robot_parade

So. I gave a cute girl in front of Walgreens $15 cash a little while ago. She approached me as I walked up, and said "Excuse me, sir, could you help me out?". At first I thought that either she wanted me to buy her beer (she looked like she could be under 21), or it was some sort of scam. She proceeded to tell me that she was with her grandfather, and needed cash for "a prescription for antibiotics". She said the copay was $14, so I gave her the cash in my wallet ($15). She offered to buy something for me in return with her wellfare card (here in TX, wellfare recipients get a card...I guess maybe you can only buy groceries with it), but I turned her down, telling her to 'pay it forward' when she got a chance.

I'm interested by these exchanges. I have no idea if her story was true...but...really, if she was willing to ask, I was willing to fork over some cash. I don't think it mattered too much that she was a cute young girl (waaay too much make-up, though). I've been thinking about the situations in which I've given panhandlers money. Usually, if I have cash, and they ask politely, I'll fork some over. I once gave my gloves to a panhandler when I didn't have any cash, and I felt a little better about that than giving cash, but usually I'll just give them whatever cash I have handy if they ask. I know the arguments against giving them money, but really, I don't care.

What are your rules WRT panhandlers?

Cynthetiq

I see too many of them every day. I don't give them anything. I do talk to them as individuals from time to time. They are invisible to most people as they walk past to wherever they are going oblivious to these in need.

I walk past the Bowery Mission


There are many social programs to assist people here in NYC. Three of them are within 1 mile of my home.

I'm not sure what it's like for social programs in suburban areas, but in the urban setting, there's lots of non-government organizations helping people every day.

__________________
I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

robot_parade

Cynth: Well, I don't give much in the way of organized charities. I think if I did so, I'd feel 'balanced' by not giving to individuals. I think that, logically, it's probably more efficient to give to an organized charity than to an individual. Something to consider, but I've never gotten around to it.

Cynthetiq

Maybe you can try just volunteering, sorting or delivering food is needed often. Soup kitchens always need people to help out year round when most people tend to only volunteer during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Think of the hourly wage you get paid and know that each hour you're devoting to that group you're giving that much money to them.

__________________
I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

robot_parade

Cynth: I'm totally onboard with the idea of volunteering. I think it's an amazing thing, at a truly spiritual level. I do some volunteering, but not nearly 'enough'. OTOH, I don't spend 'enough' time with the kids, or 'enough' time doing chores and yard work, or 'enough' time getting work stuff done. I make about $42/hr (I'm a salaried employee, not hourly). Given my limited budget and relatively good salary (which never seems enough, given that my wife doesn't make an income), donations of money are far easier than donations of time. That said, those times that I have volunteered have been some of the most rewarding of my life.