I am sick and tired of being asked for change. Im usually a very good hearted person, however, i just cannot bring myself to hand over my hard earned money to some dirty skiv on the street whom i dont know. this hatred toward “homeless” people is mainly because the other day when i was in the left turning lane for the bridge to halifax a man with a “cold, poor and hungry” sign walked by and my husband kindly gave him some cookies that we had in the car. then the m*ther f*cker replies… “these are great for watching tv”. TV?? WTF, we dont even have cable!?!? how the hell do you have a TV/CABLE when you are “HOMELESS” i dont get it. now im really pissed, he just ruined it for the rest of you … so sorry if you actually are homeless, you all can go fuck yourself, im not giving you the time of day.
get a job, start working like the rest of us and see what it feels like to earn something instead of mooching off of hard working people.
anyway, i could bitch all day, but i’ll end it here.
until next time…
This article appears in Feb 21-27, 2008.
The problem with street people is that you don’t know who’s legit and who’s not. I don’t mind giving a loonie or two to a squeegee kid or a street musician because they’re doing something for their dough. The rest of them can go royally fuck themselves, especially that asshole on Quinpool Road who tries to guilt you into giving him something. Nothing was ever handed to me and I work damn hard for my lousy pay cheque. The lazy bastards can buy their own can of Lyesol.
The Coast readers seem to care about homeless people, what about setting up The Coast Adopt-A-Homeless Fund? Homeless people said organizations are slow in helping them. The fast ones, such as HCAP are short of people and funds. The Coast Adopt-A-Homeless Fund can then donate to HCAP and HCAP can find mentors, temporary apartments for several homeless people, help them access government money, free computer courses at the libraries, and so on and so forth. What do you say, Coast? Thank you for caring! I am not an HCAP member, but I know that homeless people think very highly of HCAP efficiency in helping them out, :)!
HCAP is a great organization on many different levels! I have with my faith group taken coats to homeless shelters etc. Its a great feeling to do so knowing that someone has something warm to wear!
The easiest thing to do is to keep a couple of Gift Certificates in your car or purse. This way you know they are getting some sort of food from your generosity, and if the ones who are just looking for quick cask, aren’t getting what they want, maybe they’ll give up on taking food from the mouths of the truly needy.
caliway although that is def a noble idea if you give them a $10 gift card they will turn around and sell it for 5 or whatever they can get for it….i see the guy trying to sell bus tickets on sg all the time
Something even more easy to do when you come upon the same individual who is at that same spot everyday is to say a simple “Fuck off”. They will get the hint soon enough that when they see you coming to not ask you for change. It worked for me with the guy on Quinpool. Call me harsh or a dick I really don’t care but the fact of the matter is that these people choose to continue living this way..they might not have chosen to end up homeless but they sure as hell are not doing anything to change their situation.
Hmm, I’m just so new to the city, I suppose. Surprise surprise, fellow bitchers, I’m a university student. I’m from a really small town, so coming face to face with homeless people is something I’ve never had to do before moving to Halifax. All of the few dollars I have right now are for books and my student loan that will eventually build up and consume my soul, but when I see a hungry person on Spring Garden or the intersection on Robie and Quinpool, I really don’t have the heart to say no. Heck, I’ve given away my lunch before. Is there any really simple way I could help out with the HCAP?
Twitch, I know where you are coming from, but you realize after a while too that the homeless situation is not exactly what it seems on the surface. There are all kinds begging for change, from posers looking to turn a buck playing the sympathy card, to drug addicts to people really trying to get back on their feet. I think working with any of the many charitable organizations in Halifax will be a good eay to get some real exposure to the homeless situation in our city and might help you feel more comfortable saying NO to some people and YES to others. Either way, there are only so many panhandlers in Halifax and you eventually get to know which ones are worth giving your money to (if you still choose to do that)