[JohnG72]

You guys are completely wrong.

It's always a scam, typically to support an addiction. Every single time. There truly are no exceptions.

This is especially true of women and women with children.

It's got nothing to do with "helping a soul in need". Thats the type of thinking that enables these scum to prey on marks.

If you want to give up something of yourself, contact Salvation Army and set up a direct deduction of $5, 10, or $20 from every paycheck. Or donate to another organization that truly does "gods work" such as Children of the Night or Disabled Vets(DAV). Or better yet, donate some of your time to these organizations or a private non profit that feeds the homeless or something. These groups really need your money.

There is help readily available for women with kids...mostly from private organizations. While it may warm the cockles of your irrationally guiltstricken heart to give a couple bucks to a drug addict, you fail because you are actually failing to give that money to people and groups that could truly do good with it.

Actually the emotion laden responses from people in this thread sicken me. Theres a lot of good that could be done if each of you donated just $100 a year to one of the organizations I listed or to a church or non profit that services the homeless and poor. Instead all you did was contribute to the black market economy of Vegas.

[hockeygirl4]

Yeah I cleaned out my change purse in Seattle one time to a homeless person, and he turned around and asked for more. There had to be at least $1.50 - $2.00 in change that I gave. This year, if I get asked for money to buy food, I will personally go and buy the food for them, but I'm not just going to give my money out anymore in fear it will be used for something illegal. Sorry, but that's just my thought.

[bledsoe3]

Originally Posted by JohnG72

You guys are completely wrong.

It's always a scam, typically to support an addiction. Every single time. There truly are no exceptions.

This is especially true of women and women with children.

It's got nothing to do with "helping a soul in need". Thats the type of thinking that enables these scum to prey on marks.

If you want to give up something of yourself, contact Salvation Army and set up a direct deduction of $5, 10, or $20 from every paycheck. Or donate to another organization that truly does "gods work" such as Children of the Night or Disabled Vets(DAV). Or better yet, donate some of your time to these organizations or a private non profit that feeds the homeless or something. These groups really need your money.

There is help readily available for women with kids...mostly from private organizations. While it may warm the cockles of your irrationally guiltstricken heart to give a couple bucks to a drug addict, you fail because you are actually failing to give that money to people and groups that could truly do good with it.

Actually the emotion laden responses from people in this thread sicken me. Theres a lot of good that could be done if each of you donated just $100 a year to one of the organizations I listed or to a church or non profit that services the homeless and poor. Instead all you did was contribute to the black market economy of Vegas.

That was a bit harsh. If I see a guy in a wheel chair with no legs, I don't mind giving a little to help. If the guy makes enough to get a ride in a limo I still wouldn't trade places with him. I pick who I feel is worth giving to. If I'm wrong I'll never know.

I'll just play one less hand at black jack table.

[MomMom]

Good post John. Sometimes, I've found out that people are homeless because they want to be homeless.

And the families. Oh yes, parents gambling every last dollar they have and the kids are the true victims.

Las Vegas is the worst city in the country to be homeless. Not only do we NOT have the resources to take care of them, we have a city council and a Mayor who despises them.

In a city of excess, like Las Vegas, one can only wonder why these people, in fact, have no home?

I am reminded of a few years ago, I was stopped at the traffic light at the intersection of Sahara and Rainbow. A homeless man was walking up and down the rows of cars with a sign asking for money.

I had just gotten myself a Wendy's hamburger meal. I rolled down the window and handed my hamburger meal to the man, thinking that, if he's asking for money, he must be hungry.

He told me "NO", I need money"

I told him NO, I didn't have any cash on me and I proceeded on. He wanted money, obviously to buy booze, drugs or gamble.

Instead of giving out money freely, put yourself on the list at the Catholic Charity, or Salvation Army, to give out meals to the homeless, work the food line, etc. or make automatic donations as JohnG71 suggested.

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by bledsoe3

That was a bit harsh. If I see a guy in a wheel chair with no legs, I don't mind giving a little to help. If the guy makes enough to get a ride in a limo I still wouldn't trade places with him. I pick who I feel is worth giving to. If I'm wrong I'll never know.

I'll just play one less hand at black jack table.

Wrong. You just deprived someone who truly is in need of that money. By being selfish and figuring out how to asuage your own feelings of guilt rather than considering where the resources(money) could go to provide the most benefit. Those quarters and dollars add up.

[Sunnydee]

Originally Posted by JohnG72

You guys are completely wrong.

It's always a scam, typically to support an addiction. Every single time. There truly are no exceptions.

This is especially true of women and women with children.

It's got nothing to do with "helping a soul in need". Thats the type of thinking that enables these scum to prey on marks.

If you want to give up something of yourself, contact Salvation Army and set up a direct deduction of $5, 10, or $20 from every paycheck. Or donate to another organization that truly does "gods work" such as Children of the Night or Disabled Vets(DAV). Or better yet, donate some of your time to these organizations or a private non profit that feeds the homeless or something. These groups really need your money.

There is help readily available for women with kids...mostly from private organizations. While it may warm the cockles of your irrationally guiltstricken heart to give a couple bucks to a drug addict, you fail because you are actually failing to give that money to people and groups that could truly do good with it.

Actually the emotion laden responses from people in this thread sicken me. Theres a lot of good that could be done if each of you donated just $100 a year to one of the organizations I listed or to a church or non profit that services the homeless and poor. Instead all you did was contribute to the black market economy of Vegas.

A police officer confirmed to me that these people are scammers. He suggested a donation to Salvation Army as well. Each year we follow his advice and donate to the Salvation Army.

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by hockeygirl4

Yeah I cleaned out my change purse in Seattle one time to a homeless person, and he turned around and asked for more. There had to be at least $1.50 - $2.00 in change that I gave. This year, if I get asked for money to buy food, I will personally go and buy the food for them, but I'm not just going to give my money out anymore in fear it will be used for something illegal. Sorry, but that's just my thought.

If you buy them food at say a 7-11 make sure you open the package when you hand it to them. Otherwise they just try to sell it.

[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by JohnG72

You guys are completely wrong.

It's always a scam, typically to support an addiction. Every single time. There truly are no exceptions.

I have no idea why you would say something that is blatantly untrue. I have had quite a few instances where I have been on the strip and a homeless person will ask for me for money for food. I will admit I have been really drunk when I have done this, but I would tell them to come join me for dinner as it is on me. I have never seen anyone scarf down food like them. I will tell you something. I am very generous to the homeless because I used to be homeless myself multiple times. For a while, I was living in the backseat of my car, parking in the Luxor parking garage every night. I had no job, and was struggling to get by. Various kind souls did exactly what I am doing now. Really, you should not group everyone into one category.

[JohnG72]

People don't like to talk about the issue, but IMO it's one of the worst darkest secrets this nation has. Instead of handing a few dollars to a homeless addict, these people really need the money:

Children of the Night - Rescuing America's Children from Prostitution (http://www.childrenofthenight.org/home.html - broken link)

[enigmaingr]

I used to give spare change to homeless folks until I caught the same guy giving me the same story just two weeks later.

Truly, donating to an area homeless shelter is the best way to help the homeless. They are in the business of helping those that truly need and want help. Just think what those shelters and food pantries could do with all the money people throw away to the scammers. Even if you do happen to give to a truly needy person, the money you gave them could have been used by the shelters to help not just that one person but several others just like them.

Another thing to consider is that lack of money is not what landed most of those folks in the situation that they are in. More often, the homeless suffer from some sort of addiction or mental illness. Giving money in this situation will not change anything for most of them. That is, if these people suddenly had $100,000, they would still have the addiction.

Homeless shelters and agencies are in the best position to give the comprehensive care that so many homeless people need. Most of them need a lot more than just food and money.