His cardboard sign simply said "Just Hungry"

[CallyB57]

FeatheredWings...I always think that when I buy someone food, or give someone money who is standing on the roadside that they could be scamming me. But your heart is in the right place and the man very well could have just been hungry. One day I saw a raggedy man with a shopping basket right near the gas pumps at WalMart. He just suddenly sat down like he couldn't go another step - didn't have a sign. So, I turned around and went back and told him I was about to cross the street and get a meal from KFC. I asked him if he was hungry and would he like something and his face lit up like VEGAS! He said he was very hungry and he would be ever so grateful for a meal. I then asked him if he wanted white or dark meat and he said white. Then, guess what happened to me!!! I go over to KFC and tell the young lady at the pick-up window that I was sad to see someone so hungry in this country and that I was taking a homeless man something to eat. She only charged me for MY meal, not his, so I didn't spend a penny giving that gentleman a meal. Another time, I had no money, and a man was standing on the road with a sign that said - UNEMPLOYED - NEED A JOB! He was a mess, too, but as the light turned green and traffic started to flow, I slowed and threw a WalMart gift card out the window and hollered - THIRTY SOMETHING DOLLARS ON THAT!!! I saw him bend over and pick it up and I felt like a million bucks! I have to tell you I only make around $20,000 a year, and I am alone financially except for that. But any time I ever went out of my way to help someone, it made me feel like I was making a difference. So, it's not whether you were scammed or not...you did the right thing. Don't cry-be happy that you did something for someone..never doubt that kindness is right. And your intention was to be kind.

 

[tattooedchickenlady]

I am a soft heart too....but I also am leary of people on the street. I have given food, even clothes to homeless, my hubby even gave a man whose wife had cancer a TV. I also prefer to give food of they say they're hungry.
I worked at convenience stores on the interstate for a long time and watched a couple take shifts working the intersection. At the end of the day they came in the store, bought (On good days I guess) Heinekin beer, and sandwiches, and went to the Motel 6 across the street.

I was also approached in the Wal-Mart parking lot right after Hurricane Katrina....mind you, I had a baby born 9 days before Katrina and we were out of power for over a week (Though MUCH better off than MANY, MANY people) .....but a "young mother" who was evacuated from New Orleans and staying in a local hotel. "Could you give me some money for a room tonight? Me and my baby are staying there and we don't have money for food or formula or diapers, and they want to kick us out" I offered to buy her diapers, I offered the stockpile of formula I had (I was breatsfeeding and on WIC), I offered to call the hotel and pay the night over the phone...she wanted money. I told her to wait until I got what I needed and I would follow her to the hotel to pay....she was LONG gone when I came out.

I'm not saying they are all dishonest, but I'm careful.

 

[cmjust0]

This is probably worse than the dog thing, but I remember another comedian talking about how awesome it was to date homeless women:

"It's great because when the date's over, you can just drop them off anywhere."

 

[CallyB57]

Also, thank you ruth, for the scripture.

 

[deb1]

My hubby and I both usually give to people who approach us. The one time that we did not was when I saw a woman crying on the side of a busy intersection. She wasn't just crying but wailing.

No one was stopping to help her. So, my husband pulled in somewhere and I ran to her side.

I asked her what was wrong. When she lifted her head, her eyes were dry. That bothered me. How do you make so much noise with dry eyes?

She said that she needed diapers and medicine for her baby.


My hubby and I had NO money so we were confused as to how we could help her. We were so broke that walking around Walmart was our actual date.

Also, her dry eyes bothered me.

So, we walked into the walmart and told their customer service. They said that she had been in the store, closely following people. The people had reported her and the cops had been called.

I guess that the cops were called again, because I never saw that woman again.

I have wondered for years if she was some sort of con artist, dangerous person or just very unlucky and really did need help.

 

[deb1]

Quote:
That story just makes me happy. How wonderful that you could help.

 

[Fancie]

I just wanted to say I have been seeing more and more panhandlers latley..... Some of them have to be really in need... today I think I saw 5, on just about every corner of the interstate.

I have only given one such person money.... but he was a guy at a gas station going threw the trash for five cent cans.... No sign... but since he was "working" for money I gave him a few bucks. It made me feel good!

 

[bargain]

Feathered Wings, I continue to thank God for your kindness and love that you show to the world and to the other posters with their acts of kindness.

Although I wrote earlier about some small kindness I did, I was humbled yesterday to learn second handed that a friend of mine was literally without food..She's extremely disabled and had recently been robbed.. no money for food and literally unable to work..Down to the last slice of bread and the last scoop of peanut butter and that was it....She didn't tell me....I was horrified that I was so unaware of the situation....That I who I think I am a caring person and aware of needs of my friends...missed this 100%..... Anyway, when I arrived for a visit, I just told her I was rearranging my kitchen cupboards....(Well, I did, kinda to get her foods) and brought some refrig/freezer goods cause I was cleaning there.....) I didn't want to embarrass her but she started to cry and I did too.

We live in a world right now where many are hungry....I can make no judgments as to what brings the person to that situation. I don't need to know. I'll help whenever and however I can as I believe my Lord would want me to do.

We have a small farm as some of you know and we full time farm......This year for the first time we are getting flooded with people walking and walking to us from town.....About a 2 mile walk, trying to find work....A plant that hired 900 persons burned down and is not rebuilding and most of these walked to work....Our small town has no work and no transportation services to a larger town where there might be work. I wish I could afford to hire 100 full time workers or some how help these people. When we can afford it we do hire a few.

I'm just rambling to say, again thanks OP for bringing this topic up....Despite the ups and downs of this thread, it's humbling to help me remember that the person on the street could be be me.....I suspect that most of us are not debt free and have the "recommended" 6 months of living expenses in the bank should we become unemployed and the last time I saw a survey, I think less than 10% of Americans had enough in savings for a month's earnings......
I'm not rich....I don't know many small acreage or even large acreage farmers that are. I don't anticipate being rich in $ on this small farm ----not enough land and not enough funds to buy more or hire to tend more.

I keep thinking about what it would be to literally be down to the last piece of bread and no reality of being able to get another without help. After yesterday, I look at my plate and our prayer blessings before every meal have a much deeper meaning.

God bless each and every one of you.

 

[Feathered Wings]

Thank you for sharing Bargain

Thanks to all who have shared and your words have touched my heart

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Phew, this isn't a thread, it's a small novel! But glad i made it to the end so i could post.

Feathered Wings, you are a good and kind person. You followed your heart and helped a fellow human being. i know it's not always easy to know who might be trying to scam you or who may truly be in need. i wish i could make a blanket decision that i will not help anyone on the street, or have some dead-set criteria to follow in giving. But it just isn't that simple.

Years ago, when i worked downtown, there were tons of panhandlers. You honestly could not go a block without being hit up by at least one, if not more. i came to the realization that i just had to follow my heart with each and every situation.

One day i was going into a mexican food restaurant to pick up some lunch. Outside on the sidewalk was a middle-aged woman, sitting on a blanket rocking back and forth. A shopping cart loaded with her possessions was nearby. She had a cardboard sign asking for help. While inside i bought her a big burrito and a drink. i came out and bent down to ask if she like burritos. She looked up and said "Yeah!". As i looked in her eyes i could see she had issues, perhaps developmentally disabled. She should never have been out on the streets. She should have been in a safe environment with people taking care of her. But funding for those programs was not so great back then, and even worse now.

i ended up giving her the rest of the money in my purse. Perhaps that bought her a couple more meals. That's not a long term solution, though. Mahatma Gandhi said "You can judge a society by how they treat their weakest members." i suppose until our government finds a solution to the problem of homelessness and care for the needy, it's up to each of us to help as our heart and soul compels us.