"Will Work For Food" signs

[KnoxHarrington]

I'm sure you've seen this out and about: someone set up by the side of the road, with a sign describing their desperate plight, and begging for help. The most common variation is the ubiquitous "Will Work for Food" sign, but I've seen quite a few in my time. Today, I saw one that I found especially disturbing.

On a corner, a guy was standing with a sign. Now, it was a bit wordy, and I didn't really have that much time to read it, but it said something like this: "Please Help: Out of Work, Girlfriend Needs 24-Hour Care, No Funds, Can't Get Help." The sign itself wasn't so bad, but the girlfriend referred to in the sign was apparently next to him. It was a woman, maybe in her late '20s, early '30s, in a wheelchair. Her legs were apparently withered away, and were propped up by the wheelchair, ending in feet that looked really disproportionally wide with her tiny legs. The temperature today is well above 90 degrees, so I hope she didn't have any other sort of medical problem.

I was really unsure what to do. I kind of felt pissed off at the guy: did he drag her down there? And what does he mean by "Can't get help"? Isn't there Medicare funding he could get? I know the safety net isn't quite what it used to be, but there are avenues of assistance out there. I just went by, but I'm sort of haunted by this feeling that I could have done something, tempered with the realization that, really, I couldn't have. I think that maybe I should have called the cops, and told them what was going on, so that they could check things out.

So what should I have done? And what do you do when you see things like that?

[lleeder]

I wish this was in Now I'm Starvin.

[sailor]

i'd imagine drugs were somehow involved. i'd also think someone else would have called for help to come, but that's also how no one ends up calling.

[marky2bucks]

I never give homeless people money directly, that's my rule and I don't feel bad about it. I just don't trust them. Who saw the junkie on Intervention that was using his "busfare" to shoot up 8 times a day? I donate a decent amount of money to charities who handle that type of thing, they can handle it better than I can.

If the homeless guy makes a pretty good case, maybe I'll give. But it's a hard sell.

[Neckbeard]

Mine says "will start for booze."

[britneypablo]

i'd imagine drugs were somehow involved. i'd also think someone else would have called for help to come, but that's also how no one ends up calling.

this is how i also view the situation....
but ur question is what should you have done...

it is not ur responsibility to do anything so u did not do the wrong thing, it was kind of u to even consider them, to even write a post wondering how to help

if we posted back to u that u should have helped, then we would probably be advising u with advice we dont take...

someone with medicare/medicaid knowledge, real advice on where to go and what steps to take would be the one responsible to share that info

on top of that, while alot of homeless people are afflicted, my brother has told me stories (because he is a bit of a jailbird himself) of how homeless people in the bighouse have taught him how to fake illness/amputations and what not in order to gain typical american sympathy

its hard to know where anyones help actually fits into the picture...

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

I never give homeless people money directly, that's my rule and I don't feel bad about it. I just don't trust them. Who saw the junkie on Intervention that was using his "busfare" to shoot up 8 times a day? I donate a decent amount of money to charities who handle that type of thing, they can handle it better than I can.

If the homeless guy makes a pretty good case, maybe I'll give. But it's a hard sell.

I don't give them money but I will buy them food. Most times they are grateful. A few times I was told, "I don't eat this! Get me something else." I just walk away and tell them to have a nice day.

A big thing in Jersey City is the, "I ran out of gas/I was robbed and need PATH/toll fare." I usually just keep walking but one time this guy told me SUCH an intricate and detailed, not to mention, fascinating story I gave him a dollar for the pure entertainment value. And I told him that.

And I wouldn't worry about it, Knox. Yes, getting help isn't always easy but there are charities or even churches that will help if the system fails (which it does quite often). Someone mentioned drugs, so I'm thinking they don't want to give up the drugs in order to receive help.

[KnoxHarrington]

I don't give them money but I will buy them food. Most times they are grateful. A few times I was told, "I don't eat this! Get me something else." I just walk away and tell them to have a nice day.

A big thing in Jersey City is the, "I ran out of gas/I was robbed and need PATH/toll fare." I usually just keep walking but one time this guy told me SUCH an intricate and detailed, not to mention, fascinating story I gave him a dollar for the pure entertainment value. And I told him that.

And I wouldn't worry about it, Knox. Yes, getting help isn't always easy but there are charities or even churches that will help if the system fails (which it does quite often). Someone mentioned drugs, so I'm thinking they don't want to give up the drugs in order to receive help.

That was kind of my suspicion as well. I thought of calling the police mostly because it was so brutally hot at the time that I kind of feared for the health of the woman. This was on a very heavily traveled intersection, though, so I'm pretty sure police happened by fairly soon.

I guess this was just so extreme, as these things go, that it got through the sort of tough layer I've built up on my conscience regarding these things. It was a fairly upsetting sight.

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

That was kind of my suspicion as well. I thought of calling the police mostly because it was so brutally hot at the time that I kind of feared for the health of the woman. This was on a very heavily traveled intersection, though, so I'm pretty sure police happened by fairly soon.

I guess this was just so extreme, as these things go, that it got through the sort of tough layer I've built up on my conscience regarding these things. It was a fairly upsetting sight.

I lived and worked in NYC for a long time. You see it ALL. (Yes, I actually DID give money to the homeless torso on a skateboard on the D train).

The police would have just told them to move it along. They wouldn't have helped.

I know this may sound stupid but if you see them again, buy them cold water and some food. It will help them and ease your conscience.

And if you feel compelled, look up a charity that might be able to help them (if they frequent the same spot). I just threw the drug theory out there. Who knows what's really going on.