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Freddie the Freeloader

Rose Pink

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RosePink

Sad but I would tell your son not to give strangers a ride as one never knows if they will turn around and accuse him of a crime himself.

Yes, I've had that discussion with him, already. He is a sweet, generous man and has had to learn some lessons the hard way. He put a friend's car loan in his name because the friend couldn't get his own loan. For a while the friend paid the monthly payments but you know the rest of the story. Out about $3600.
 

easyrider

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But most of the time I'll fling $1 to the poor unfortunate soul anyway as I mutter to myself There But For The Grace Of God Go I.

.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


Same here.
Should the person buy drugs, alcohol or whatever, it makes no difference to me.
 

Wonka

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We have quite a few homeless in Florida. They used to line the corners to a large outlet mall nearby with signs until a law was passed prohibiting such activity. There is still one homeless guy who lives in the woods by our nearest grocery in a strip mall. For a time he just sat on the curbing without a sign..no begging. When he did this, I would buy him a sandwich and a drink and simply hand it to him. I suppose I've done that many times. The last time I saw him he had a sign, so I stopped. Don't ask me why...I don't have a good reason, but if they carry a sign and bug me I won't help.
 

joestein

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When I lived in Queens (Part of NYC), I were once approached by a Man, Woman & Child who asked us to help them with their car, which had broken down. They needed $50 to get it towed and get home. I really had no money (was college student), but felt bad and wished I could have helped.

Around 6 months later, I saw the same family intentionally drive their car over the road divider in front of my house (I lived on service road to belt parkway) and start begging all the cars that drove by for money to help with their car.

A year or two later, I starting seeing the woman begging for money at the end of the exit ramp of the belt parkway. She had some sign saying she needed money for food or something and she walked with a very pronouced limp & twist. She begged there for years. I once saw here walking to her begging spot early in the morning and she was perfectly normal.

Joe
 
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joestein

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This topic makes me think of another story....

The is an organization called UHC (I think that is it) - The United Homeless Colitionion I think.

There were tables all over NYC with these empty 5-gallon water containers to collect money for the homeless. There was a news investigation that discovered these tables were rented by the UHC for $16/day to the people who manned them and asked for donations and those people kept all the money they collected. It was also discovered that the UHC spent all it's money on salary for the guy who ran it and spent less than $100/year on actually helping homeless people. After this story ran, the tables quickly disappeared. This was back in late 90s/early 2000s.


Well, this past year the tables have re-emerged, and there is at least one every block in Times Square. I don't know for sure if it is the same scam, but I think it is, as I see the same people at the same tables in the morning and late afternoon as I walk to and from work. Many of the people have a street person look and who can stand outside and ask for donations everyday, unless they are making money from it.

Joe
 

wilma

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The word is "entitlement".

Welfare, disablility income, housing assistance, medical services, food stamps, etc. There is NO stigma with receiving these entitlements - food stamps, AFDC payment, social security payments are all done electronically (either checking accounts or credit card-like devices).
Are you suggesting there should be a badge of shame, or people should be shunned for accepting assistance? Times are tough and people least expecting it may face a loss of job, health problems, etc. that sometimes requires help. I'm sure people have their favorite story of someone scamming the system but there are many more cases of people in trouble needing help and there is no reason to shame them.
 

vacationhopeful

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OP opening comments dealt with persons who were publicly panhandling, many aggressively and being very demanding.

This, IMO, is a cultural change which has been growing and accelerating in the last 10-15 years. Freeloading is another term. Mooching, a third term.

I personally have assisted NUMEROUS individuals. I have a lot of day to day contact with individuals/families in distress. Yes, there are people who have major problems not of their making. I have about $5,000+ invested in the Katrina family of 6 - my personal money and 2.5 years of time. The 70 yo woman with breast cancer who won't go to the food bank (because of shame) and waited 5+ years to get Section 8/HUD, except w/o a car, could not find a place within the time limit and lost her subsidized voucher (16 months ago). She still works everyday 2+ hours getting another senior dressed & feed every morning (by taking bus) (I gave her an air conditioner for her living room & installed it at the start of summer. This month arranged for her not to get a rent increase).

Just this afternoon, I was handed a note with the contact number for a homeless woman and her 5 kids. The go-between thought this woman's plead for help on Sunday was a joke (homeless woman told her I was ducking her calls) as we both have 5 + years of experience with her beginning with her expecting her first child and then her second child. Years gone from our radar as she moved out of the area when she was charged with truancy after her first little girl only went to kindergarten 15 days in 5 months. And she lived next door to her mom and dad.

The go-between now has over 10 years of employment at a "Head Start" center as child care worker after 15 years on welfare (after I testified against her in court 12 years ago). Some people do grow and change.

Oh, my grandfather ran the town's food bank/relief food during the Depression from his front hall - as he was a farmer and a member of The Society of Friends.
 

mamiecarter

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What About banks and financhal institutions?

It is free loading banks getting hundreds of billions of handouts I resent.
 
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