Giving to strangers

[VisionofMilotic]

If you spot someone who says they are sick, homeless or hungry, and asking for donations, would you give?

I will give, if I can find something to spare. Most likely to do it when I encounter a beggar on the sidewalk corner downtown or hanging around the parking lot of a business, because I can go inside a store and buy some food for them, if they want, or get them cash back since I usually only have a credit card on me, instead of change. Though I was able to give to a lady begging on the road median recently from my car, because I happened to have cash in an envelope left from a Christmas present I could share.

How do you feel about gifting to people if such situations arise? While I have, I can understand if you don't, you just might not have it, or have concerns about scams, money being misused, potential violence from people you don't know, or maybe you feel it just shouldn't be your role to do this, or that it won't make a difference ultimately. There are many views on this, and thought it could make a worthwhile thread.

 

[Alex_Among_Foxes]

I used to pretty often, though not so much anymore. Not because of any bad experiences or changed views or anything, mainly just because the number of people doing it in my city has increased quite a lot over the years. While I can easily give to an individual in need, I can in no way fix whatever social issues are causing the massive increase in homelessness or those in need, and at this point, it feels to me like giving too much too often is only going to further encourage it rather than cause people to work towards any meaningful changes to improve the lives of the masses who need extra help.
In other words, if it's raining out and I have an umbrella, I'll happily share it with a person without one. But when there's hundreds of people all without one... *Shrugs*

 

[PoryKid575]

If you spot someone who says they are sick, homeless or hungry, and asking for donations, would you give?

If I happen to have spare change, absolutely. I'm not worried about violence, since it doesn't make much sense to attack someone giving you money. Scams exist, but in general I think American culture has an incredibly unhealthy fixation on people who "game" systems (both informal donations like this or eg food stamps); which causes many people in need to slip through the cracks due to the population being overly paranoid about scammers. Ultimately, I'd much rather help both a "scammer" and someone in need than let a person in need go hungry. I also consider myself an ardent Progressive and advocate for programs to help the poor / sick / downtrodden, and I would feel a bit hypocritical supporting that stuff in the abstract but refuse to help actual homeless people in front of me IRL.

 

[Setsuna]

I look at this topic and I think... I do have to admit that I'm not really one who's open to the idea of giving to a stranger in need on the street, I guess it's one of the things I'm more pessimistic about? I think it's very easy to hear that and immediately go "Wow, what an awful selfish person" so I'll take the risk.
I'm someone who's not very comfortable talking to strangers in general, especially if I'm on my own walking down the street or something, and I've had a couple moments on public transit where there's been a stranger who's felt unsafe to look at or speak to, like they'd throw hurtful words or even a punch or two. So I just generally have the mindset to stay away from strangers and stay in my own lane.
I've always thought it's safer to not carry cash on me and only pull it out when it's required, and usually take any spare change as an opportunity to hit up a vending machine. And with the time in my life I'm at right now, I don't think I have the money to spend on anybody else, I'm trying to not make the walls fall down around me. I feel bad saying that, but I guess in a way I kinda am just too focused on myself. I don't really ever feel I have the money to spend on other people, whether it's family, friends, or strangers.

But I do still like the idea of it, I think it's wonderful to give to the less fortunate, and I'll always think of how my dad has handled this kind of situation. I don't know if they still have them, but there were these little loyalty card kinda things on McDonalds coffee cups, you rip off the card, and each drink you buy has a sticker that you peel off and put on the card, you buy seven drinks and you get the next one free. He'd hand those out to people on the street, and he told me once that someone was really excited about the idea that he could get hot chocolate with it. It's one of those good deeds someone else has done that I'll still always remember. I wanted to still have some good vibes to add.

 

[Zeostar]

I've always lived rural and outside of the cities. I'm not accustomed to seeing homeless people.

When I venture into more populated areas such as cities and see the homeless population, I'm still unlikely to interact due to a wariness of strangers.

I'm less likely these days to give anything out. It feels people have become increasingly aggressive in behavior since COVID.

 

[Palamon]

I have never seen a homeless person, admittedly. Aside from beggars who looked perfectly clean and stuff with signs above their heads blocking traffic.

I don't have any money to give people. And, even if I did, I'm not the type of person to interact with strangers. You never know if someone is telling the truth or lying in these situations. So, tbh, probably not.

 

[𒈟Lavemu𒐫]

I have paranoia so i only really give if they pass the vibe check, which isn't often as i'm just a scaredy cat of a person ^^"

 

[ReKoil]

I have done so in the past. There was always a person selling the 'homeless newspaper' outside a supermarket that used to be here.
If I recognized the person I'd buy the newspaper and usually ask them for 1 product they'd like from the supermarket that isn't liquor or tobacco and get them that.
It was probably not much help as I only do my groceries once a week.

I haven't really seen them anymore since the supermarket got sold off and replaced by a different chain.

 

[Sheep]

Unfortunately I would not, and usually never have in the past either. I saw a homeless person tell someone giving them money "that's it? give me more" ages back and it has pretty much set the standard of how I respond when asked. Usually I'll just say I don't have change or just a plain 'no, sorry'. Plus as a woman I admit I am concerned for my safety since I never know how people will react to me stopping to listen or give them something. :(