Some more about poverty because I'm sure you've missed my rants
My friend Kristy, who I met in Alberta nearly 10 years (!) ago while at college there, recently posted a thought on her blog about what to do when asked by a homeless person for some change. Click on the link to her blog at the left of this page, and scroll down to her post entitled, “What should I have done?” to read more.
Anyway, instead of posting my reply on her site, I figured I'd take a little more room and continue the conversation right here. That said, I don’t think many people know what to do in this situation – I certainly don’t, and I usually feel bad whenever I’m confronted by it. You can barely walk down the street in Toronto without being asked by someone if you have any spare change. I must admit, I generally just say sorry and keep walking. But should I? Who knows what the best response is. Will they use the money for food? Cigarettes? Alcohol? Is it even any of my business what they do with it? People don’t monitor how I spend my change. Sometimes I wonder if it would be good to just talk to them; to acknowledge that they exist and find out a bit about them. But then I think, if I were in their situation, would I want to be bothered in that way? Or just left alone - already depressed and humiliated that I had to beg on the street in order to survive. Even if this were the right thing to do, I doubt I’d have the courage to actually do it -- not in that situation, anyway. The same goes for buying them a meal. I think it’s a great idea, but again, I can’t picture myself actually following through.
What is it about living on the street that is so revolting to most of society? When I’ve been in homeless shelters or drop-in centres, I have little trouble talking with the people who are there. I can talk freely, as though we are friends from the same walk of life. Why is an encounter on the street any different than this?
Some people I know involved in street ministries have said they won’t even give people a bus ticket if they ask, because they will most likely go sell it on the street for $2.00 or less - just enough to buy a baby food jar full of solvent (to sniff).
It is a sad state of affairs when human beings are driven to such desperation; when life no longer holds any hope or promise of good things to come. Will giving someone your spare change make a difference? I doubt it. I think the best thing is to find a charity you really believe in and is doing good work, and help that way (or even volunteer for such a charity). This makes me think of an article I read in the Globe and Mail on the “Top 40 Under 40” – an annual listing of the top business and non-profit leaders in Canada under 40 years of age. One guy, Craig Kielburger, chair and founder of Free the Children, Toronto, and only 23 years old, had this to say: “I think my parents were teachers both inside and outside the classroom. We’d walk by a homeless person and my mom would actually stop and talk to him or her, ask their name. My mom was nurturing the idea that that’s a person. When you look into their eyes and know their name, you have to acknowledge them.”
What better gift can a parent give a child than a heart of compassion, kindness, altruism and love?
I think Craig’s got it right: The main thing in all of this, no matter what action you choose, is to remember that the homeless person, the drug addict and the alcoholic really aren’t that different from you and me. To forget that is to forget we are all human, and when we pretend that the homeless don’t exist, we lose all hope of actually fixing the problem.
“There but for the grace of God, go I.”
Until next time,
A.
Anyway, instead of posting my reply on her site, I figured I'd take a little more room and continue the conversation right here. That said, I don’t think many people know what to do in this situation – I certainly don’t, and I usually feel bad whenever I’m confronted by it. You can barely walk down the street in Toronto without being asked by someone if you have any spare change. I must admit, I generally just say sorry and keep walking. But should I? Who knows what the best response is. Will they use the money for food? Cigarettes? Alcohol? Is it even any of my business what they do with it? People don’t monitor how I spend my change. Sometimes I wonder if it would be good to just talk to them; to acknowledge that they exist and find out a bit about them. But then I think, if I were in their situation, would I want to be bothered in that way? Or just left alone - already depressed and humiliated that I had to beg on the street in order to survive. Even if this were the right thing to do, I doubt I’d have the courage to actually do it -- not in that situation, anyway. The same goes for buying them a meal. I think it’s a great idea, but again, I can’t picture myself actually following through.
What is it about living on the street that is so revolting to most of society? When I’ve been in homeless shelters or drop-in centres, I have little trouble talking with the people who are there. I can talk freely, as though we are friends from the same walk of life. Why is an encounter on the street any different than this?
Some people I know involved in street ministries have said they won’t even give people a bus ticket if they ask, because they will most likely go sell it on the street for $2.00 or less - just enough to buy a baby food jar full of solvent (to sniff).
It is a sad state of affairs when human beings are driven to such desperation; when life no longer holds any hope or promise of good things to come. Will giving someone your spare change make a difference? I doubt it. I think the best thing is to find a charity you really believe in and is doing good work, and help that way (or even volunteer for such a charity). This makes me think of an article I read in the Globe and Mail on the “Top 40 Under 40” – an annual listing of the top business and non-profit leaders in Canada under 40 years of age. One guy, Craig Kielburger, chair and founder of Free the Children, Toronto, and only 23 years old, had this to say: “I think my parents were teachers both inside and outside the classroom. We’d walk by a homeless person and my mom would actually stop and talk to him or her, ask their name. My mom was nurturing the idea that that’s a person. When you look into their eyes and know their name, you have to acknowledge them.”
What better gift can a parent give a child than a heart of compassion, kindness, altruism and love?
I think Craig’s got it right: The main thing in all of this, no matter what action you choose, is to remember that the homeless person, the drug addict and the alcoholic really aren’t that different from you and me. To forget that is to forget we are all human, and when we pretend that the homeless don’t exist, we lose all hope of actually fixing the problem.
“There but for the grace of God, go I.”
Until next time,
A.
posted by Amy | 7:03 PM
3 Comments:
I have two stories for you regarding this, both occured in downtown Ottawa.
1. A guy begging for change became friendly with the super of our building, the super often bought lunch for this guy. It turns out, this guy lives with 4 other guys in a totally decked out apartment. They have all the latest technology and wear the most expensive designer clothes when not on the street. They collect welfare under the condition that they are looking for work. They stay scraggly looking right up until their monthly meeting with the welfare lady. They then shave, get suited up and assure the government that they are looking for work. They make quite a bit of money from the government chqs and their begging.
2. A lady goes into a Tim Hortons and buys a soup, sandwich, coffee and donut for a "homeless" lady begging on the street outside. She gives it to the woman and walks off. The homeless lady looks into the bag and says "fuckin bitch got me a crap donut".
I've been poor and there is currently no legitimate excuse for being homeless and starving in Canada. When people ask me for change I tell them Walmart is hiring.
I'm not quite sure how to respond to this last comment...
There certainly are scammers out there - in every walk of life - who are willing to take advantage of charity. However, I think it's somewhat unwarranted to make the leap to assuming all homeless people are scamming society in one way or another, since apparently "there is no legitimate excuse for being homeless in Canada".
I beg to differ. What about the mentally ill, who comprise abut 20% of those living on the streets (according to gov't figures)? What about women - who make up about 30% of the homeless population -- who can't afford to feed their children, hold down a job and find an affordable roof to put over her head all because she left her abusive husband (who may also have been poor) and now has nowhere to go? What about those with drug and alcohol addictions? Sure, there are places to get help, and no, I'm not condoning these addictions, but it is easy for us to look down from our privileged lifestyles and judge and criticise those people who have probably been through terrible things and simply have lost all hope and desire for a better life.
My comment is already too long, but I didn't want to let "Angel's" comment stand on my blog without my refuting it. Perhaps some of those on the street have no excuse to be homeless and should make an effort to find work and turn their lives around, but it's not that simple for everyone, and I think we do them a grave disservice by assuming that it is.
A.
P.S. Please don't swear on my blog.
Very well said Amy! I'm so glad that you commented on Angel's comment. Her comment bothered me but I couldn't figure out what I wanted to write in response. You said everything I was thinking and more.
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