To want to help this homeless man?

[chicaguapa]

There's a homeless man who's always sitting in the multi-story carpark, though he has to leave at night when they close it. I've spoken to him a couple of times and tried to treat him with respect. He seems to be in touch with his family as he said he used to busk but someone stole his drums, so he's asked his mum to get him some more for Christmas. He said he can't get a job as he doesn't have an address.

What can I do to help him? I'd like to take him something for Christmas but not sure what I could do. I often think about him and it's been so cold lately at night.

£5 vouchers for Gregg's. C'mon. It's just virtue signalling in the extreme. Why not a DD to a homeless charity that can actually do something to help?

Did you see the post I added to say I have a direct debit to St Mungos and the Trussell Trust? I'll help in ways I feel I can, thanks, no virtue signalling from me. The idea came from a local FB group where they were talking about cafes who offer a service where customers can pay in advance for a coffee for a homeless person which wasn't offered locally. Someone suggested it as an idea.

Get off your high horse, at least I'm trying. If they don't want the gift card, fine, I'll give it someone else, but noone's said no to them yet.

I give money because I know myself. I know if I were ever in that situation, I'd want money because a) I'd like to retain the shred of dignity in making choices for myself and what I'd require at that moment in time and b) I'd probably choose alcohol or spice to get some release from the hell of living rough so how could I judge anyone else? And c) I don't like sandwiches and I can't eat most of the fillings due to my diet. That wouldn't ever change.

I know someone who made a couple of local homeless men her pet project and would take scrappy leftovers from functions to them then tell everyone what wonderful grateful men they are- well spoken as well (why wouldn't they be?) and sleeping on the outskirts of town as opposed to the centre 'where all the beggars are' and always finish with a lecture to never give money, but follow by her example and give food. Once she went to the cinema and gave the men some popcorn on the way home ffs.
Then one day she encountered them and they'd clearly been fighting or attacked in the days previous but when she didn't receive a satisfactory explanation from them, and when they refused her offer of calling an ambulance there and then, she became convinced they must be con artists and now warns all her friends to avoid them as they're dishonest scammers. All along it had been about her ego, not genuine concern. That's how I feel about most people who brag about giving food and drink to homeless people. Just give some money or don't.

formerbabe Where do you think this rising violence against the homeless is coming from? its all a part of the rising tide of intolerance of the vulnerable which you express yourself. I know rightwingers hate to acknowledge the reality of their ideas, but they cant stop the rest of us pointing it out.

@formerbabe I can tell you from personal experience that being street homeless is fucking terrifying. I was on the street whilst studying and working. Trouble was, even 50 hrs a week on minimum wafe where I was living at the time wouldn't have got me decent accommodation, let alone the 15 hrs i worked.

FYI, I'm still no fixed abode, and whenever I see a street homeless person I try to give them a couple of quid, and no, I don't care if they spend it on booze or drugs, whatever helps them get through. What is needed is an alternative to the thieving fuckers who've set economic policy over the past 40 years.

@Patroclus

formerbabe Where do you think this rising violence against the homeless is coming from? its all a part of the rising tide of intolerance of the vulnerable which you express yourself. I know rightwingers hate to acknowledge the reality of their ideas, but they cant stop the rest of us pointing it out.

Please show me where in my comments I was intolerant to the vulnerable.

I was more disparaging about the random people who try to help than the actual homeless themselves.

@DoctorTwo

*@formerbabe I can tell you from personal experience that being street homeless is fucking terrifying

Where on earth did I say it isn't?!

FFS...all I said and meant was people should mind their own business. Some people may be scammers, some may be genuine. If the latter, I doubt a random member of the public has the capacity to help them.

Leave it to the professionals.

Leave it to the professionals

If you're over 18 with no dependents under 18 the 'professionals' do nothing for you, they don't have to by law so they don't. After Brexit street homelessness is going to get even worse.

So if you don't mind I'll keep doing my tiny bit for those I see.

So if you don't mind I'll keep doing my tiny bit for those I see

Do what you want.

I think it's very unfair to vilify people who don't want to get involved and just walk past minding their own business.

I'm not vilifying anybody, I'm just outlining what I do. We're all different, we all react in different ways to other people.

Would be a good idea to share street link on social media sites so people are aware & can sign post someone if necessary.