5 ms·
> The lessen for an average here is, imo, is give to homeless people but don't give more on a sob story, don't give only to a sob story. My solution has become
by skinkestek 7y ago
> The lessen for an average here is, imo, is give to homeless people but don't give more on a sob story, don't give only to a sob story.
My solution has become to give food if I want to give something.
Unless they are honestly trying to sell something legally or perform music or something (I really have a soft spot for anyone actually trying to work):
- If someone plays music I might once in a while give something along the lines of $5-10 if it isn't too bad. It actually brightens my day to walk by someone playing.
- Recently I also bought a magazine from a friendly old chap. I don't know how common this is elsewhere but in Oslo severely disadvantaged people can apply for jobs as salespeople for "=Oslo" which is a monthly magazine that is only sold by people like them. Based on my first impression (this months edition) I might very well buy again. The price is 100NOK which translates to just above $10 and for that price I got some actual journalism and I get to support a person who is in a rough spot but actually want to work.
- joe_the_user 7y agoMy solution has become to give food if I want to give something. Being on the streets can mess-up a person's digestion. A lot of homeless people won't take random food because they don't know if they can keep that food down - and, here in the US, you don't know if someone who hates the homeless might be trying to poison you.
- tatersolid 7y agoIn Chicago USA there’s a magazine called StreetWise that homeless can apply to sell for $2 a copy. StreetWise has been sold in this manner for as long as I’ve lived here (20 years).