DEAR HARRIETTE: After reading your response to When to Give, I need to chime in and suggest you do more research.
While there is incredible unemployment currently, and it appears kind to give money to panhandlers, your suggestion to continue to give is completely off base. Being in an area with significant homelessness -- San Diego -- the challenge with panhandlers, especially aggressive ones, is a daily issue. Providing funds to panhandlers rarely helps them in a productive way; the money goes to their addiction and encourages increasingly aggressive methods. Most advocates encourage that money be given to organizations that actually assist the homeless, such as providing shelter, food and rehab.
Again, most money given to a panhandler generally will go into their arms or to buy alcohol. There have been several articles in this area with interviews from panhandlers; they state the same thing and have suggested a good street corner can net them $50+ an hour, tax free. This has even given rise to fake panhandlers.
Please do not encourage your readers to support panhandlers. Encourage support of organizations that actually contribute to assisting the homeless through programs to either make their lives easier or help them escape the cycle.
I do not work for a nonprofit in this area. I am just a resident of a city with a huge homeless problem that has had to deal with it for 20 years. Panhandler do make it scary to be a woman leaving the house alone, so the reader was very valid in her letter. -- Experienced
DEAR EXPERIENCED: Thank you for your recommendation. I normally follow exactly the advice you have recommended. It has not been my practice to give people money on the street. I admit that seeing so many people in need since the pandemic hit prompted me to feel the urgency to give in the moment.
I will add to your suggestions that I have noticed restaurants in my neighborhood being set up as food kitchens to support the additional need. So, your point is well taken. Giving to establishments and entities that are organized around serving people in need may be more efficient than the one-off gift.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)