I Give Money, Not Food, To Street People

I want to believe they have options

I’ve heard many people say that they would never give money to someone begging on the street. They believe that they would spend it on booze or drugs. The street people would be better served by providing a meal and a coffee.

I don’t believe that’s necessarily true.

Have you ever lived paycheck-to-paycheck?

It’s probably a stupid question as most people have and still do. I’ve lived less than that.

Let me explain.

First of all, I have never been homeless. I have never lived on the street. I have never had to beg for my next meal. I have never been mentally ill.

So I have no idea what people on the street go through. I have no idea what led them there except that I have heard some of their stories.

While volunteering at a local food kitchen, some of the guests are willing to share their stories. All it takes is a nasty divorce, an injury at work, the death of a loved one, or becoming an alcoholic to send someone on a spiral downward and onto the street, homeless.

There but for the grace of God go I.

What I’ve been through pales in comparison.

It’s almost laughable to even attempt to compare.

All I’m attempting to do in this article is explain why I give money and not food.

My laughable comparison goes as follows. I wasn’t good with money. I did pay my rent and other bills, but after all had been paid for I found myself with no money. I had no extra cash to do some of the things I like to do.

I couldn’t go to the movies. I couldn’t go out to eat with friends. I couldn’t buy the latest video games.

See how lame my comparisons are?

Here’s my point.

Money gives you options. I felt like I had limited choices for what I wanted to do.

What about a street person.

I live in Canada. In my town, we have a few charities that provide meals on a daily basis. When I see someone on the street with a sign that says they are hungry, they don’t need to be. Many of the poor in my town are well fed.

I know there are mental illness issues that may hinder someone from going to get a meal. But I think in most cases they want money so they have some control in their life.

They currently have none.

They have no control over what to eat. They have to eat the meal of the day at the food kitchen. They have no control over what to wear. Their clothes are given to them. They have no control of where to sleep. If they don’t trust the shelters, it’s the streets.

What does money do for them?

It gives them the ability to get what they want when they want. If they are hungry now, they can buy a burger. They don’t have to wait until the kitchen opens.

If they want to go to a movie, or take a bus ride, or buy a birthday gift for someone, they can.

They have some control in their life, which can give them a sense of purpose. Purpose can eliminate the despair that many feel which leads to substance abuse and suicide.

Conclusion

I’m not a psychologist and I don’t pretend to know what street people go through. I’ve never been one. But in my own privileged world, I’ve been in situations where having extra money would have been helpful.

So when you offer someone a meal, and they ask for the money instead, don’t be so judgmental. Don’t presume that they just want to go out and buy booze or drugs. Yes, you’ll come across some aggressive ones, and some ingrates but try to empathize.

Maybe they just want to feel like their life is theirs and they have some control.