Do you or don't you? (Miami, Tampa: camps, restaurant, military)

[BucFan]

Do you give to panhandlers? I was for a short while - occasionally if I can, I'll give extra food/drink that I might have in the car when I'm stopped and they gladly accept.


To give or not to give: Should you hand over a dollar to a homeless person on a street corner?

[071402]

Yep

[BucFan]

last time I was at Panera outdoors St Pete and a couple went inside and picked up some to-go items and walked out to a older man sitting on the curb - thought that was cool - they tried to do it without drawing attention to what they were doing, but it was obvious - giving to others makes you feel good a lot of times- in Tampa and STP the homeless, some with mental issues, are everywhere, it seems - pretty sad situation.

[jambo101]

If i have some loose change i dont mind giving it to pan handlers ,i always think under different circumstances it could be me being in need of some one elses help.

[MAniacTHW]

Nope. I drive around often enough to see them with differing signs, or (my personal favorite) different kids.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

Nope. I drive around often enough to see them with differing signs, or (my personal favorite) different kids.

One day you might see seem walking to their nice Mercedes after a long day on the curb.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbcDdPsQeMA

[Charlie&Rose]

Food is better, money can be used for drugs or alcohol.

[ByeByeLW]

There was a panhandler working the bus stop- his mother died about 9 times in 2 weeks. Needed money to get to Miami , maybe about 10 bucks.

He’s still there but I don’t know what his story is now.

Another woman works a parking lot in Boynton. She doesn’t know anyone in town; she needs money for her kids. After 3 months in that parking lot she pretty much knows all the regulars!

There’s s woman who hauls some of her stuff in a shopping cart. She has a lot of stuff, that’s why I say some. Bags and bags- she camps out on a corner on Federal in Delray. She is soooo sweet. I’m sure some people complain about her being there, but it’s just heart-wrenching. Folks bring her food and water, take her to the restaurant down the street. She loves stuffed animals.

Then there’s an older gentleman on Military who’s in the same boat. He camps near a KFC but it’s hard to get him to take food. I’ve seen people approach him with buckets of chicken, etc and he turns it away.

[mrviking]

Originally Posted by ByeByeLW

Then there’s an older gentleman on Military who’s in the same boat. He camps near a KFC but it’s hard to get him to take food. I’ve seen people approach him with buckets of chicken, etc and he turns it away.

Must need "Gluten" free range chicken. life can be tough on the street with special needs.

[MortonR]

No. And as the recent article in the Times says:

To give or not to give: Should you hand over a dollar to a homeless person on a street corner? | tbo.com

I can see giving them food, but not cash.

I work downtown, and despite the best efforts of Bob and friends, they still panhandle on the streets during lunch hour. I don't like going into Gaslight Park as they're all over the place there, almost as bad as the Jehovah's Witnesses or Christian Scientists that sit at the entrance with their stand full of pamphlets. They congregate in the park because it's a safe place across from the Tampa Police headquarters.

My favorite is the approach at the gas station - "I need $20 for gas to get to my Mom's in (wherever). Can you help me?"

My response - "Sure, I'll put $5 of gas in your car, but I'm not going to give you money."

I think in the 8-10 times this has happened to me I've bought gas once. When they find out you're not going to give them cash they walk away. If that happens I'll go inside and tell the person at the counter about them.

RM