Does anyone believe these guys?

daepp · daepp's Garage

Or am I just being cynical?

(Snapped this with my cell phone as I walked out.)

They stand outside the grocery stores here in So Cal and ask for "donations". That's an ammo can on the table with a padlock on it, as if to imply he doesn't ahve the key.

TGTIW · 10-30-2008, 10:54 AM

Seems perfectly legit.

onewhippedpuppy · 10-30-2008, 11:02 AM

Ammo can......hand-made poster board......yeah, seems totally legit.

john walker's workshop · 10-30-2008, 11:35 AM

good job if you have no shame. probably makes as much or more than most working people and pays no taxes.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

newspaper reporter dressed up as homeless guy here and pan-handled

said it was no fun but he came close to min. wage

prob. won't get many donations if in Wyo., but here it worked

stomachmonkey · 10-30-2008, 01:05 PM

I recall a guy doing an experiment in NYC a bunch of years back.

One day dressed as a homeless person and made a few bucks.

Next day dressed in like Wall Street broker in a suit with a briefcase and went to Penn Station. Approached people saying he lost his wallet and needed a couple of bucks for a train ticket home. Made thousands.

onewhippedpuppy · 10-30-2008, 01:10 PM

I remember a news report a while back that followed some beggers, I think in SoCal. They had freeway ramps that were "their turf", I think maybe they rotated locations. Some of them made a damn good wage at it. The really amusing part was the fact that they parked a fairly nice car down the street, then walked to beg.

daepp · daepp's Garage

The guys near the So Cal on ramps make a killing. The other day the guy in front of me handed over a $20. I don't give to these guys, but even if I did it would be a dollar or two.

The local paper did a story on them a few years ago. Apparently all of the money goes to junk food, alcohol, drugs and smokes. Turns out the get housing vouchers and a dignity card (food stamp atm card). Even the local buses give them free fare.

As for hte guy in the photo, I just hate being so cynical, but...

dd74 · 10-30-2008, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daepp

I just hate being so cynical, but...

...but you're correct to be cynical...

The ones I don't enjoy are the kids who come to my door from the local high school and try to pressure sell me into magazine subscriptions. I hate telling a kid "no" but Jeez, on a weekday night at 9:30 PM isn't the time to ask for donations. And anyone can make a fake school I.D.

I also hate to be cynical.

As is, we give to well-known legitimate charities.

trekkor · 10-30-2008, 02:37 PM

Ever see those guys that work between the lanes of traffic during the red lights?

Let's say they make 25-50 cents every minute. That better than most people make in this world.

Begging is uncool. Even more so when it's a scam based on lies.

KT

tcar · 10-30-2008, 02:48 PM

Seems legit.

http://www.melissadata.com/Lookups/np.asp?ein=911830354

Burnin' oil · 10-30-2008, 02:56 PM

It depends on how you define "legit." Running a non-profit corp. is an advanced level scam. And, it's not being cynical, it's being realistic and discerning.

gtc · gtc's Garage

When someone asks for money to buy food, but they won't accept a loaf of bread because they "don't eat that" I lose pretty much all sympathy. The homeless here are so well fed it's almost funny. I've worked in a few food banks around town, and they sometimes had to TURN AWAY DONATIONS.... I couldn't believe it.
I also hate the brutally honest guys who think it's funny to ask for money to buy drugs/booze.
That said, if someone asks politely or tells me a funny joke, I'll give them my change or a buck.

daepp · daepp's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcar

Seems legit.

http://www.melissadata.com/Lookups/np.asp?ein=911830354

I did look them up before I started this thread. But how many nursing homes send disheveled men to grocery stores to solicit donation via ammo cans. And BTW, there are many other "programs" being fund raised for besides this Clearwater group. I even wondered if he'd spent some rehab time there???

Bill Douglas · 10-30-2008, 03:24 PM

An old Wino asked me for money for food. I said "Sure I'm hungry too, I'll buy you lunch." and he told me to fock off.

fastfredracing · 10-30-2008, 03:57 PM

A few years back, me and my landlord at that time were doing a bunch of work to the building that we operated our buisness out of, and tried to hire one of those "will work for food guys" Hell , we offered to feed him, and give him an hourlly wage to help us paint, clean etc.. Nope, turns out he wasnt willing to "work for food" He just wanted some cash.

Ronbo · 10-31-2008, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daepp

The guys near the So Cal on ramps make a killing. The other day the guy in front of me handed over a $20. I don't give to these guys, but even if I did it would be a dollar or two.

I hit one of these guys once. I was coming down the offramp on the far left to make a left turn. Light was red so I was slowing for a stop. The beggar was on the sidewalk next to the offramp, about 6-8 feet up the offramp. Well, some guy stopped in the far right lane holds out money for the guy, who decides it's a good time to dart out in front of me to get it. Well, he almost made it. Fortunately I was only going about 15 mph at the time and nailed the brakes, but I did knock him down. No real damage to him and my car, but of course he was pissed at me.

nynor · 10-31-2008, 09:05 AM

local media did a story here awhile back. some young girl and b'friend panhandling on one of the offramps. they consistently made in the neighborhood of $10 an hour. they lived with the girl's mother a few streets over. the signs they displayed claimed they were homeless and/or stuck and needing money to get somewhere else. the pathetic looks on their faces as they panhandled were priceless. when confronted, the b'friend simply changed roles with her. their faces were plastered all over TV for a couple of weeks.

HardDrive · 10-31-2008, 09:49 AM

In the interest of efficiency, I simply give beggars liquor and black tar heroin instead of cash. So much more direct.

onewhippedpuppy · 10-31-2008, 10:00 AM

I lost all sympathy for the "homeless" when my wife went to work as an accountant at a local church. The church is downtown, pretty much ground zero for the homeless and pathetic in Wichita. They would frequently come into the church and ask for money. The church secretatry always politely told them that the church does not give out money, and directed them to the multiple charitable organizations within a block (United Way and soup kitchen). The typical response was to go into a profanity laced tirade directed towards anyone in earshot. If they were lucky, the person would leave. Sometimes they would grab whatever was within sight and dash out the door. Other times they would dash into the church office area and dissapear. Typically they would be found hiding within the church, their pockets full of anything they could find.

Because of these worthless SOBs my wife was scared every day she went to work. The office area where my wife worked was locked down, similar to what you would see in a bank. They would lurk in the parking lot and ask for money. They would frequently break into cars in the parking lot. Muggings in the area were common, including a retired pastor from the church in question. Any and all sympathy I had for the homeless was gone after that experience.