How do you honestly react to homeless people on the street?

[MrsBrentford]

I watched a documentary, can’t remember which, about homeless people and how they feel totally invisible, and inhuman and that made me feel shit.

Thought about my own behaviour and how I occasionally give money or food but more often than not I hurry past and avoid eye contact.

So this year I have decided to make eye contact, smile and say hello to every homeless person I see in town (and there seem to be an increasing amount in my town ).

Is anyone else guilty of this?

Sorry - forgot to say, I did this yesterday and there were about 10 people

Only one or two in my town. I'll give them a couple of quid if I have it.

Where they sit is nowhere near food places so buying them food isn't really feasable.

I avoid eye contact and carry on by as most of them are begging for money. I occasionally give vouchers, food etc but feel that they are often looking for more than a hello and I cannot offer that.

I try and make eye contact and smile but often I don't know what to do.

There was a bloke sitting cross legged outside the supermarket yesterday and I wanted to give him some of the chocolate I was carrying and I didn't because I was like :

"Eine, what if he isn't homeless and you are about to embarrass some bloke who has just decided to sit like that"

He had no cap or cup or anything

The general advice is not give money so unless there's a place nearby to buy them something helpful (food, gloves) I'm never sure what to do. But I do want to do something.

I dunno though, the 10 people I said hello and smiled at didn’t ask me for anything.

I will make eye contact, smile and say hello. I don't give them anything though.

Generally speaking if they are looking up then I try to smile and say hello.

I once passed a young woman and reflexively put my arm round my eldest daughter to pull her closer. It was an instinctive response to my though process of that being someone’s daughter and I wanted mine close. I heard the woman make a comment along the lines of “are you fucking kidding me” and I was absolutely mortified. I presume she thought I was scuttling past her and grabbing my child with anxiety. It so honestly wasn’t and is still feel a sort of sinking feeling whenever I think of it

If someone is asking for money I would never ignore them. I look them in the eye and say 'sorry'. I don't give money to homeless people but support a local homelessness charity instead.

I think a lot of homeless people are out of sight and hidden. I think a lot of people begging have issues but not necessarily homeless.

I actually find it weird that I would pause and smile at a homeless person, I don’t smile at anyone else when going about my business (usually running to and from work where I see the most homeless people- work in the west end). I find it almost poor behaviour that I would smile at someone so less fortunate, almost like pitying

Thing is. A lot of homeless people aren’t homeless because of addiction.

That has come from being homeless.

If I give money and they buy drugs or booze, and that gets them through, I think that’s ok.

I feel so sad. I live in London so see hundreds of poor people. We give a lot to those in our local area, many of them look so young it's scary. I tend not to in central London, work occasionally in Holborn and walking 4 mins from tube you pass about 10-15 people - so many.

I've got a direct debit to the local food bank and we donate a lot locally to our nearest homeless shelter.

To be honest I help at a soup run so you get to know the genuine ones and most of the genuine ones I don't tend to see begging but I know where they sit so sometimes head there and have a chat and offer a small amount of money.
There are so many make shift beds where I live where people sit all day yet when I pick Dd up from work in the evening after shops have shut there is no one on most of them same in the early morning when I drop her off.

Homelessness is a big problem in the city I live. But there's also really good services/ charities that are available to help. Those charities do day and night walks and get to know the people. They came out and said that at least half we're not genuine. I've actually saw people 'swapping' with others in an underground car park (whilst paying for car park), heard their conversation and them joking and laughing about how much they've made- didn't seem genuine. The council have set up contactless points around the city and the money goes to the very local homeless charity.

For that reason I don't often give to beggars on the street though I hate that I don't. I do on occasions donate a few quid at the payment points.

I smile and say hello (regardless of if they have asked for money) if I have any change in my pocket I'll give it to them but I often don't (everything is so cashless now) but I try to say hello so they know I am at least acknowledging them

I work in Manchester City centre. there’s just too many of them, And it’s difficult to know the career beggars who aren’t actually homeless from individuals who are truly on their uppers. so I don’t engage

Lots of homeless people in my town. There’s two who are on my route to work when walking from my car, and I buy them a hot drink and pastry, and stop and chat with them if I have time. Their stories are sad and I’ve stepped in a couple of times when they’re receiving abuse from passers by. At this time of year you can tell they’re genuine as who would choose to sit on the cold wet floor in horrible weather if they didn’t need help?

Yes I do walk past. I’m generally intimidated by them if I’m honest. They have my empathy but I’m afraid of them. The ones I walk past are drug users and can be quite Loud and aggressive. I did buy a bag of food for them once and gave it to them but they just looked away and then walked off (without the bag of food), I wasn’t expecting a thankyou like I’m a saint or anything but it just made me realise that they just want money for drugs. I won’t given them money because it’s just going into drug dealers hands.

There are lots of invisible homeless people who aren’t drug users, I’m not saying all homeless people are druggies but lots of visible homeless in my city are unfortunatly

I'm friendly with one homeless man in my local town. He seemed quite surprised and happy that I stopped to speak to him and ask his name. I found out he likes a certain type of juice so I try to get him some if I see him.
To be honest our local town has relatively good support in place for homeless people and I know my friend is aware of where he can get a meal and a hostel place. I don't like to patronise and tell him what to do but I know he goes to these places if he wants to. He's genuinely a very nice, cheerful, kind person and I'm glad I stopped to talk to him.

If I have change I'll give it. More often, I scuttle by as I use cards rather than cash and am not terribly flush myself. But I know how it feels to watch hundreds of pairs of feet pass you by.

They'll probably think you're police to be honest.

That’s my feeling mrs. It’s not my place to judge what they choose to do to get them through the day. I don’t often give cash as a generally don’t carry it. My home town doesn’t have a large number of people who sleep on the streets or beggars although the number is increasing.

It’s when we visit my inlaws in a large city that we come across it and I keep think I just plan more carefully. To walk past with not a single kind gesture for my two children to witness seems ridiculous so I must do better

I once watched a homeless people “shift change” where one group that had been sat begging at a supermarket (various doors) got up, swooped scruffy coats and sleeping bags with an incoming group, got iPhones out of their rucksacks and called for a merc to collect them. So I don’t give money to them now. I donate to local food banks, groups that provide meals for the homeless and also donate to Streetpaws and Shelter. But I still feel bad walking past beggars.

I generally keep on walking and ignore them.

I'm on the fence about this. I've given money and food in the past however...

There's a homeless man who sits outside out shop. During my 5 hours shift, I served 8 people who bought food for him. My supervisor told me that he has no sympathy as he refuses shelter from charities as he makes £180 a day on the streets through begging 🤷‍♀️
He does carry an iPhone and wears designer trainers so I'm inclined to believe it.