Teenagers asking for basketball donations in Buckhead - bad experience

[Tryska]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I ran into some kids begging for money who were only 10-11 years old. It was nearly 9 pm and I was concerned about their safety.

They had no idea what basketball camp they were supposedly raising money to attend. When I asked them how they got there they said "Our coach dropped us off" but they didn't know (or wouldn't say) the alleged coach's name or when or where he was supposed to pick them up. I am 99.9% sure they were being used by some older person.

Very sad.

Yep - there is usually some Fagin in the background dropping them off at Shopping Centers and or corralling them around MARTA. It is terribly sad. I do wonder if it isn't the best idea to call the cops and have them picked up. I'm really not sure what else to do about it.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Tryska

Yep - there is usually some Fagin in the background dropping them off at Shopping Centers and or corralling them around MARTA. It is terribly sad. I do wonder if it isn't the best idea to call the cops and have them picked up. I'm really not sure what else to do about it.

I talked to both APD and the MARTA police (mainly because I was worried about kids so young being out like that) but both said there wasn't much they could do. Although they could shoo them off or even try to take them home, it wouldn't do much to solve the problem. If it was just a matter of getting them home I would have been glad to do that myself but of course that presents its own set of issues.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I talked to both APD and the MARTA police (mainly because I was worried about kids so young being out like that) but both said there wasn't much they could do. Although they could shoo them off or even try to take them home, it wouldn't do much to solve the problem. If it was just a matter of getting them home I would have been glad to do that myself but of course that presents its own set of issues.

I don't understand why the police can't help with that situation...it might influence those kids toward the right path to be taken home and turned over to their parents for begging on the streets. I'm sure some parents wouldn't care but some would, and at that age would be able to do something about it hopefully.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by JoeTarheel

I don't understand why the police can't help with that situation...it might influence those kids toward the right path to be taken home and turned over to their parents for begging on the streets. I'm sure some parents wouldn't care but some would, and at that age would be able to do something about it hopefully.

I agree. But unfortunately, as we have all witnessed in the past few months, police are seen now as law enforcers instead of community helpers. It's really a shame. They have such a great opportunity and position to really help.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by JoeTarheel

I don't understand why the police can't help with that situation...it might influence those kids toward the right path to be taken home and turned over to their parents for begging on the streets. I'm sure some parents wouldn't care but some would, and at that age would be able to do something about it hopefully.

I'm sure there are plenty of individual policemen who would help and some of them probably do.

However, if they are working a regular week and maybe doing some extra private duty somewhere, they don't have a lot of time for babysitting.

I don't blame them for that at all. In fact, most of the rest of us are the same way. You want to help stabilize these kids but it's not an easy problem to solve if they are not getting the necessary support at home and in their local community.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by arjay57

You want to help stabilize these kids but it's not an easy problem to solve if they are not getting the necessary support at home and in their local community.

You know what's a good way to build community support? Hold a fundraiser in which people can throw some money your way in exchange for a good or service, while at the same time learning about how your team, or band, or organization benefits the community.

[ElleKaye]

Aside from Boy Scouts selling popcorn on a table outside Kroger, I pretty much assume they are all lying. The most frequent ones I run into are selling peanut brittle for some such. Whether or not I donate regardless of what I think, depends on how I feel that day. I never take the candy though.

My stock response when I chose not to is saying I never carry cash, flash a smile, and keep walking. I have also said I already gave to you a while back.

I have not been cursed at since the 80s, but I was young and found it unsettling so OP, I understand how you must have felt. Still, there is not really anything that can be done about it. Cursing while rude is not against the law.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by ElleKaye

My stock response when I chose not to is saying I never carry cash, flash a smile, and keep walking.

This is how I respond to bums. Works like a charm.