The debate has come up in San Francisco once again*. Let me summarize:
- Position one “Don’t support panhandlers”: Panhandlers are often not really homeless, and they use the money to buy alcohol, drugs, and support other vices. The services they claim to need are provided by local agencies, but they don’t go to those agencies because they want the money for other things. Further, panhandlers are bad for local business and tourism, as they make people uncomfortable. Rather than give change to these people, you should support local agencies working to help the homeless.
- Position two “Follow your compassionate instincts”: Painting all panhandlers as addicts is a terrible stereotype. Giving money to the poor is part of many religious traditions, and we should have compasion for our fellow human beings. These efforts to curb panhandling are part of an unjust “war on the poor,” which is especially atrocious in light of the government’s contribution to creating poverty in the first place.
The San Francisco effort is to turn parking meters into “Homeless Meters” where the change is given to local agencies providing services. When the same idea was launched in Denver in 2007, coverage was positive, but the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the meters have raised only $15,000 since then.
But here’s my question: forget for a moment government policies that create or alleviate poverty. For the moment, poverty exists and panhandlers are out there. So what do you say to your children when passing panhandlers on the street? Panhandlers holding signs that say “please help” or “Will work for food” or something else that tugs at your heartstrings? I’m waiting for they day when my kids ask me “Mom, why is that man asking for money?”
This is one question I don’t have an answer for. In all sincerity, I ask, what do you say?
*I found this article when Stacey Monk referred me to alltop, which led me to the blog PhilanthroFlash. I’m happy to say that The Philanthropic Family was recently added to the nonprofit page on alltop (scroll way at the bottom). Great way to track all your favorite nonprofit sites in one place.
Tags: charity, homeless, homeless advocates, homeless meters, panhandlers, philanthropy, San Francisco
May 23, 2008 at 6:04 pm |
I do not agree that you should give money to fund another persons drug problem. I don’t think you should trust the person on the street who asks for money very often they have more money than you anyway and make a living out of it. I know that I would feel uncomfortable walking into a shop where someone was begging outside it. In my home town we get beggers sitting by the cash machines asking for money and I hate it. I don’t mind giving money to the homeless but, I do it through the right channels and organisations that are set up to help legitimate people who need the help. Or I will take someone I think is homeless for a coffee or buy them a coffee in a plastic cup and a cake or sandwich. I will not give money to them. I am Christian, but I won’t give money to people who I think are going to use it for drugs because that is just fueling a problem. I will tell my daughter that most of the time they want money to buy drugs and you are not helping them, but making their problem worse. I will also tell her the organisations set up to help. There is no need for begging anymore. However I can usually tell when someone really needs help and as I said before I will buy them something instead of giving the money outright to them.
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May 24, 2008 at 1:23 am |
[...] Should you givemoneyto panhandlers? [...]
May 24, 2008 at 5:19 pm |
Thanks, Melissa. I think you’re right that compassionate human judgment about individuals rather than a sweeping generalization about all panhandlers is the best course. I also know someone who carries McDonald’s gift certificates in $1 increments to hand out.
June 5, 2008 at 2:42 am |
Twenty years ago, I asked this question of a mentor of mine when I first started working as an urban community organizer (I grew up in small town). He was someone who worked all his life with poor farmworkers and gave me an answer that went something like this: “All day people give their money to all kinds of businesses and companies when they buy things and we don’t really ask if they use their profit in ethical ways or if they treat their workers, spouses, or children well. For all we know they may be abusing drugs or alcohol with their wages or profit. But when an obviously poor street person asks for our spare change, we ask them to submit to a much higher morality / good behavior test. I would rather err on the side of compassion each time I am given the opportunity to share with someone who obviously needs help instead of holding back for fear of misuse of my spare change. If someone does use it for drugs, alcohol that is sad and unfortunate, but I give him or her the same freedom to make the same mistakes as middle class or rich people.” Since then, I give whatever I can when asked, look whoever is asking in the eye and ask them to “Take care.” I also often ask my children to do the giving as well and to look the person in the eye and to smile. I notice that people will walk past a panhandler or poor person without looking or making eye contact, why do you think that is the case?
June 5, 2008 at 8:26 am |
Yin, Thank you for pointing out the different standards we hold the poor to. Your compassion is quite moving and I appreciate your comments very much.
I suspect fear is the biggest factor that keeps people from looking panhandlers in the eye. But fear of what?
October 16, 2008 at 4:17 pm |
Wonderful thoughts on an important question, Sharon. Thank you for this thought-provoking post.
I so appreciate Yin’s loving approach. It gives me a new perspective on giving to the homeless. It also made me think about how some Americans resent the government giving “handouts” to the poor, therefore, it would make it our responsibility to look after one another more attentively and caringly.
I lived in Los Angeles for several years and had many occasions to grapple with these thoughts. My resolution was to keep food in the car and offer it when I met people in need. Sometimes, people in need hung out near a grocery and I would buy some extra food while shopping.
To Melissa, in particular: I heard a very moving story on NPR the other day. A family wasn’t able to make ends meet and the wife made the decision, one that she found humiliating, to panhandle. Her story had a happier ending, but it’s an experience that made her – and the listeners – put more charity in our thoughts about the individuals holding cardboard signs at stoplights.
Here’s a link to the piece: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95670969
Thank you for a wonderful blog, Sharon! I look forward to being a regular reader!
January 12, 2009 at 5:29 pm |
I think only a limited money like five dollars should be permitted at maximum.
April 22, 2009 at 11:27 am |
[...] incident brings a couple questions to mind. Will I give again? And would he have shared the winnings from his lottery scratch with me? I can only answer the [...]