Do you give money to homeless people?

[Confused2015xxx]

There is a man who sits in town every day about 30.
He looks freezing.
Would you give him money?
I want to but then I'm scared in case he thinks I'm being cheeky or uses it for drugs.
Should I buy him a hot drink and a sandwich instead?
What would you do?

I find this a difficult one. For people saying the don't mind if the money is spent on drink - the problem is it's often not just a few cans to take the edge off the cold and misery, but people with destructive drink and/or drug addictions. I know people who work supporting homeless people who are devastated and angry when they've been working with people who have drug and alcohol problems which are being propped up by well-meaning people giving a few quid. They cite cases of people overdosing or drinking themselves to death on the back of money they have obtained begging.

Like I say, this isn't straightforward - how do you know the difference between someone who could genuinely benefit from a few quid and someone whose going to use the money to score then end up dead in the gutter before the night is out? Other people argue that the addicted would be resorting to crime if they weren't begging.

But I do get annoyed with people who abdicate any responsibility for their choice to give money to street homeless and beggars. Too often I think they don't want to deal with thinking about the complex realities. They just want the warm glow of doing a 'good deed' without grappling with any of the moral ambiguities.

If you've really thought it through and still think you're doing the right thing that's one thing. If you're ultimately just doing it for your own satisfaction that is another.

I won't give money as in my town there is a huge problem with street drinkers and heroin. as a recovering alky I can't in good conscience give money for booze - I do explain this and buy food instead.

I was homeless in my twenties. it's fucking horrible, and I can't imagine the chaos of being homeless and an addict.

When I had money to give, I (once) gave a man a fiver worth of food, that I bought in a nearby shop. He was selling magazines rather than just begging though, which I very much approve of. He was so grateful for it, and since they have cooking facilities at these houses he can stay in, he was able to eat it warm :) But I would not give just money, as I don't trust they would be able to spend it wisely. Sadly.

I bought his magazine too obviously! Then gave it back so he could sell it again, haha.

I give change if I have any, it's never very much but enough to get a hot drink.

I do. I just think that even if they spend it on something undesirable, that's none of my business. I think the benefits of them having someone who had acknowledged them and offered them help makes that "risk" worth it.

Local news re Derby homeless recently showed that all the beggers had houses. One lived with his parents and when stopped at lunchtime had already made £140 that day.

m.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Don-t-beggars-Derby-campaign-says/story-28326668-detail/story.html

Yes I do. I think homelessness is completely unnecessary in this country. We have two "regular"(how awful) homeless men in our town who very often choose to sit opposite Chuggers (who are very often shelter Chuggers which is ironic to say the least) I also buy them sandwiches occasionally... I dont think about what they use the money for, in fact I dont care what they use the money for... The majority just want someone to bloody talk to.