On the problem of homelessness and giving.
August 4th, 2011
Since moving to Chicago, I see a couple homeless people on the streets begging for money every single day. This isn’t a culture shock; I’ve been to Chicago enough to see and experience the begging of strangers on street corners even when living in Indiana. But still, to see beggars every day, I hate it.
And of course I never know what they’re going to do with money if I decide to give it to them. Are they really going to get some food? Are they going to drink it? Smoke it? Shoot it? What? So I never give. Anything.
I took a late train home from work tonight. It was company happy hour, so we all went out for food and beers and I hopped a train home a little after 7:30. I was a few stops away from where I get off when this man got on our train car from the one behind.
He had a cane, and I think he was missing all his teeth. I didn’t want to look at him (I try to avoid eye contact when people are begging), but the few glimpses I got showed me a man with a malformed face. He was going on, explaining his disease as if his mouth were full of stones. He couldn’t speak well, probably due to his condition. He said he was hungry. His voice sounded broken.
And I didn’t give him a thing.
I felt really guilty when he thanked us all even though he got hardly anything. He said he wanted to be a human being. He wanted to eat.
I always think that if I ever found myself homeless, I always had someone to turn to. Friends, family, others that I just “know.” But what if I didn’t have anyone? Where would I go? Where would I turn? Would I be begging in train cars for loose change?
What am I supposed to do in a situation like that?
Guy, whoever you were, I’m sorry. Maybe you only wanted to get high, but maybe you only wanted to eat something for dinner. And I let you down. We as a people let you down.
I am truly, truly sorry.
how can you think that you let him down? I find it tough to have compassion for those that are sit out on the street corner with laminated signs or if you see them one corner in LaPorte and then another corner one county over. Yes, I have seen it.
I know Jesus teaches us to give to the least of us, but still it is tough to have compassion for those that give you the air of doubt. The ones that make you think that they are going to just waste the dollar or two on booze or other items.
On the other hand, if you give your money to some charity. How will you know it is not wasted on huge salaries with little money ever hitting the street. I would rather give my cash to some place that will put them to work and those that really want to work will….
But that is the thing: you don’t know. You don’t know if it’s going to a boozer, or if 90% of your “charitable” contribution is lining some rich dude’s pocket in the name of overhead. No one knows. And what if you pass someone up that really needs the help, you know.
Most of the people I’ve seen don’t even have laminated signs. Instead, I just see them picking through the trash, eating the crumbs of potato chips left in a bag. :(
I would suggest carrying non-perishable food with you. Obviously you can’t be a mobile soup kitchen, but maybe some extra granola bars or pop tarts. If they really are hungry, they’ll accept food.
I was going to suggest the same thing that laterose did, or perhaps McDondalds or Burger King coupons, something to that effect. That way you know it can only be used for food.
It is hard sometimes to know if people are truly in need, follow your heart.
To give or not to give? I deal with that a lot when I’m in Chicago. Sometimes I do give, whether it be food or money. I don’t spend too much time thinking about what got them there or how they are going to use it. I do feel bad when I pass them by, but it is one of those things that you just deal with. There is no simply answer and I’m probably the wrong person to attempt to give one. So with that being sad, I’m out.