Well, one reason there are so many homeless people compared in the U.S. (compared to Canada, Norway, etc.): In the 70's a law was passed giving people the choice to refuse mental help. If you care to remember the movies 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' and 'Girl, Interuppted.' they both deal with mental institutions in the 60-70's era. (One State, one private.) Both films made a point of having scenes concerning patients attempting to refuse medication. This was a valid point- but the law it instigated had repurcussions. Refusing medication, many seriously ill patients where basicly dumped at the soonest oppurtunity...hence the large homeless population today.
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Name : Kayt, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 14, City : Greenwich, State : NA Country : United States, Occupation : None...yet..., Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, I, too, was generous to the needy in the streets, until I realized I was, in fact, an enabler. I never give to the panhandlers and feel no guilt whatsoever about it. You may make note of a simple observation in the future. You will never see a panhandler in an area that does not sell alcahol near by, such as a 'dry' county. As it's been stated before, there are numerous reasons for the homeless to be homeless or the poor to be poor. Too numerous to go into. However, there are several programs that are meant to help and do. Work is the easiest thing to find if you actually want to. There is always someone willing to pay another for something they'd rather not, or cannot do themselves. It's called free trade. No one aspires to be homeless or poor, but several CHOOSE to be. It's called free will. Aside from the obvious cases, such as mentaly or physically handicapped, anyone can rise above any situation if they have the desire to. Many become complacent with the cardboard box and the curbside hand-outs. Just a thought.
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Name : Blanco Nino, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Christian, Age : 33, City : Fort Worth, State : TX Country : United States, I agree with some of these posters saying that not all are really homeless. My brother once gave to this man who later walked to his Benz and drove off. In Beverly Hills, you'll see panhandlers holding signs that clearly came out of a printer, with jeans cut with sissors. It's really sad that many have caught on to what is really a way of surviving for many, into some shady business.
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Name : Sweetyb27520, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 23, City : L.A., State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : student, web designer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Life is about decisions, make good ones........ Make bad ones.......... you should be able to fill in the rest. Life often is not about how much money you make, it's about what you DO with the money you make. If you did the right thing with the money you made on the street, it would not take long to get out of that situation...... yet, I see the same people month after month asking for money. I don't buy it, and will not support anyones habbit or self pity. Don't get me wrong, I am sure that there are genuine cases of bad luck, etc. that merrit this kind of situation, but how do you know which is which? I came from nothing, and now support myself and family with my own business. Work hard, and make good decisions, and 90% of those sort of situations will most likely dissapear.
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Name : phillip, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 22, City : Orange City, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Irrigation Contractor, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, I wept with shame at some of the responses. Im sorry but where is the compassion. I volunteer my time and despite living on less than £4000 a year I donate to charity and not a day goes by that I dont give something to a homeless person. You may work hard for every dollar you earn but for these people every cent is a step towards survival. Homeless people are stuck in a cycle, I wont explain why people become homeless as Im sure that has been answered but think what is the 1 thing you are asked for when you apply for a job - an address. No job = no money for a permanent address and no permanent address = no. Of course you believe every American has a chance to make something of themselves yu've never been in the gutter. I was homeless for 3 months relying on the kindness of others. In my country we have a wonderful thing called Big issue a magazine sold exclusively on the street by homeless people who buy it at 40p a copy and sell it fr £1 why something like thatr doiesnt exist in America I will never know as it saved my life. Giving to charities is excellent but sometimes people need a more direct hand as well. A sandwich or a cup of tea would be gratefully received if you dont want to give money. Just stop analyzing them, if you give away $10 and even $1 of that goes to a genuine homeless person you may have helped them find a shelter for the night or make a step towards a charity which can help them. Just think, remember bad things happen to good people as well and one day you could be thrown into that situation so just hope there are more people who give....
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Name : Ems25410, City : Enland, State : WY Country : United Kingdom, As this is supposed to be safe space where people can ask questions I won't be too harsh. First, I also make donations to organizations rather than individuals as I feel it is a safer way to help out. However, people become poor or are poor because people they count on die, they have had little support or opportunity in their lives, their house burned down, their business or farm went under, I could go on all day. Although this post intially made me want to scream I took a step back and thought that I hope you realize how fortunate you are not to know this answer or have experienced it first hand. I don't resent you for asking this question (or living a life where you didn't have to know this answer) but I do think you would learn volumes about life if you were to spend some time learning poor peoples' stories and getting to know them. Often they are amazingly sad stories but can be full of triumphs, fantastic relationships, and enormous efforts to overcome what they have faced.
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Name : Cindy, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 28, City : Rutland, State : VT Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I just read your post regarding homelessness and I just wanted to tell you that you have inspired me. I have never come across that particular quote from Jesus, but I absolutely love it. Thank you for reminding what Christianity is meant to be. It comes at a pivotal time for me.
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Name : jimmy barnett, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : gay but celibate by choice, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : non confirmed but desperatly seeking inner peace, Age : 41, City : macon, State : GA Country : United States, Occupation : hairstyist, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, We have an embarrasment of riches in this country, it's just not distributed evenly. When confronted with a homeless person or panhandler I think to myself 'there, but for the grace of God go I' and then I act accordingly.
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Name : galarneault, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 49, City : crystal lake, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Cust.Serv. Mgr, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, This reminds me of an Aunt -in-law who wanted to know why the women in Africa kept having babies they couldn't feed when birt control was so easy to obtain. Well I countered 'Sure they can just go around to the corner drug store'. Well everybody has a story about where they are and we need to help as much as we can. I personally have been out of work for 2 years. If not for my dad I would be on the streets too. Think about it folks, it can happen to you. And that corner drug store YOU have acess to won't give you anything!!!!!
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Name : Robin29596, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Presbyterian, Age : 48, City : Bastrop, State : TX Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I'm very young-looking for my age and small to fit, live in a city overriden with poverty and pan-handlers, so for the past couple of years, I've been an easy target. A particular gas station in my city sits on a street where most of the homeless people flock. Late one night, I went there to get gas when I was accosted by this one man, who looked like he needed a shower terribly, and asked me if I had a dollar to spare. I said no. And I really did not have a dollar on me. He gave me a sob story about how he hadn't had a bite to eat all day long. I said, 'All I have is a credit card, I'm sorry.' He persisted though. He said, 'You could go inside and use the ATM.' I said, 'Look, if you want to come inside with me, I'd be glad to buy you some food, but I'm not giving you my money.' He just sort of looked at me. I went inside, bought him a bag of chips. When I came back out and handed them to him, he just sort of glared at me, no thank you, nothing. He walked away into the darkness but I saw him drop the chips on the ground and just walk off. Since then, I have kept chips or some long-lasting non-perishable food like this in my car for this exact situation. It happens A LOT. If someone is truly homeless and pan-handling, they should never turn down a free meal. If a panhandler actually is homeless and in need, they need to learn to ask for the right things and accept the right answers. It's not my obligation to work long, hard hours to pay for someone else's misfortune. I was born with just as much money and opportunity as these. Unless you're rich by inheritance, it's not luck that you have what you have. It's hard work.
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Name : Aimee, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Quaker, Age : 20, City : Columbia, State : SC Country : United States, Occupation : programmer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Although the stories of people being 'conned' by poor/homeless people are very common and most of the time true-just think about this. If you had no living relatives or were in a different city from them, how many paychecks could you go without before you were out in the street? What if you had a bad illness that caused you to lose your job/health coverage? What if it was a chronic illness that kept you from getting a good paying job? Many of us are living near the edge, and it wouldn't take much to send us over the side...
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Name : Fran, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 42, City : Woodstock, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I would not consider you stingy because I do not give my money away either. However, I would consider you very ignorant to reality. Although there are many more opportunies to make something of your life these days, that has not always been the case. Most poeple are not porr by choice. No child has ever ask to be born into a broken home, with drug addicted parents, and no guidance. Your surrounding and influences have a great deal to do with who you are and what you are able to do. For many African Americans and Hispanic, these chances are few and far between. Although people hate to admit it, racism is still alive and there are still obsticles to be overcome by many. Many of the homeless that you may see are mentally ill, have not learned to overcome their obsticled, or youth that are truly lost. That is not a reason to judge them. Just thank God that you are fortunate enough to have the things that you do and if you don't want to give to them, don't. But, if you don't remember anything else, remember that everyone does not have a choice. There are many obsticles that some people have to overcome and if you take time to understand their situation you might have a change of heart.
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Name : T-Arroyo19508, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 23, City : Kansa City, State : MO Country : United States, Occupation : Managment, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, There are many reasons a person maybe homeless or poor. I had a friend of mine that was very young and homeless. Both of his parents were deceased and he has mental problems (genetic and developed due to circumstances). Other members of his family refused to take him in. There are veterans that are homeless. PTSD can wreck a peaceful life at home or having to leave your well paying job because you love your country enough to sacrifice everything (Vietnam and Iraqi vets). 1)There isn't enough housing for everyone. 2)There's not enough jobs for everyone. People must realize there will always be unemployment and with unemployment comes... 3) Not everyone that attends college and gets a degree (or two) will make a lot of money. 4) Sparing some change makes you feel good. Nothing feels better than giving a little change or taking a bit of what you earned to help the less fortunate because that could have been you.
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Name : Jesse, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 25, City : New Orleans, State : LA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
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