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the homeless
zombiegirl
beating the drum of the lifelessin a dry wasteland Veteran
i live in a big city with lots of bums. you can't even walk downtown without running into at least 3 with some sort of schtick. sometimes they just ask for money, sometimes they have a lie ("my car just broke down...i need bus fare"), sometimes they intimidate you or try charging you for things that are free (like, parking on the street).
i imagine all of this is pretty much the same in other big cities with many homeless. that being said, i usually don't give them money. money is in very short supply for me as well. but my basic question is whether it is better to give or not?
i had a pretty heated argument with a friend of mine the other day about it. she discussed how disgusted she felt about bums and how she thought they were lazy ("there must be something they can do..."), etc... i argued that she felt that way because she was lucky enough to come from a family that can help her when she falls on hard times. i suspect most homeless don't have anyone to help them and that is why they resort to violence and theft. they simply have nothing to lose. most americans are really just two paychecks away from it all falling apart anyways. without a helping hand, i think i might have been living on the street by now as well. i try really hard to continue to respect the individual and see them as no different than me, probably just dealt a worse hand. although it is true that many are either insane or drug addicts, so there is a certain amount of caution, naturally.
eventually though, we determined that it was dumb to argue about it at all seeing as we both tend to not hand out money. so our views may differ, but the reaction is still the same. this made me wonder, should i be giving out money more often? am i just as jaded as my friend is, growing up in a big city surrounded by this all of her life? usually, i just never carry cash on me but that isn't the only reason. plus, there's always the wonder of whether or not they will spend it on food like they should... last week i gave out $17 to a woman who was homeless but was proactive about raising money to support the shelter she was staying in. it's really only because she convinced me though.
so, what do you guys do? i am mostly concerned about the "big city folk" here. before i moved here i almost always gave money to the homeless, it was so rare i saw them. if i did that now, i would definitely be broke.
i just wonder, what does buddhism teach about these types of situations?
i imagine all of this is pretty much the same in other big cities with many homeless. that being said, i usually don't give them money. money is in very short supply for me as well. but my basic question is whether it is better to give or not?
i had a pretty heated argument with a friend of mine the other day about it. she discussed how disgusted she felt about bums and how she thought they were lazy ("there must be something they can do..."), etc... i argued that she felt that way because she was lucky enough to come from a family that can help her when she falls on hard times. i suspect most homeless don't have anyone to help them and that is why they resort to violence and theft. they simply have nothing to lose. most americans are really just two paychecks away from it all falling apart anyways. without a helping hand, i think i might have been living on the street by now as well. i try really hard to continue to respect the individual and see them as no different than me, probably just dealt a worse hand. although it is true that many are either insane or drug addicts, so there is a certain amount of caution, naturally.
eventually though, we determined that it was dumb to argue about it at all seeing as we both tend to not hand out money. so our views may differ, but the reaction is still the same. this made me wonder, should i be giving out money more often? am i just as jaded as my friend is, growing up in a big city surrounded by this all of her life? usually, i just never carry cash on me but that isn't the only reason. plus, there's always the wonder of whether or not they will spend it on food like they should... last week i gave out $17 to a woman who was homeless but was proactive about raising money to support the shelter she was staying in. it's really only because she convinced me though.
so, what do you guys do? i am mostly concerned about the "big city folk" here. before i moved here i almost always gave money to the homeless, it was so rare i saw them. if i did that now, i would definitely be broke.
i just wonder, what does buddhism teach about these types of situations?
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Comments
Working with a trusted local organizations can help assure that the energy you're using is efficient and well targeted.
With warmth,
Matt
Wow, Matt, that's a really good idea and really well put.
Mtns
I have had a couple of negative experiences with the homeless in my old city but overall they were positive.
I did give when I could, bought when they were selling handcrafted items, and the least I could do was acknowledge their existence when they spoke to me. Which is more then a lot of people do.
A teacher of mine would knit scarves, socks, and mittens when she was living in Toronto during the winter months to give to the homeless there.
You can do a lot of things without actually doing much.
In any case, sometimes I give money to people on the street, and sometimes I don't. Either way I treat them like human beings and respond respectfully. I don't ignore them or pretend I don't see them. You can say "Sorry, I don't have any change" or simply shake your head and keep walking.
I agree with the suggestion to volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen, directly benefiting the less fortunate and being in a humble service position. I do my volunteer work through HandsOn Greater Portland, and you can check their national website to see if there's something in your area. It's a fantastic organization that makes it easy to sign up for projects and help people in your community.
Sometimes when I see a homeless person stand outside the supermarket begging, I do my groceries but I buy for example a banana, apple or something else healthy extra. It does not cost anything, like twenty cents or something. They can't spend fruit to buy drugs, it gives them some very needed nutrition, plus it's not bad for the environment (littering etc.)
I always look at them as human beings. Stay kind and friendly.
However, I haven't gotten myself into the habit of giving money to total strangers just because they ask. Maybe I'm wrong...
"Hi I am Jim. I am homeless but I live clean. I do not do drugs or drink. I am truly homeless. Anything you can help with is appreciated".
So that night I saw "Jim" I was telling some friends and they pretty much concluded he was a panhandler who probably had a home or really was a drinker ,etc etc...no one truly had any compassion for him because of his sign as I was describing it.
So the next week I was going in to the city an hour earlier than usual .
I see a person lying on the side of the street in a little grassy area on a bunch of cardboard. Lo' and behold....he was sleeping on his sign. It was "Jim".....
So over the next few days depending on traffic I would arrive within a 30 minute timeframe. Each time...Jim was either sleeping or he had woken up and was holding his sign by the traffic.
I started giving Jim a buck each time he was there and I drove by.
I am not sure about the point of my story here....not sure why I shared it ...maybe to help change in the slightest way the perception of the homeless (or as some people eloquently put it "bums").....I don't know.....just wanted to share it I guess.
Not all homeless people are the same.
Some are former vets who choose to wander. Some are junkies. Some are insane. Some are people who want to work, but lost their income and had no one to turn to.
With warmth,
Matt
And this one time, I was vacationing in Portland Oregon, and while I was parking late at night, I stumbled across four homeless folks who were comparing notes on which types of signs (no jobs, mother sick, need bus ticket home , etc) was the most effective. These were young people who were living the bohemian dream... i guess you can say they were having a 'marketing meeting'.
Anyways, sorry for the rant, but personally I like to help the less fortunate. However, giving handouts and freebies don't necessarily help them other than to feed their cycle of homelessness. Instead, I think it is better to give to an organization that do help the homeless get back on their feet.
Peace
Normally I would be inclined to give homeless people clothing, food, water, these sorts of things. Often money is used to fuel a habit they may have be it alcohol or drug use.
I realise now that if I put some food in a bag along with my rubbish, he will find it in hte bin. This is how he operates then so be it.. I am still helping the guy in his own way I guess..
These are people just as much as you or I, they are just unlucky on life and are more often than not suffering due to it. They should not be seen as an eye sore or a problem that needs to be hidden away, they are human beings.
Tom
That was a very kind gesture. Perhaps he was the one who felt embarrassed or ashamed, or maybe even afraid. Since it sounds like he may have some mental issues, maybe he was confused about who you were or what was happening. There are so many possibilities, but you shouldn't worry about that. The important thing here is you treated him like a person, someone who deserved to be free of suffering. It was very thoughtful of you to show him kindness.
Maybe next time you could put things in a bag next to the bin or on top of it, instead of inside it. That way it might be more separated from the actual garbage.
Yup, that sounds about right. Welcome to Portland
We have a big problem with homelessness (and joblessness) here, but there's also a large population of gutter punks and street kids. They are almost always separated from the majority of the homeless people in town, and are much more aggressive in their panhandling. I work in an area close to some squats, so everyday I see them carrying cases of beer and box wine down to their spot under bridges and whatnot. [I guess this only furthers the stereotype that the homeless are all addicts, but I'm only referring to a particular sub-culture of the homeless. And of course, it doesn't refer to all of them.]
Now this is a bit off-topic, but what really kills me is when they have pets. It's part of their "fashion," commonly a pit bull or a mutt - or worse, a cat / kitten, tied with a leash to it's owners gear. It hurts me so much to see people make a choice to be homeless (and yes, some of the younger generation really are voluntarily living on the streets), but I believe subjecting an animal to that kind of lifestyle is extremely cruel. It's one thing if you had a pet and became homeless and were forced to take it with you, but since they typically have young animals, I know this is not the case. The animals are invariably thin, sad looking creatures that look so pathetic - even more so when weighed down with packs and gutter punk junk. It's extremely sad to see.
Homeless people is just one of many many problems in society and we can all do something little to help the situation I am sure
Tom
One of the first times I was in China was at a train station in Shenzhen just as you entered from Hong Kong. I was greeted by teams of little kids all begging for money. They all looked so sad. But my 'guide' told me not to give them any money or they will follow ou yaround and attract even more street urchins.
It was sometime later that I found out 'organized crime' recruits these kids and also handicapped people to beg on the street. Man's inhumanity to man is truly sad... let alone man's inhumanity to pets. It was like the musical Oliver except I doubt anyone was singing any happy tunes.
I have also seen homeless people with pets but for the most part the pets, usually dogs, look well cared for. Some of the signs say, please give a little something so that I may feed my dog. What does that tell you about a society that is more sympathetic to a dog's hunger than a person? I don't want to pass judgement on homeless people, with or without pets, but using an abused animal to get sympathy and for economic gain is pretty low.
peace.
i appreciate a lot of the suggestions here. i used to volunteer for a "soup kitchen" where i used to live and that was... an interesting experience, to say the least. i wish that i could have felt more buddha-like, but i think it really just made me feel more fearful if anything. can't tell you how many times i was verbally assaulted (mostly in a sexual manner). i was frequently accosted while going back out to my car, so i began being escorted. i blame my sex and stature. i'm a small girl, anybody could look at me and know that i am not physically built to fend off an attack of any nature. over and over again in my life i have attracted predators. i have no idea what is up with this, but i have had 3 serious stalking incidents and have had to leave jobs before. it's irritating, but my only real explanation is my build and possibly my genuinely nice nature. i seem to open a caring door for people that most others don't seem to. i struggle between keeping an open heart and building a wall for safety.
but anyways, i would love to help... i just have a lot of scary memories that seem to keep me from taking that next step. i don't think badly of homeless people. i know a lot of them have mental/drug problems that make it difficult and explains why they do not behave in the same manner that "most" of society behaves in. i just want to keep myself safe. perhaps the situation would be different at another location though, so i might check it out after all.
i appreciate the stories and comments given here. i realize that some homeless are definitely swindlers... lying to try to get money... but i would still like to help them nonetheless. just not exactly sure how. even if i give food, it just makes me think, "give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. teach a man to fish, he'll eat for a week." so it just seems a temporary fix, attacking the symptom not the problem. but then again... maybe i should try to just think small instead of saving the whole world, heh.
My reply was referring to a specific subculture in my city, and I was trying not to make sweeping generalizations about all homeless people with pets. I know that some animals are strays and may gravitate towards the homeless, seeing them as a source of food or protection. I don't have any problem with that. My problem is with people who think of the animals as an accessory, or (as hello pointed out) specifically seek out animals to garner sympathy.
Not a problem, I thought you would like to know. It's just a demeaning term, making them seem like useless or lesser people.
I'm very sorry you had that experience, and you don't need to blame yourself. It's wrong for anybody to verbally assault or intimidate you. If you do attempt another service position at another location I do hope that you don't encounter the same problems. Maybe it would be helpful to talk with other volunteers about any problems or issues they've had and how to deal with them.
I think that's something that many people have struggled with. It takes a lot to get to the point of being completely open and vulnerable. It's not easy, and certainly doesn't happen overnight. I know that I struggle with that as well.
You're right, it is a temporary fix. The real problems are the underlying causes of homelessness in our society - lack of employment opportunities, the scope of social services, the mental health industry, societal attitudes towards homeless people, etc. There are a lot of factors that contribute to the homeless population in America, and I think it's important for these issues to be discussed and worked on with compassion.
The most important factor is a genuine desire to help people and alleviate their suffering. One individual may not be able to solve the problem, but if you're doing your part to help others, it's a step in the right direction.