This past week, I happened to go along with my
co-workers to pick up our weekly food pantry supply from Gleaners Food Bank. Gleaners Food Bank gives our center large,
weekly supplies of food, which we then distribute to individuals visiting our
emergency food pantry. While I was
there, I noticed one of their advertisements.
It showed two people in conversation, with one person saying “No one in
America should go hungry.” Underneath this photo was this: People can’t eat your words. Put
your money where your mouth is: Donate to Gleaners Food Bank. I liked this
advertisement because I thought it was true.
Most of us agree with the statement that no one should go hungry in
America, but most of us are doing very little to alleviate the situation.
Consider the following statistics taken from
the Coalition for Homeless Intervention and Prevention:
·
Families are the fastest
growing segment of the homeless population in Indiana.
·
Although it is difficult to
get an exact count, there are roughly 15,000 homeless individuals in
Indianapolis each year. Yes, you read
that right – not Indiana – Indianapolis!
·
The average age of a homeless
individual in the United States is 7.
·
1:5 homeless individuals are
veterans.
·
40% of homeless individuals
have children living on the streets with them.
I’m sure we’ve all seen folks on the street
corners begging for change. Indianapolis
has installed eight boxes downtown to help homeless and attempt to control
panhandling. People can donate money in
the boxes and know that the money is going to agencies and shelters that
directly help the homeless, instead of worrying what a homeless individual
might do with the money if given in. So
far, the boxes haven’t been that effective in controlling panhandling downtown,
although they have raised about $12,000 for local agencies.
I’ll admit – I’m torn on this issue. My entire career has involved working on
inner-city poverty issues. I generally
think a better use of the money is to give to the agencies, rather than the
individual. That being said, there have
been several times in which I have given coats, gloves, umbrellas, food and
other needed items to the individuals I encounter on the street corners. I don’t always stop, and I never give money,
but my heart still breaks sometimes when I see these individuals – even though
I know that many suffer from addiction and some even are lying.
So my question to you this week is, “How do you
respond to requests from homeless individuals?
Would you be more likely to give money to an individual or an
agency? What should the government’s
response to America’s homeless problem be?”
Answers are due no later than Wednesday, September 10th,
2014. You must answer all question to
earn full credit.
I used to give money to people on corners, but after seeing the news how many of the people on corners have full time jobs and better houses than we do then i stopped giving out money because now i dont know who to trust. Also when i see you on the corner asking for food and money but youre wearing bright white sneakers, a kango hat, a gold chain, and a nice hikers back pack....then i just say come on now at least tear your clothes a little and rub your shoes in the dirt. I would definitely rather give money to the agency, that way i know my money is helping someone out and not used to buy peach fago and chico sticks. The governments response should be giving the homeless jobs at the fair grounds and jobs cleaning up highways and providing buses to take them to and fro to get them extra cash in their pockets and a better morale.
ReplyDeleteI normally would try to give money to the people on the corners because I never know what happened that brought them there in the first place. I always would think to myself "What if this was my family?" Some of these people legitimately have lost their homes, or lost their jobs, and they really need that money to survive. Even if its a small amount of change, I feel like I am still making an effort to help someone who needs it most. I feel that I would rather give money to the agency because I would definitely know where the money is going. Giving the money to an agency would also help people become secure about giving a bigger amount of money to help as well. The government's response should be figuring out different ways to help get these people off the street and helping them find employment. There are multiple ways that the government can help find things for these people to do to make money. It could all be done with putting in the effort. It just takes for the government to actually care about our people as Americans.
ReplyDeleteI have personally seen how these food shelters help the community. How ever I have seen the pan handlers in Indianapolis with Ipods and better shoes then I wear. I know this does not apply to everyone. Americans should help Americans that truly need help and support. The government programs to help these people are under funded and the its people are generally over worked. That is why our communities should be more involved volunteering and donating whatever they can. We send so much help everywhere else when it should start at our door step.
ReplyDeleteWhen I see homeless individuals, I feel bad and sorry about their living conditions. Along with the struggles they have to survive each day. I would be more likely to give money to the agency instead of the individual, because I feel like the individual panhandler would take the money because they just WANT it not because it’s a NEED in their life. Giving the money to the agency, they would be more likely to give it to the charity or to the shelter home where the homeless are in need. The governments should response to the American’s homeless problem. Give and support them with annually funds towards the many shelters in American thats helping the homeless with food. Maybe create a program to help homeless people find a job and home to live. Helping decrease the numbers of homeless people on the streets into homes.
ReplyDeleteI used to be naive and always give people on the corners money. One time I gave a man 10 dollars to a man who had a dog that looked hungry. I told him to get a bag of food for his dog. I then saw that same man a hour later going into a liquor store with his dog tied up outside. Instead of giving money now I give them necessities I may have in my car or a cheeseburger from mcdonalds. Majority of the time the people won't take it but some times I get the seem what to be truthful people accept my offerings. Also now I would donate money to an agency to help others who are in need. Our government needs to provide more support and help out more than they are. More agencies and work forces for those who are homeless should be created.
ReplyDeleteThe truth of the matter is that a majority of the individuals you see panhandling are not homeless at all. They are scam artists trying to take advantage of a bad situation that many find hard to ignore. Personally, I find it very frustrating when I see individuals claiming to be veterans needing assistance. All veterans have assistance from finding a job to getting a house through the VA. I usually want to stop and integrate those individuals and call them out for the frauds they are. However, I always roll up my windows and just ignore them. That being said, I would rather give my money to a government-ran agency that would be better staffed and have the capability of organizing different methods to help those who are really in need. The one and only time I ever gave money to a homeless person is because the man admitted to me that he was going to buy crack. His honesty was extremely important to me and I felt compelled to support his habit.
ReplyDeleteIn the second grade, I gave my lunch to a homeless man. And when I went to Vegas, I gave a girl some money because she had a puppy, but she more than likely used it for gambling instead of food for the dog. But other than that, I never respond to homeless people because I'm never sure if they're actually homeless and I don't carry cash. The ones I see here are just holding a sign and I never know. I would be more likely to give money to an agency because then I would know it would go to actual homeless people. As far as the government's response to homelessness, I just think they need to provide some more shelters and maybe figure out why people are homeless and try to come up with something. Not everyone is addicted to drugs or alcohol or unemployed.
ReplyDeleteI saw this video and thought it was interesting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THxtcWNw3QA
The last time I gave money to a homeless was when I went home to see my family for the holidays. It was Christmas morning and my mom wanted for all of us to go to church. We were waiting for a mass to end so we were out in a small courtyard at the church. A homeless man walks to a statue of Virgin Mary and kisses the statue and then he looks at me with a sad face and asked me for a dollar to buy a hot dog. I was like why not its Christmas and I felt like helping someone in need and I was at a church. So I gave him 2 dollars because its all I had, he told me thank you so much and God bless you and what not. Then when he took the money and started walking away I saw him pull out a wad of cash from his pocket. I immediately got really fired up, I was cussing out a storm, I started to walk towards him, he started to run I was like theirs no way your gonna out run me. My goal was to catch him and make an example out of him by beating the crap out of him, but my mom stops me and starts yelling at me because I caused a scene at a church. Took me a while to calm down but I finally did. Till this day I hope I see that bastard one day and take whats rightfully mine. So now I no longer give homeless people any money unless they entertain me because at least their making somewhat of an effort. I would rather donate to the agencies and not money. I will personally buy food and other necessities they will need. Because God only knows how much money will actually go to helping the homeless. I don't care what the government does because in reality they will do nothing. There so busy with helping other countries that hate us than helping our own American people. So why bother with them. It will all depend on the citizens and what their willing to do to help.
ReplyDeleteI have always been told its better to give food to the homeless than money, I've had a family member give a man food and he showed he had a full cart of food, but only wanted the money for other expenses, but I would rather give them the money than certain organizations who only give about 10% of their donations to their causes. I believe the U.S.should take more of a push to help the homeless instead of just food stamps and EBT, because I've known people who just use that to buy things that aren't even necessities. There should be more homeless shelters and help out there provided by the government.
ReplyDeleteWhen a homeless person ask me for money I usually give them some if I have any. I don't really care what they do with it and I don't think about weather they are really homeless. Some homeless people aren't really homeless and some agencies will lie to you as well. So I wouldn't say their is a better choice. I don't know what the government is doing to help the homeless but I think the government should help the homeless get jobs.
ReplyDeleteI never give money because i just assume people are going to use it to feed their addiction. I even had someone that goes to AI tell me that she would stand downtown and pretend to be homeless to make money. I do support the idea of donating to the shelters. My family also helps at Gleaners and Riley's ever year to either cook and serve food, or help organize their donations. I think the government should take some of their money they're using to pay all these stars, and famous people and out it towrdws giving and helping the homeless shelters so not as many havev to stand on corners begging for change.
ReplyDeleteI know there are those less fortunate than myself and i give what i can but they are just as capable as me to get a job.
ReplyDeleteI don't usually give money to individuals because of the fact that I really don't know where that money is going. I would be more likely to give money to an agency rather than an individual for that reason. I think that maybe the government should have people in shelters helping the homeless people get jobs so they can have a long-term solution to getting off the streets.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes down to it I have to feel led by God to give to a homeless person. I'd rather give the money to the individual because some business may not be as trustworthy as they claim to be. I feel that America hasn't put enough energy into our homeless people. I feel that they care more about the well-being of people from other countries than our own people... and honestly it pisses me off!
ReplyDelete