homeless, panhandlers, and Cleveland's resources Basic Needs, with your support, can continue to provide free food, clothing, assistance with prescription drug prices, computers and JobLink classes to find work, and library services. The retail value of the food we give away reached $400,000 a year, our co-op prescription assistance program with 4-5,000 users a month saves $2-3 million a year, our tens of thousands of clothing items are worth a whole bunch, and our lab and books have an amazing value. It takes several thousand dollars a month to do all this and plenty of hands and minds. Without giving away a name or identifiable description, I can assure you that Basic Needs Ministry's Cleveland Township Emergency Food Pantry has made available up to 68 pounds of food per week to one panhandler for several years, who frequently holds a sign asking for food assistance. He lives in a nice home in a nice neighborhood in Cleveland Township. He has transportation. The home is owned and deeded in his family's name. He does have a housemate and pets to feed. He has tried work many times, but it doesn't stick. Several travel from the Coats area in Harnett County, simply because our people give them more money. One man refuses to work or settle inside, because he is drawing military disability and doesn't want to work or settle inside. His cash supplement from panhandling suits him just fine. He makes enough to eat in restaurants and doesn't want food assistance. One said he would take anything he could get from anyone, but he wouldn't show ID or give his name. One homeless young lady, who was camping in the woods by C3, was provided living quarters locally and got out of the weather. We know several groups of "homeless" with criminal records banded together in various abandoned homes, shotgun houses, family homes, mobile homes, and even storage sheds to find living quarters in Cleveland Township. Many times they were in constant contact with and supported by their families and extended families. Sometimes they made the Slammer regularly and increased our crime numbers. Wake Human Services offers beds, laundry facilities, showers, but unless they go off drugs and alcohol they cannot come in. So many stay outside. Garner's UMC offers shuttle service for food and showers for the men and women and gives them free laundry service via a local business. Human Services said there are piles of used dirty clothing behind their camps and the church found they were giving the same ones new clothing every week or so. Many will not still not use the free laundy service. The question each of us faces is how we will respond. There is a flow to the need in Cleveland. The local food pantry in Cleveland has lost several large families to Mexico, several clients through death, reduced numbers by divorce and separation decisions and court protection orders, evictions and relocations, clients found new jobs, and disability claims that were finally awarded after a 2-year wait. The new clients came with births; as local businesses reduced working hours, cutting earnings for our residents; layoffs continuing in some fields; the realignment due to evictions in nearby areas; and failure of small businesses.
So, the people holding the cardboard signs "homeless" are not really destitute? I give every chance I get, I have even walked across traffic to say "Hello" and slide them a few bucks if I am headed in the opposite direction. I knew there was a chance that they were dishonest, but the way I saw it - that's on them not me. Matthew 25:40
Cleo - I feel the same, if my motives are right I let the Lord deal with the rest. However, I do know that a lot of homeless struggle with different addictions so I never give cash.
I agree, I don't give everytime but sometimes there is something tugging at me that just compells me to give.
This verse also gives good reason to ponder your actions, as well. Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. [NIV]
Folks, I won't presume to compare scripture with you, but I have a hard time believing that we should help those who won't help themselves at the expense of those who can't help themselves. Peace.
For me, its about like MamaApe said. I don't give to just anyone, but if I feel strongly compelled to do so, I will if I have it on me.
I agree because we really don't know what our kindness will do to help someone else, even those we don't think that deserve it. I give when I can. When I can't, I don't beat myself up about it. And I don't think that every dollar I give to someone to help them is spent the way I think it should be. If I give a guy $5 to buy a value meal and he goes to the ABC store, I have to believe he needed it more. If he's just scamming me, then I brush it off my shoulder. No big deal.
We try to feed ?-68 vs. 34 pounds of food per week-1.5 pounds per 21 meals. The question asked about 68 pounds per person is interesting. He does get 68 pounds when he picks up food and he feeds himself, his roommate, and his dogs. We just don't get much dog food and have to refer folks to the animal shelter's feed programs.
Michelle, Do you know if Doug took his dog with him? I work off Jones Sausage and gave food to him and his dog several times. Sometimes I just picked them up something warm from Burger King when it was cold. Glad he's home with his mother just hoping the dog had a happy ending too. Thanks for posting that information - I had wondered why I had not seen him & his dog in awhile. There was a new man on his corner today.
Yes, he did take the dog with him. That dog was so much company to him. The new man was probably Al. Was he older and very skinny with gray hair?
update Sitting at Big Steve's. Found out that the guy who was standing at the entrance of the shopping center, begging for money had been interviewed by Wral. They had been watching the guy for weeks. When they interviewed him they mentioned that the Wendy's manager had opffered him a job and he said 'why would I take a job for $7.00 an hour when I can just stand here and make $10.00 an hour.' He ended up getting into his late model pickup and drove off. I wonder if that's the same guy who use to stand out in front of the Walmart plaza at rte 42. I have not seen him in a while and according to the cashier at Murphy's gas that guy drove a late model pick up as well. I bet the guy just moved onto another location to hit on some other unsuspecting people.
I saw him today by the McDonald's at 40/42. Was very surprised. Thought they all fled to a different unsuspecting location.
Michelle, Sorry, I don't know how to copy a quote. Anyway, no, this guy looked middle aged with a ball cap and a kind of sherpa lined jacket. I've seen the gray haired, older gentleman with Doug before - I thought they were sharing the tent area...if that is the same guy you are asking about. Glad to hear that both Doug and dog are still together and happily home with his mother.
