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2006/06/01/the-homeless-gauntlet/comment-page-1/#comment-441 Inez Newmann Fri, 04 May 2007 03:44:05 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2006/06/01/the-homeless-gauntlet/#comment-441 I say give if you can afford to.I realized by giving a buck to every beggar I saw I was giving $30 to $50 bucks a month and I simply cant afford that. I am a bipolar nurse without treatment,I was once homeless. It was very traumatic. To beg for help is dehumanizing. They make a sacrifice in the act of begging, so please give what you can. I say give if you can afford to.I realized by giving a buck to every beggar I saw I was giving $30 to $50 bucks a month and I simply cant afford that. I am a bipolar nurse without treatment,I was once homeless. It was very traumatic. To beg for help is dehumanizing. They make a sacrifice in the act of begging, so please give what you can.

]]> By: jacs http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2006/06/01/the-homeless-gauntlet/comment-page-1/#comment-440 jacs Mon, 05 Jun 2006 21:45:31 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2006/06/01/the-homeless-gauntlet/#comment-440 perhaps making a sandwich for each person once a week would keep the connection with these individuals- but not in a monetary way. i know you dont want to pretend that they are not there. i understand your compassion for these individuals. maybe on monday, one person gets a PB&J sandwich, wednesday someone else gets a cup of soup...... perhaps making a sandwich for each person once a week would keep the connection with these individuals- but not in a monetary way.

i know you dont want to pretend that they are not there. i understand your compassion for these individuals.

maybe on monday, one person gets a PB&J sandwich, wednesday someone else gets a cup of soup……

]]> By: Kristy http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2006/06/01/the-homeless-gauntlet/comment-page-1/#comment-439 Kristy Thu, 01 Jun 2006 16:58:23 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2006/06/01/the-homeless-gauntlet/#comment-439 I feel so similarly conflicted. On the whole, I'm not a change giver. I also feel uncomfortable with the "'sorry' and smile" method, and often opt to just look where i'm going if I can--just like I do with the people who try to hand me fliers. I feel awful. Sometimes I think, "I really want to give to those less fortunate. If I had to ask, I'd want someone to be kind to me." And then I think, "Giving this woman change isn't going to make her life better, even if she says she wants it for food." I have yet to try the "I'll buy you a sandwich" option. And *then* I get angry that someone thinks he is entitled to ask for some of my hard-earned money. Change in my life is often used for transportation. In those moments I feel a bit better ... I don't feel like I actually have 'spare' change, even when I have change. I am also wary of getting scammed. How do I know these people are really homeless? Especially the dirty white kids. I feel like I might be the subject of some sociology experiment, or just some kid out for larks to see how much change he can scam off the unsuspecting generous. My boyfriend, who was raised in the south, said he was taught never to ask people (especially strangers) for money, so he mostly gets annoyed that people have the gall to ask. Although sometimes he'll help a brotha out. Couldn't say why. All that said, I mostly only give change when I feel cornered, or when something says to me "this person will use this change for good." Did that help? I feel so similarly conflicted. On the whole, I’m not a change giver. I also feel uncomfortable with the “’sorry’ and smile” method, and often opt to just look where i’m going if I can–just like I do with the people who try to hand me fliers. I feel awful. Sometimes I think, “I really want to give to those less fortunate. If I had to ask, I’d want someone to be kind to me.” And then I think, “Giving this woman change isn’t going to make her life better, even if she says she wants it for food.” I have yet to try the “I’ll buy you a sandwich” option. And *then* I get angry that someone thinks he is entitled to ask for some of my hard-earned money. Change in my life is often used for transportation. In those moments I feel a bit better … I don’t feel like I actually have ’spare’ change, even when I have change.

I am also wary of getting scammed. How do I know these people are really homeless? Especially the dirty white kids. I feel like I might be the subject of some sociology experiment, or just some kid out for larks to see how much change he can scam off the unsuspecting generous.

My boyfriend, who was raised in the south, said he was taught never to ask people (especially strangers) for money, so he mostly gets annoyed that people have the gall to ask. Although sometimes he’ll help a brotha out. Couldn’t say why.

All that said, I mostly only give change when I feel cornered, or when something says to me “this person will use this change for good.”

Did that help?

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