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?

I am terrible, I spend ages chatting to them, as well as trying to help in other ways, I'm sure my friends get fed up with me. But I can't be going into a nice restaurant after just walking by someone who is cold and hungry, my husband is the same. The majority are so happy to have someone just pass the time of day.....or night with them. In my car I have carrier bags with dry food, warm socks , bottles of water hats, scarfs and toiletries, so if I am near my car, I am able to hand 'pack's out. Although most of the time I am in central London, so it's more what shops are nearby.
Homelessness is the most awful social disaster in this country, in these times and it needn't be like that.
Heartbreaking and unnecessary.

@tamponphobia that attitude from your boss makes me so angry. Does she tot up his days takings then?
As for designer trainers, that means nothing. I've given stuff that's designer to homeless people, my son gets through clothes like a rash, will only wear stuff a few times or not at all (he is an adult) so I take his clothes and shoes and hand them out, as well as our own.
People justify their conscious by using the 'professional beggar, with a Mercedes and apartment in Notting hill,' attitude.

I used to try and engage and politely say "sorry but I don't have any cash on me", until one guy got up and tried to frog march me to a cash machine to get him some cash. Now I keep my head down and keep walking.

Terrible story in the newspaper today of a homeless gent sleeping in his tent, during the tent clear out, the council disposes of their tents to hide the homeless crisis in the city.
Only the worker never looks in the tent before using industrial equipment to remove it.
I don't have the answers though ignoring it wont help.
www.independent.ie/irish-news/homeless-man-suffers-life-changing-injuries-after-tent-is-removed-during-clean-up-38863867.html

There was a homeless man near me who was quite well known, he ended up passing from a drug overdose. It was covered in the papers/online and lots of people left bouquets of flowers at his “spot”. I wouldn’t have wanted the money I give to someone contribute to their overdose

It honestly depends on the person some in the town I live in are known for being very nasty if you refuse to give them money etc. Those ones I tend to avoid eye contact with or cross the road. The nice ones though I often smile at and give any spare change I have and I also buy them food and drink.

Walk by or chat which ever feels comfortable and safe. It makes me angry when I read stories of homeless folk beaten up for fun or their tent burnt, or neighbours soaking their bedding to encourage them to move on.
It is not unusual. Many homeless have been beat to death in Irish Cities in the last decade. Lack of services.

I came out of a multi storey in Brighton and there were several tents up (been pretty common in Brighton for a few years) and the smell of weed was so strong...also the people we saw were either high or pissed as they were staggering around their tents and shouting etc...it wasn't a nice scene.
However, came out of a theatre in London a few months ago and a street kitchen was just opening for service (opens 6pm -8pm). I've never seen anything like it, so I went up to one of the servers and asked if i could donate some cash and she said her mum ran it, so I gave some cash.

I was in Bristol city centre today on a course and noticed at the Station a guy was engaged in what seemed a very affable and pleasant conversation with someone who had camped out overnight - whether or not he was homeless wasn't really relevant. It was just heart warming that he was being treated like a human being and spoken to as an equal. I'm sure it brightened both their days. It did mine.

We are very very lucky in our town to have a brilliant organisation that provides housing, food and support to homeless people and another for victims of DV.
A group of volunteers recently tried to set up a group to help the homeless, collecting money, blankets and sleeping bags etc and I honestly wondered why? Our shelter is never full and it is properly staffed with professionals, the people are not kicked out during the day. Everyone here knows where our shelter is and there are posters advertising it.

I feel a mixture of things. Sad, angry, hopeless. I try to help in small ways when I can but my own income isn't large and I just feel overwhelmed by the problem. I feel sometimes irritated (ok, am a horrible person, maybe) because in a crowded street of people, I am the one they seem to make a beeline for. I guess being a woman with a visible disability (use a cane to get around due to balance issues) they figure am less likely to beat them up. Sad to say, many homeless people have been beaten up just for begging or even existing.

There is an organisation in my city centre which has set up this "pay point" type machine where you can pay with your debit card £2.00 (they even do contactless) and it will go towards a bed for the night. Several homeless charities are involved in it. I think it is a great idea, as on days when am skint I can at least do something, then on days when am better off, I can always swipe my card more than once.

Generally I know who to engage with and who to avoid, I used to be mates with a lot of them and was only one step above them.

Last time I was in Bosnia though (Mostar) I saw a woman in her 40s with one leg and some about 4 year old twin daughters begging, and going up to cars. That I just couldnt even cope with. Gave them a load of turkish delight and got away. That put some things in perspective.

If you;re going to have expectations or standards you expect from these people, if you're going to be all 'dissapointed' just dont even bother trying.

Oh yeah 'virtue signalling'. Thats what we called basic decency a few years ago.

If you;re going to have expectations or standards you expect from these people, if you're going to be all 'dissapointed' just dont even bother trying
This.
Oh yeah 'virtue signalling'. Thats what we called basic decency a few years ago
Definitely this.
It's no secret why society along with human decency is breaking down.

My job means I have a certain skill that I uses as a volunteer a few times a month with the homeless, in a homeless day centre and sometime in the church night shelters.
In the street I do not give money, I rarely buy food but I do give information on the services that are available to offer them meaningful help.

Could I just say that women are not under any moral or social obligation to interact with random men who stop them in the street . It doesn’t matter if that man wants money or a date.

Many people who are rough sleeping in the Uk have addictions, mental health problems and a history of violence. I’m concerned that some women on this thread may feel guilt tripped into stopping to chat or giving money when thats not always the wisest or safest thing to do.

Homeless men are just as misogynistic and racist as other men, except that they have less to lose.

You don’t need to put yourself at risk to help. A standing order of £15 a month to your local homeless charity would make a difference and many people who are in work wouldn’t miss that 50p a day. Plus If you pay tax they can get £3 back.

If you don’t want to give money, perhaps contact a local charity and ask what donations in kind they want - it’s often toiletries , hats and gloves or underwear. But please ask first.

TBH That’s more a lot more effective than the odd pound coin tossed in a cup.

Or if you have spare time you could consider volunteering.

Just a thought.

Beggar outside my local station mon - fri looks pitiful. But / sometimes I see him jauntily trotting sling the street looking very upbeat and fit. I reckon he just makes a good living at it. Then - I thought what if I’m wrong and I walk past someone in need every day. So I found the nearest homeless shelter and arranged a monthly donation so that if he is genuine and in need I’m contributing to something he can benefit from.

Could I just say that women are not under any moral or social obligation to interact with random men who stop them in the street

None of the homeless people
Approach me . They are sat there cold and miserable . Maybe I am being super positional but all these charities ... where the fuck are they then ? What are they doing as these poor souls are always there . Not hard to miss them really .

My rationale is a smile and a £1 should be in addition to whatever support there is . I would prefer to take my own coffee to work , make Packed lunch and then use spare change to acknowledge another human being in dire straits

but all these charities ... where the fuck are they then

In my town it’s well signposted where the charities are- they have soup kitchens, food parcels and regularly give out blankets etc.
However, that doesn’t mean all the homeless people will simply disappear. Homelessness is a complex issue and it’s not simply about not having money. We have a huge drug problem where I live and many homeless people have chronic mental health issues and are non compliant with meds. If that’s the case then you can offer all the help you lime in terms of food and shelter but it’s not going to help because the underlying cause of the problem is not being addressed. You cannot force people to seek help for their issues unfortunately.

A lot of street homelessness has connections with drugs & that causes many to not want to conform to society and pay rent/council tax, for them money for drugs is better than spending it on bills. Drugs are of course very addictive and thus the complex problems. If one person is rehoused and then has pressure from other to stay etc they can end up losing their home or all their friends

Maybe I am being super positional but all these charities ... where the fuck are they then ? What are they doing as these poor souls are always there . Not hard to miss them really

What do you want the charities to do - arrest them and lock them up ? Are you confused between homeless charities and the police ?

It’s not an offence to beg in most places in the UK. And as had been explained earlier, most homeless people don’t beg on the streets. And many ( if not most ) beggars are not homeless.

We're are we / they?

In places homeless people get to know really well. We / they are filled to capacity, always looking for more money, more space and more staff.

In almost every town, in every city. Often very close to the centre, cheek by jowel with shops and offices, behind anonymous looking doors. We look closed, maybe even derelict by day, but by midnight we are heaving. Not necessarily loud, but warm, friendly and oversubscribed.

Don't confuse us with the likes of Shelter and other national behemoths. We locally run community based charities are everywhere you are.

Look us up, come help if you have the time and inclination.

And many ( if not most ) beggars are not homeless

With all due respect we can all tell which people are homeless . The cold , miserable shivering ones as a general rule . Their dirty hands , sleeping bags and cardboard boxes 📦 are a clue

If people don’t want to give them a quid and a smile that’s Your prerogative. Don’t

But the victim blaming and generalisation is so disappointing

It’s their fault
Druggies
Abusive
Mentally ill
Liars
Fakes
Have a huge BMW and semi
In a gang
Yada yada

It’s so offensive to these poor souls . To deny their suffering . And to make assumptions that their suffering is either their fault or fake because they are not accessing that cosy little NON existent shelter

Today 17:37 CuriousaboutSamphire

Thanks . And well done . My dad used to support such , and yes when my
Kids are a bit more independant (single
Parent ) I would very much like to volunteer

@IMOGEN wind your neck in. I used to volunteer at an homeless place, never once did I get touched or have anything sexist said to me. If anything they were extra respectful because they appreciated so much what we were doing for them. It was very humbling

There's always one.