1. Do you ever stop to talk to pan handlers or give them money?
Yes. More often food though.
2. Do you know anyone who is homeless?
I have a passing acquaintance with some of our local homeless people. I do not know any people who have become homeless since I've known them. I do have a sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and nieces that came close, though.
3. Do you think it is important to help the homeless?
Yes.
4. Can you think of any ideas that might help get homeless people and families off the street?
First of all, many of our homeless people around here are mentally ill. We need to improve public mental health services (as part of improving access to medical care in this country in general.) Then also, we need to improve "safety nets" for families in crisis. Also, we need to implement and improve job training and placement programs for homeless people.
5. If there was an event in your town that was focused on the art created by the homeless, would you be interested in going?
Yes, provided it was at a time I could go (which basically means Saturday.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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1. I never give money. I give food or drink if available. I have taken several homeless people into a store and bought them bread, fruit, etc. I have had many turn down my offer as they just wanted money. My assumption is that they wanted it for drugs and/or booze.
2. I know a few people who have been homeless. They have had to rely on shelters and community/church groups while they got back on their feet.
3. I think that it is important that there be shelters and places where the homeless can get food. I think these should be provided by private groups, not the government.
4. Most of those who are homeless and don't take advantage of shelters are mentally unstable and/or drug addicts. They should be taken off the streets and helped. If they choose not to receive help and continue to be a danger to themselves or others, they should be committed to a mental institution or prison until they are fit for society again. I do think that this should be one of the limited roles of the government.
5. If the art was interesting to me and not illegal, yes.
Posts: 571 | Registered: Mar 2001
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1. Yes, fairly frequently. 2. Not at the moment, though I have in the past. 3. Of course it is. 4. What KQ said. 5. Sure. I'm always up for looking at art.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
Age: 31 Occupation: Research Engineer/Grad Student
1. Do you ever stop to talk to pan handlers or give them money? No
2. Do you know anyone who is homeless? Not to my knowledge.
3. Do you think it is important to help the homeless? Yes (but not necessarily more than other categorizations of people, e.g. children living in poverty, Tuberculosis victims, etc.)
4. Can you think of any ideas that might help get homeless people and families off the street? I can't think of anything qualitatively different than the systems in place in most wealthy, Western countries. Or rather, I can but do not consider of the ideas to be viable/commendable.
5. If there was an event in your town that was focused on the art created by the homeless, would you be interested in going? I doubt it. I'm not a big consumer of art for entertainment anyway. Things that would make me more likely to attend would be if expectations are set up front (e.g. "Donations to Helping Hands will be accepted at the door; recommended donation is $25"), or if there were some other obvious revenue generating mechanism (like an auction, or a charity dinner attached).
Posts: 2926 | Registered: Sep 2005
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1. Do you ever stop to talk to pan handlers or give them money? Yes. But it's more likely in a setting other than a busy street.
2. Do you know anyone who is homeless? Not right now, but, have had aquantances who have become homeless for a time.
3. Do you think it is important to help the homeless? Yes, especially in times of inclement weather.
4. Can you think of any ideas that might help get homeless people and families off the street? Public shelters really are necessary in the short run. Placement help including clothing and bathing facilities would help persons who are homeless because of unemployment. And, we probably have cut too much from public mental health programs as KQ said.
5. If there was an event in your town that was focused on the art created by the homeless, would you be interested in going? Our little town has so few "events", that I attend everything.
Posts: 1167 | Registered: Oct 2005
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Occupation: Stay-at-home parent/Freelance game software designer
1. Do you ever stop to talk to pan handlers or give them money? Yes
2. Do you know anyone who is homeless? Here I have to hedge a bit and say "I did". When I lived in Seattle, I worked downtown and passed the same homeless people every day, so naturally I got to know a few of them. I also was on a much closer basis with someone who was homeless in my circle of friends while I was there, but it was a more transitory, "staying on friends' couches while looking for new work" kind of homeless. Now that I live and work in the suburbs of Vancouver, my main contact with them is with people who panhandle near highway on-and-off ramps, and it rarely seems to be the same people from day to day.
3. Do you think it is important to help the homeless?
Yes. "There but for the grace of God," and all that. I'm not always certain what is the best way to do so, however. Some people are deceitful and manipulative; some have mental problems or addictions that a few dollars aren't going to help. But the bottom line is that without nutritious food at a minimum, it's very difficult to work up the ambition to better one's own life, so sometimes one has to accept making things better for one day.
4. Can you think of any ideas that might help get homeless people and families off the street? I have a few ideas, some my own, others I've heard of success stories elsewhere. A program to provide P.O. Boxes for the homeless might be beneficial, as by definition they don't have anything to write down for an address to get things like identifications, notifications from employers and financial institutions, and paychecks. I've also heard of some institutions that provide clean and presentable clothing and toiletries to prepare people for interviews and assistance with creating resumes and acquiring references; this seems like a good start for many people who are on the streets largely from bad luck. We desperately need to find ways to provide childcare for those who could find a job or pursue educational opportunities, but for needing to care for children. And we need to find ways to offer drug treatment to people that reassure them they won't immediately be legally sanctioned for seeking help that might get them off the street.
5. If there was an event in your town that was focused on the art created by the homeless, would you be interested in going?
Sounds like something my church might host. I might, with the proviso that I'm not in the market for art myself right now, and I'd have to see something really outstanding before I'd feel comfortable offering it as a gift, even though I might want to support the artist.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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1. Do you ever stop to talk to pan handlers or give them money? Yes, nearly always.
2. Do you know anyone who is homeless? Probably so, but nobody I know well.
3. Do you think it is important to help the homeless? I do. And not just the "deserving" homeless but also those with troubled lives who have made bad choices.
4. Can you think of any ideas that might help get homeless people and families off the street? We could help them build homes with small loans, volunteer labor, etc. We could help them find jobs, give vocational training, and employ them. If they are non compos mentis then halfway houses would be helpful. Really they just need to have some kind of family to look out for them, sometimes. Maybe we could have a website to match homeless people to others who are willing become their family, at least for a short time, and help them get on their feet. Addicts need rehab. Mental patients need mental health care. All need someone who cares about them.
5. If there was an event in your town that was focused on the art created by the homeless, would you be interested in going? Definitely, if I could. I would also be interested in browsing a website that featured homeless art.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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1. Do you ever stop to talk to pan handlers or give them money?
Money, yes, talking, not really. I'm a young female, and also mildly agoraphobic-ish, so I'm hesitant to strike up a conversation with just about anybody I haven't been formally introduced to. I give money, though. Not much, but spare change/ones.
2. Do you know anyone who is homeless?
No.
3. Do you think it is important to help the homeless? Yes.
4. Can you think of any ideas that might help get homeless people and families off the street?
I think the biggest way to reduce the number of homeless people/families is to set up safety nets that keep people from getting there in the first place.
5. If there was an event in your town that was focused on the art created by the homeless, would you be interested in going?
Definitely. I probably would not buy something, since I'm in a rather transitory phase, but I'd be happy to pay a cover charge or donate to the sponsoring organization.
Posts: 368 | Registered: Dec 2005
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1. Do you ever stop to talk to pan handlers or give them money? Yes. Talk to them pretty frequently (they usually talk to me first, and always pick me out of a group of people I'm with to talk to). I have given money, and food, or rides.
2. Do you know anyone who is homeless? Not currently (our economy here is strong at the moment), but have known several in the past.
3. Do you think it is important to help the homeless? The ones that want to be helped, yes.
4. Can you think of any ideas that might help get homeless people and families off the street? Helping them with encouragement, regaining their belief that they can change their situation. Helping them with a step up, then helping keep them accountable and motivated to keep it going. This takes personal one-on-one time. There needs to be a personal sponsorship between a homeless person and their mentor. Kinda like Big Brother/Big Sister, but for a homeless and a mentor to help and encourage them out of their situation.
5. If there was an event in your town that was focused on the art created by the homeless, would you be interested in going? No. And that isn't because it is homeless art. It is because I'm not a big fan of art in general. I don't go to ANY art shows, etc. Just not my cup of tea.
As a side note: I have been homeless myself before in my younger days -- from 1982-83, approx, in Nebraska. So I empathize with them quite a bit.
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
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1. Do you ever stop to talk to pan handlers or give them money? Yes
2. Do you know anyone who is homeless? Not currently but I have known several homeless people and I do know quite a few people who have been homeless at some point in their lives.
3. Do you think it is important to help the homeless? Absolutely
4. Can you think of any ideas that might help get homeless people and families off the street?
a). Our communities need more and better low income housing options.
b). We need programs that work preemptively (i.e programs people can go to before they are evicted). There are many homeless people who could afford a monthly rent but can't actually get into an apartment because of the requirements for credit checks and the big cash outlay for deposit plus first and last months rent that most rental units require. If the family/person is in a position where they could afford rent in lower income housing but not their current housing, this program will help them make that transition.
c) Better programs for mentally ill/drug addicts.
d) More and better homeless shelters.
5. If there was an event in your town that was focused on the art created by the homeless, would you be interested in going? Yes
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