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Old 02-08-2011, 12:10 AM
 
5,697 posts, read 19,072,739 times
Reputation: 8694

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Okay this has been bugging me for a little while. In the past year I have seen an explosion of panhandlers in the South Bend and Mishawaka area. What's the deal? Yes I realize the economy is terrible. I am not a cold hearted person. I have had my share of bad times and very low financial woes. I donate to charity several times a year and so forth. I won't bother listing all my good deeds because I do them because... well I do. But I never took to the streets to beg. I really feel a big scam is going on here. When I first moved to the area there were a few that hung out on Cleveland and 933 but in the past year almost every corner I come to there are new people standing there. The corner of Cleveland and 933 now has 4 people. The latest is

Target parking lot in Mishawaka
Grape and 23
Gumwood and 23
23 and Day road
Cleveland and Ironwood (I think it's Ironwood)
Hickory across from Big Lots
Hickory and McKinley
Liberty and McKinley

The list will continue to grow longer as I can't remember all the places and I am slightly bad with street names. Again not be a cold hearted B but I can't figure out why the cops have not run these people off. This is completely dangerous! I see many cars stopping to give these people money, groceries and so forth. At Thanksgiving it was crazy. The woman on the island on cleveland had grocery bags lined up the road. I think this has caused more to show up and beg.

Here is what I noticed. One day while sitting at the traffic light on 933, a woman pulled up in a decent car (nicer than mine) and parked in the lot where Starbucks is. She waved to the woman that was standing in the road. The woman gave a nod and then after traffic cleared she walked over to the woman that pulled up in the car. They exchanged the sign and the woman that showed up took her place on the island in the middle of cleveland. Sure has heck looks like some sort of scam to me.

I understand there are a lot of religious folks in this area but I just get feeling these scammers are realizing what a good gig this area is. Basically taking advantage of the Christian heart so to speak. I am tired of sitting at the traffic light with someone giving me puppy dog eyes through my window while holding their sign. The other day it was lightly snowing out and the streets were very slick. I saw a South Bend officer lose control of his patrol car and ended up in a snow bank. It was a stressful ride home to say the least. Through the blinding snow I made it to the traffic light and low and behold there was a guy standing in the center turn lane with his sign. It really pissed me off because if I slid and hit this guy I would have killed him. I do not want that guilt for the rest of my life. The beggars got to go!
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Old 02-08-2011, 07:19 AM
 
Location: Western North Carolina
7,970 posts, read 10,537,946 times
Reputation: 18732
I have never understood why people give to these people. If they are truly in need, all they have to do is go to the nearest Social Service office and they will be helped.

As I've said before, more and more people do not seem to have any qualms about living off of the backs of others rather than being personally accountable. If you're giving, they're taking.

Then again: With so many employers cutting back positions to part-time, low pay minimum wage jobs, with no benefits, these people are probably doing better financially by panhandling.

If money does not begin to be invested on the "front line" of companies, instead of all at the top, you will see more and more of this.
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Old 02-14-2011, 02:56 PM
 
Location: South Bend, IN
8 posts, read 28,801 times
Reputation: 16
I've started noticing this as well! The other day, I saw 2 kids, well not kids but around 20 or so, walk from Castle Point..the nicest apartments in the area, to stand on the side of the road and ask for money. The ones that stand on Cleveland & 933 go to Starbucks and order expensive drinks throughout the day. I agree that something needs to be done!
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Old 02-14-2011, 03:09 PM
 
5,697 posts, read 19,072,739 times
Reputation: 8694
Quote:
Originally Posted by prayerfulhope View Post
I've started noticing this as well! The other day, I saw 2 kids, well not kids but around 20 or so, walk from Castle Point..the nicest apartments in the area, to stand on the side of the road and ask for money. The ones that stand on Cleveland & 933 go to Starbucks and order expensive drinks throughout the day. I agree that something needs to be done!
Thank you for commenting. I truly believe if people would stop giving handouts, the gig would be up.
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Old 04-30-2011, 11:45 AM
 
2 posts, read 4,062 times
Reputation: 10
I agree. I also feel bad for these people whose life choices and circumstances have led them to stand in the streets with signs, begging for handouts. However, I also know for a fact that if these people really had children to support and needed food, etc., there are certainly social services where these basic needs could very well be met. Unfortunately, it leads me to believe they either do not want to go through the societal hoops needed to procure social services, or they are wanting the cash for other things.
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Old 05-02-2011, 09:56 AM
 
5,697 posts, read 19,072,739 times
Reputation: 8694
I have seen a significant decrease in panhandlers lately. The police might be running them off now.
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Old 05-05-2011, 04:21 PM
 
Location: United States
2,497 posts, read 7,443,406 times
Reputation: 2270
Smoking crack will make you do anything, even stand on a corner with a cardboard sign. I like how it usually reads at the end "god bless". Good way to suck in the Xtians ti feel sorry for these lowlifes. I'm a generous person, if a guy asked me for money, I'd rather take him to McDonalds and feed him. You give these people $$$ you dont know where it goes. Up their nose probably.
If I were truly homeless I'd hitchhike to the west coast where it's warm, that's common sense. So I dont believe these people are homeless or needy, just lazy.
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