Should We Give Money To Homeless?

[10pisabelle]

I do not think we should give money to homeless people for multiple reasons. These people might be using the money to buy drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol. Also, there are homeless shelters where homes are provided for people struggling to get a job. There are many job opportunities in America, even if they offer minimum wage, it's better than having nothing. The homeless community should at least put an effort in contributing to society, if they are physically able. It's not fair to have people expecting to live off of the money others work hard for. I know that it is difficult for many to find jobs, but that should not stop them from trying. Instead of giving out money to people you believe might be using that money for bad, you can donate to homeless shelters where you know what the money is being used for. If you see a homeless person actually struggling for survival, you can provide them with medical attention, or food and water. The homeless community can be helped in other ways other than giving out money to individuals.

[10plauren]

Giving money to the homeless is something that has been discussed often in many homes. If people are so afraid of what the homeless might do with the money they give them, there is always the option of food. You can give food to the homeless as a substitution. If the homeless person doesn’t want the food, there might be an implication that they are faking and are only looking for money. But on the other hand you can never really know for sure. Usually if I have any spare change in my pocket, I will give it to a homeless man I see on the street. There seems to be no harm in a few cents, and who knows, I might help them more than you think.

[10cadrienne]

There have been many case scenarios where I have stumbled upon a homeless person, and figured that loaning a dollar or some spare change wouldn't hurt. However, there is one particular homeless guy that I always seem to come across, and he's changed my point of view.

In order to commute to school, I take the L Train and the 1 Train (no surprise there considering we all take the 1). One day on the L, a homeless beggar appeared on my cart. I must admit: he had a provoking sob story, and I felt really bad for him. So what was his deal?

This guy said his name was like, Brandon or something, and that it was his 27th birthday. Sure, everyone loves celebrating birthdays... but not when you're less fortunate. He claimed, "All I want for my birthday is to go home." He said he was from Minnesota, and that he had a friend who lived there who offered him an apartment space. Now, all Brandon wanted was to earn enough money to purchase a bus ticket to Minnesota, so he could restart his life. He even said he only needed like, $25 left, and that he was open to any sort of donation. I felt bad, so yes, I ended up giving him some money. He seemed grateful.

Months passed, and I saw Brandon again, but this time, on the 1.

I was on my way home with a few of my friends, and I was on the opposite side of the cart from where Brandon entered. I didn't see him, but I quickly recognized his voice when I heard the same exact sob story. I was disgusted to discover that he wasn't really interested in a bus ticket to Minnesota, considering he gave the SAME EXACT SPEECH. I saw him approaching me, and I didn't bother to even hand him some spare change.

Yet again, I saw Brandon a few days later getting on the 3 Train, and I quickly got on. What did I hear? The same exact speech as last time.

I didn't know what he was using the money for. It could've been drugs, or alcohol, or something else, I don't really know. But, in the end, I saw it as nothing but greed.

Donating is great and all, but you don't really know what a homeless person plans to do with their money.

Honestly, every time I see a beggar on the train, I offer a bottle of unopened water, a granola bar I didn't eat as a snack, or maybe even a piece of fruit.

It's true that there are shelters in New York that offer necessities to the homeless, so why can't they just take advantage of that?

Honestly, if you see a homeless person on the street, you're better off buying them a meal at a fast food restaurant or a local food cart.

[6pkatherine]

The topic at hand can go both ways; however, I agree with the decision that we should not give money to homeless people. Saying this, I mean solely money. There are many people who ask for food or any other donations that could be given and I wouldn't mind doing that because I know I am helping the person opposed to helping a bad and hurtful habit or addiction that they have. Honestly, you never know what they can use the money for and I speak with experience. I was walking home with my cousin one day and a homeless man asked for money for train fare. My cousin offered to give him her metro card and he yelled at her, calling her stupid for not giving him money! I was in shock seeing that and my cousin was baffled, seeing the nerve the man had to yell at her when she was the only person to stop and help him.

Although this experience had shaped my opinion very strongly, not all homeless people are like that; however, many do have access to the general necessities essential at local shelters and food pantries. There are also organizations like the New York City Rescue Mission that accept money, food, or even a person's time to help the homeless people in need.

[10kolivia]

I believe it is very important to help the homeless. I think it’s dangerous to assume that every homeless person you pass on the street is an alcoholic or drug addict. Often times, their situation was brought about due to a stroke of bad luck, like the loss of a family member or lay-offs at their workplace, rather than reckless behavior. I do agree, however, that it is better to offer a homeless person food, like a granola bar or a cup of hot coffee than to give them money. If they refuse, it is probably because they were planning on using the money to support their habits.
The best way to help the homeless, in my opinion, is to volunteer. Every Saturday, my neighborhood center has a supper for the less fortunate, and we often end up feeding somewhere between 120 and 150 people. Providing the homeless with a hot meal and a community of people who care about them is far more helpful than giving someone $5. So next time you see a homeless person in the street, thin about giving your time rather than your money.

[6vjeremy]

There are so many mixed perspectives on this topic it can be difficult to stick to one. On one hand, no matter what, whether you're being scammed or not, if you do the right thing, that is morally correct and good of you, scammer's intentions be damned. On the other, why use money that you worked hard for in cases where people either dug themselves into holes or are trying to steal your money for their own benefit? In many cases, sadly, homeless people are using the money you provide them with to purchase drugs or other addictive substances to feed addictions. This is where I often try to find the middle ground. I rarely give money, but I do, however, always offer food when I can. I don't have much money on my person often, and if that money is being used for unhelpful purposes, then why not give something that cannot be wasted? I ask if the homeless person is allergic to what I have, and if they are not I offer them some of what I have. It's no different than if they were to actually use the money given them in other cases to buy food, and if it is refused it can generally be determined that they are not as desperate as they seem. Thoughts on this?

[6cdeniseclaire]

I just watched two seemingly homeless men piss drunk on the train. However, I refuse to believe all homeless persons are terrible and addicts. In fact, I follow HONY on Instagram and there was a post about this man with out arms on a power chair who lives in a homeless shelter. He was ale to find a home according to HONY, but he had a very unfortunate circumstance. I saw this man in the 42nd street station and stopped just to listen because... Well, I am broke. But these type of homeless people do not deserve whatever happened to them. If I ha the monetary means, I would go ahead and offer some to those who seem sincere. I don't believe in the whole "Gospel of Wealth" thing. I think helping individuals can change the world just as much as helping the world as a whole.

[3gterrence]

Giving money to a person who one knows absolutely nothing about is a terrible investment in any scenario. For example, most people tend to do background checks on charities before just donating; throwing money at a charity with no research on the credibility of the organization is stupid. That is why I believe giving money to homeless people is unwise. It is a lot better to just provide them with food or water, as these things have one obvious purpose. Money is anything one wants to do with it, and in the wrong hands it is often spent on the wrong things.

[10calexis]

Giving money to the homeless is perfectly fine in small amounts. It gives the public a feeling of "I just helped someone, that makes me a good person", and in most cases, actually helps the homeless person in question. I always give at least a dollar to any homeless person I see. I know that there are definitely scam artists out there, as well as people who will buy drugs with the money they receive, but you can't be wary all the time. I think it's best to sometimes give homeless people the benefit of the doubt rather than to distrust everyone. If everyone did the latter, it would probably be better for public morale and in turn, maybe make the world a better place. I know, that was extremely corny.

[10bsamantha]

I believe that it is important to help others and donate money, but sometimes, as stated above, we can't be sure whether or not the money is actually being used for good or if it is being used on drugs and alcohol. Sometimes when we see homeless people on subways or in the street we often feel bad and pity them. It is true that many times we are being scammed but sometimes it feels good to give back anyway. I'm not saying that I'm justifying any type of scam, but it is very hard to know whether or not the person is actually in need. I would rather donate food to a person who says they're hungry then give them money because that way I would know exactly what they're using my donation for. Yet, Who am I to judge a person on what they need or what they spend money on.

[3nkayla]

I have multiple views in regard to this topic. Although some people do just beg for money to pocket, there are many who are kind hearted and are so unfortunate to not have much in the world. These are the kind of people that it would be nice to help out. However, i have witnessed multiple times when i offer the homeless some of my food, they turn it down bitterly, requesting money. This is what I do not support, because in most cases, they will just use the money for drugs or alcohol, or if not, it just shows that they aren’t truly homeless because then they would have gladly accepted the food because I would imagine that any contribution counts when you are in a state of poverty like that. However, I do support musicians (some of which are homeless), and when they play for money in the trains, I always try to make some sort of a contribution because it shows they are making an effort to work for something. It also shows how passionate they are about something, and being a musician myself I always want to enforce the work of other aspiring artists.

[10pmadison]

Giving money to the homeless is a disputable topic. Many people argue that giving money to the is better than not giving money to them. However, I've had my fair share of experiences with homeless people. More often than not, the supposed "needy" use others' money for drugs and alcohol. The fact is that the majority of the homeless people we see in the streets and subway stations in NYC are alcoholics /drug addicts as opposed to people who can't afford their own homes and shelter such as veterans. The destitute individuals in NYC are actually well taken care of at some shelters and programs. Therefore, it is not worth our time or money to help these alcoholics and drug addicts when they are going to squander the money on more drugs and alcoholic beverages that can only expedite the degeneration of their bodies.

[3hsamori]

When it comes to giving money to the homeless, I think that instead of giving them money which gives them the choice to spend it on something destructive like alcohol or drugs; we give them something that will help them out in a positive way. For example when you see a homeless person on the train if you have some leftover food with you or just food you don’t want, give it to the homeless. The only materials that should be given to the homeless should be food, any type of beverages, clothes, or medicine for their sicknesses. If we use this method, it will lessen the chances of the homeless purchasing alcoholic beverages or drugs with the money that we donate to them. This lets us know what the homeless are receiving from us, but sometimes when I encounter a homeless on the train and they ask for money I have nothing to give them. I’m just as poor as a homeless man only when it comes to money but nothing else. Im not financially independent which means that the money I have isn't guaranteed so I have to be careful with the way I spend it. I know giving to the homeless is known as a good deed but for young teenagers who don’t have much in the first place its especially hard for them to give up anything that they possess. Honestly though this shouldn't occur in our country because we honestly have a large sum of money and we are known as one of the wealthiest countries on the planet. We just don’t spend our money wisely. This is what leads to such a large population of homeless people.