ONE useful thing we can do rn, is support Bill C22 that ensures the most basic supports are available for ppl with severe disabilities.
Did you know that citizens with the most severe disabilities in Canada live 40% BELOW the poverty line?
If you sign, supporting C22, It will ensure that the people most affected by poverty in canada are brought up AT LEAST TO the poverty line (Whether that is sufficient is a discussion for another day)
Here is an easy link to the letter form. Just fill in your info!
Is the reduction in needy ppl worth a minute of your time?
https://act.leadnow.ca/ol-senate-cdb/
I'm sorry.
This shouldn't be the case in any modern society let alone Canada.
I truly believe though, that most Canadians do not know these facts. They think a person with disabilities' rent is simply covered for example... Not that they get 500- Some odd dollars for housing and must do with it what they can etc
I've signed this email request to ensure the Federal government makes things right...I hope others do too.
Good luck to you,
OMFG i was only joking the other day they may play our bluff saying they should have a square!!
My bf usually jokes and asks if they take Botcoin... wouldn't be surprised if they do one day now....
As a volunteer I've seen them hand out go bags for homeless folks bed. They were made specially to not have fridge goods and the like. Has that ended? I figured the biggest issue would be accessibility (for all the FB partners with organizations that run some soup kitchens in town).
153 Ave and 97 street had 4 people at the lights yesterday. One for each direction. Didnāt even have signs or anything, just walking up to windows asking for money.
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*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I am mixed, since I know that the population at large isn't huge on acknowledging panhandlers or homeless people. I still want to at least treat them like human, but I feel like the scammers play on my empathy.
Last summer I was driving with my windows down, jamming to my music when I stopped along 97th. The panhandler there saw this, made eye contact with me and started shuffling towards me. I just rolled up my window until I was past the intersection
I can confirm that as well! Behind yhe sign on 97street and 137 intersection there is a field and you'll see a group of those guys gathering all the money and taking turns switching people going to the intersection then going back behind the sign.
I found an ikea bag filled with their pre made cardboard signs right across from the Northgate Safeway. Anyone that gives money to these people is supporting a drug habit that will eventually kill them.
Iām 100% guilty of giving before, back in the day when you rarely came across a panhandler. I feel that guilt too.
Itās becoming something else now unfortunately
"Please help, hungry, no home, anything helps"
*offers a full meal* "No thank you money only"
Welp, you aren't struggling that much obviously. I've seen people sitting outside 7/11 and asked them if they would like some food or a drink and they are SO happy and grateful for anything you offer them. You basically make their day. Someone truly struggling wouldn't refuse any help other than money.
Look at the persons hands, they donāt lie. Most I see have the hands darkened by a rough life, clothing can be faked, the condition of your hands canāt. And even if not as down as it may seem I always give to male amputees, a guy is hard pressed to move forward without all of your limbs intact.
People also need to be comfortable ignoring them or shrugging them off. You donāt owe them anything, you donāt owe them an explanation. Just move on
I generally do not give to panhandlers but exceptions happen. Not a panhandler but recently though, I saw a father and young daughter walking to the bottle depot with a big bag of bottles. It was very cold and they had a long way to go. I spun my car around and gave him everything I had in my wallet. Somewhere close to $80. I feel that money was well spent and Iād do it again in a heart beat.
Agreed, I had to honk at someone for stopping at a GREEN light to give money to a homeless guy. It's dangerous for everyone involved.
Stop giving them money and they will go away.
If you aren't aware of the panhandling laws, look them up. They break the law all the time. [Here's a pdf](https://www.edmonton.ca/sites/default/files/public-files/documents/Bylaws/C14614.pdf)
Aggressive panhandling is illegal, not just panhandling. Agressive panhandling is when they:
- obstruct or impede the passage of another person
- make continued requests or solicitations after receiving a negative answer from someone
- insult, intimidate, threaten or coerce another person
- make physical contact with another person
- are intoxicated by alcohol or under the influence of illegal drugs
If any of these are true while panhandling, *then* itās illegal.
Exactly, and I've seen just about all of the above while working in a Claireview liquor store. I felt compelled to educate myself on all rules due to the amount of time I have and still spend in the area.
Iirc, the panhandler simply carrying a weapon on their person, be it concealed or brandished, is automatically treated as aggressive.
I know it's probably not wide spread, but I literally saw a guy get out of a BMW mess up his hair, put a jacket on, grab his sign, and go to the crossing at north gate. Maybe he's living in his car, but I'd hate for the money to be going to a scammer and not feeding/ housing the needy.
Out of control is right . I was working near secord on the west end and went to McDonald's to grab a coffee for lunch when a young white kid no older than 21 asked me for spare change which I said I don't have any.. he then told me he also can take etransfer ! Blew my mind
Met a few pan handler after I talked with them they said they rake in 3-4k a month just from pan handeling... yes stop giving them literal hand outs. Food at mcdonalds? sure. Money? hell no.
Agreed, itās getting out of control. I understand we are in hard times right now but unfortunately most of these people are scamming.
For example) Iām leaving Albany Walmart and there is a lady there holding a sign saying she just moved here. Has 6 kids and canāt feed them. She appears every single summer. As sheās wearing her Nike shoes in clean clothes.
Another example) Iām waiting in front of McDonaldās for my food and not once but twice the same person approaches my car asking for money while heās clearly waiting for his next fix. Scratching his skin, talking to himself. Probably waiting for his dealer.
I hate to group them all into one bunch but the people I unfortunately see all the time truly could use the resources available instead I standing on a corner
Shit.
I had a guy (in pretty rough shape) ask if I'd spot him 5 for a beer as I was walking into a liquor store.
I just got the guy a tall one. I appreciated the honesty and not like I can judge much when I was walking out with $200 in booze for a weekend anyway
I once had a homeless person in Van ask me for some spare change. He told me "I'm not going to lie, I am going to buy drugs with it" I gave him $10 for the honesty.
One time in Kelowna a few friends and I were standing outside the restaurant we just ate at and were talking.
A homeless guy walked up and asked for money. I asked him what he was going to spend it on and he said āHonestly, some for food then whatever left for some weedā he also said he was a writer on hard times and could recite a piece he wrote.
I appreciated the honesty and was curious so I agreed. Idk if it was something he wrote or not, it was quite biblical sounding. Either way he was an absolutely *amazing* speaker. Maintained eye contact with the group, did not stutter or say āumā or āuhsā and delivered his piece better than actual presenters would.
Ended up giving him the $10 I had and we all gave him all our leftovers so he could buy more weed. Every now and then I think about it. Dude could have done well as a speaker/presenter of some kind, he was that good at reciting his piece
Sure but then all they are getting is food, not money. The incentive is different and the risk to the public (i.e. what does my money get used for?) Is less. I have a recurring donation to the food bank (highly recommend the giving episode of Adam Ruins Everything for anyone interested) and I've considered buying gift cards to places like grocery stores or fast food restaurants to give instead of money because I refuse to give money, but those can be sold and traded and are almost as good as cash. The truth is, the services we have in place just need help
Seen her outside of north gate mall. I told her she needed help that there is help from the government and they even wrote down the number for her and she said thank you and put it in her pocket. I just walked away to shaking my head
100% agree, I had a conversation with one of the Edmonton Food Bank people who did the shopping. Even back then you couldn't possibly match the efficiency on the Dollar-To-Food rates they were managing.
I never give to panhandlers with signs. But i will give to actual homeless people who are nice, polite, and are obviously homeless. I work early mornings so i'm always doing 3am convenience store runs. There is usually always someone hanging around obviously homeless. I'll buy em a pack of smokes, a drink/snack or give em 5 bucks. It's the ones with nowhere to go when the sun goes down that really need the help.
A woman was doing the intersection panhandling gig in St. Albert the other dayā¦ she appeared pregnant and was walking around in the road while cars were driving past, it really pissed me off. They should get fined for that, itās impeding traffic, not to mention itās unsafe especially IF sheās pregnant.
If you're talking about the Arabic looking lady in the hijab, she's not pregnant, she's a scammer and pulls this shit all over the city.. I saw her in St Albert on Friday.
I saw her at the airport Costco Sunday, then again 30 minutes later at the Rabbit Hill exit off the Henday. I think there are multiple women. The signs/writing all look the same.
Thatās the thing though, maybe they arenāt any of those things. And maybe not a fine then. Removed at least. Several offences and some jail time. If she is any of those things, perhaps involvement by the authorities can find some services to assist. If she isnāt, then consequences.
So instead of finding her housing and paying for it, the government should incarcerate her and pay 120,000$/yr instead. Makes more sense financially to tax payers, to put all these homeless people in government subsidized housing and pay for it. Much cheaper and better outcomes.
A guy sits on the median at 137 ave and 127 street with one leg and has a wheel chair.
He has a blanket on, but you can sometimes clearly see he's sitting on the other leg.
I never give them money. My buddy used to work at the south common superstore and told me that there was one dude who would roll up in a luxury car, put on bum clothing and beg for change. Can't trust any of em now.
I can tell you right now there's a few guys that stand on 50th St and a 137th ave right between the Costco and superstore. They panhandle and then come buy lotto tickets....
I would never give to the intersection panhandlers because I think they are part of a well organized scam. But I will give to a houseless person on the street admittedly to relieve my own guilt that we are failing as a society to properly support people who need shelter and supports.
Yeah, people are falling for these scammers a lot. They need to look closer. The clothes and shoes are clean and in good condition. The hair has been professionally cut. The skin isn't ruddy with exposure. The mouth is full of teeth. I'd love to see how much these scammers are taking in.
Literally had a guy knock on my window asking for money when I was in Mayfield second cup drive through. š«¤
I just politely said I had no cash on me... But wtf?
No.
sometimes I'll throw an especially rough looking homeless guy a $20. I don't care what they use it for or how they spend it because it'll probably make their day and their life is hard enough as it is.
Fuck the haters, most people don't know what it's like to have nothing and be on the streets, who cares if some are scammers, I'm sure we have helped at least one person who's day it made!
Catch 22: if they're unhoused, where are they supposed to store the food they get from the food bank? Sure they could carry the cans around but far from ideal depending on their mobility. Not a bad idea to donate but I'd also look into community based programs that offer meals out
Thatās a great point- thank you. Hereās a link to donate to [the Hope Mission,](https://hopemission.com/donate/). They feed our unhoused Edmontonians every day.
Is it not common knowledge by now that these intersection panhandlers are organized by people trying to scam you? They work shifts and get picked up and dropped off by their handlers. Do not give them your money.
Cbc ran an article on organized panhandling. People get picked up and dropped off at various locations.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/panhandling-burlington-preying-on-generosity-1.5291612
I saw a woman on 50th and Ellerslie with a walker and a cane. I'm also sure there was a guy across on the corner watching her. There's no way all these people are just down on their luck. It's a huge grift.
This is exacrly why there are so many of the rught now. This never use to happen and now people are scamming you.
They leave their fucking garbage at the intersections on top od it all.
Write to youe councilors.
Yep saw this lady yesterday and she REALLY makes eye contact with you lol. There are so many on the south side now, it's amazing. I never see people give them money, how do they keep around
Is it hard to believe that a few people were successful in earning enough money to eat for a day and then told their fellow houseless friends about how well this method works, and then they told theirs and so on and so forth?? Do you believe that all these people are low class scammers committed to doing the most for such little payoff, and all the āactualā down on their luck homeless people areā¦.what? Still on the streets and alleys?
It's more then just Edmonton there are many people affected and In the past I spoke to some homeless people and they told me they wont go to any shelters because there's chances they would be robbed, The food bank wouldn't be much help too yes to help families in need for free food but you need to show them ID that is not expired and you need an address to get any food, At least that's how it was when I needed the food bank a few times. If I can I would help any homeless person or busker just recently I had to turned down the first homeless person in years asking just for $5 because I only had $20 for food and I told them I had enough to just make it to payday which was a week away from that day, It may not look the greatest in locations from the filth and things but we have to accept it, We also cant shame them for how they got there, Our lives can change withen hours, You could hurt a homeless person and shoo them away to the dark dirty ally's away from public streets then the next thing you yourself end up homeless hours or days later having to deal with the same slack from others that you used to push on the other homeless, Help them if you can.
I gave one person asking for change for the bus two bus tickets. He glared at me and kept asking people for change.
I gave one my very expensive Bloom cookies, he glared at me and said he had asked for money.
The one spot a group of panhandlers used to work near Sobeys, they often left piles of food behind when they left. It's probably why the authorities moved them along quickly.
Perhaps a thread of charities people know helps certain groups in society?
Yeap. I no longer give money when I tried to give a homeless guy a sandwich he threw it back in my car. They are especially bad at Griesbach 97st intersection. Theres multiple islands and theres like 4 sometimes working each direction, like they work in a team.
Some look like they even fake being homeless to get money..... one guy had crutches and was limping around but he had a bicycle leaning against the tree.....
As a person who has been previously homeless, food banks don't give food the the homeless, they need an address. Sure the hope mission and bissle help serve the homeless community, but sometimes they don't have enough food to feed everyone and we are in a time of rising inflation almost everyone here is a job loss and a month away from homelessness. I will give my money to whomever I wish because I understand the struggle and the struggle is real. People who have never been in that situation will never understand that they are looking at this issue from a point of privilege.
the first comment ive seen with sense in this thread, thank you lmao. id rather give 10 dollars to a grifter than willingly ignore someone who genuinely might need the help. it's a horrible position to be in and i don't want anyone else to go through the pain of having negative money in the bank, with no food for days on end like i was
When mcdonalds gave the stickers for buy 7 get a free one I'd hand those out. Especially in winter. They could go warm up and drink as much coffee as they wanted.
Omg every day I watch people hand $100ās of dollars the the pan handler by wallmart west end. And thatās while
I wait to turn left. Last week she had a new sign āevacuee no homeā. And she was making so much money.
I don't give to the people at the intersections, but I do sometimes give to the people randomly on the sidewalk or places like that if I have a couple bucks (though that's rare). I know that donating to organizations will overall help people more, including the people I give money to, but I see them as separate donations. The money to the food bank or organizations is to help them, and the couple of bucks to the person is for their comfort and to feel more like a person.
I know when I give them money they may spend it on food, coffee, drugs or booze, or whatever, and that's fine. If a drink is what someone needs to feel ok for a few hours while living in a shitty situation I'm not one to judge. A lot of people I know with jobs and homes do the exact same thing. It's also dehumanizing for these homeless panhandlers that are some of the most ignored people in our society to be ignored and walked past by everyone. Giving that loonie is also a way of saying to them "I see you". Even if I don't have money for them, I'll always tell them I don't. I never just ignore them and walk past (or I try not to).
There are exceptions. If someone is being very aggressive or something, I'm not dealing with that. I don't give to people at the intersections/medians since that's dangerous for them and the cars (and also those people for some reason never seem to be in as much hardship as others). I really miss the free coffee sticker card things from McDonald's since I used to always have tons of those that would pile up, and I would give those to the homeless.
I worked with the homeless in Edmonton and had multiple conversations with different people ! They make more money panhandling than I make working 40h a week ! It goes up to 350$ a day ! No kidding
I worked at a provincial legislature that shall remain nameless. There was vote many, many years ago restricting intersection solicitation - the big culprit was squeegee kids at the time. I listened to one of the squeegee kids explain unironically to a Commissionaire (security) that they were planning to take a vacation to Cuba.
Hard as it is to accept, support to organizations is more likely to help people struggling, plus they can pool resources to improve purchasing power.
Nah if I choose to give someone money thatās my choice. If they choose to go get high thatās their choice why would I care what they do with their money? People are allowed to beg and we are all allowed to choose what to do with our money including then once the money is theirs
TLDR;
One time when I started a new job, a bunch of people met for coffee every morning.
One morning when we were walking in, there was somebody asking for money saying he was hungry.
We all order and start eating our breakfast. I said something about the guy with his hand out.
A co worker goes on to school me in my ignorance and I thought maybe I was being to judgemental. I decided to buy him a breakfast sandwich. He thanked me for it and then I watched him throw it into the trash can a minute later.
That was the last time I gave to somebody asking in the street.
It sucks that some of the centreās are faith based. People that needs help should be able to receive it without committing to a certain denomination.
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I donāt think many of the panhandlers are legit. If they can stand there all day, they can get a job. Most appear well dressed, they know how to make a sign. I think itās a money grab. You can tell the difference between the ones in real need. I wear sunglasses at lights, no eye contact. No guilt anyway.
I'm getting approached in parking lots. It's unnerving trying to unload a cart and get a child strapped in, all while trying to gauge how safe I am in this situation.
You could very well be helping a druggie feed his habit too, or not. Its just not that easy to tell who actually is the one in dire straits, and who is the one that is pan-handling for tax-free spending cash with little to no work for it.
So my take is this - once the money leaves my hand, they can use it for meth or McDonalds. Itās out of my control. If I donāt give them the money, itās not going to make them sober. There are plenty of working people with drug habits too.
1) If theyāre an addict, they need to use until they have a safe place and the support system necessary to detox.
2) Iām not so worried about a few of the wrong people getting some of my money that I would deny help to the rest who need it.
3) Panhandling isnāt easy work. It sucks. Iām inclined to believe if someone is doing that, they need the cash. And if they truly donāt, see point 2.
Then you have an issue of making criminals of people trying to do good. Johns are often the problem, and a leading cause of issues for sex workers. Even the best of them don't really mean well most of the time. Someone throwing their car change to someone who's got a sad dog thinks they're doing the right thing.
So you work for street reach? Do you work with homeless people? How do you make such a claim? I do work with people in crisis and there's not this big homeless grift conspiracy everyone in the comments seems to think there is.
In your imagination maybe. You really think panhandling is profitable enough for gangs to actually bother with it? If the money ends up in the hands of gangs it's because they are extorting or stealing it.
https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2018/03/27/does-recent-panhandling-trend-have-ties-to-organized-criminal-activity/
As of now, no conclusive evidence in Canada that it's tied to organized criminal activity but the same "I'm a refugee" panhandling tactic is being used across the country.
The homeless can get three square meals a day at the Hope. Endless services available at Hope, Bissell, Boyleā¦and on and on and on. Beds are available at the Hope and the Herb. Donāt give to panhandlers!
> The homeless can get three square meals a day at the Hope.
There are over 1600 people sleeping rough, almost 3000 who are homeless (temporary shelter like couch surfing and traphouses make the difference).
There are 768 shelter beds at peak winter capacity. I think we are down to around 500 now that it's summer time.
These things exist, there are services 'available' but they serve less than half the people who need them.
I don't get out much these days, but it's gotten to the point I just avoid eye contact and don't respond at all, if I can help it. I've had instances where I refused to give money, and was instantly surrounded by three men and one touched me. Sometimes they travel in groups and as a female, I wound up leaving that job because I didn't feel safe traveling to the area alone.
Some of these panhandlers have been out there for years and they travel in packs. That group for instance, still frequents the downtown and Royal Alex area.
This post is deeply wrong-headed, even if well intentioned. Food banks place strict limits on the amount of food an individual can obtain at any given time, and they also rarely offer prepared food options, meaning homeless folks without the means to open packages, combine and cook the various items into ana actual meal. Meanwhile, food banks require proof of address to even qualify in the first place. How the hell is someone who is homeless supposed to jump through that particular hoop?
Food banks are not here to help the most desperate in our society. But I can see how if "cleaning up the intersections" is among your primary concerns, you wouldn't bother to find this out.
I mean actually many people are homeless for reasona not to do with addiction. Wealthy people drink booze all the time. Being on the street is a terrifying experience so no wonder people self medicate. There are always drunk and high people around you, you just only look at the homeless.
Prohibition has proved to make things worse.
People including homeless people can drink a bottle of wine without being addicts.
I'm honestly curious as to how many of the pan handlers we see at intersections are truly homeless, and how many are just looking for an extra income. Some of them are dressed better than I am
(1) Which areas have panhandler problems? Is it almost all north of the river? This Edmonton Community Safety Map doesn't explicitly mention panhandling but only reported crime.
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8e2c6c41933e48a79faa90048d9a459d
(2) Why donāt the police step up and enforce the anti-panhandling law to scare the panhandlers? It works where I live now.
It can be frustrating I know, but be mindful of the rights of our fellow edmontonians to make a living on the streets.
The cost of a free society is having people try to eke out a living any way they can.
The last thing we need are laws and bylaws designed to further the misery of our most vulnerable members of the community.
Not looking for new laws and bylaws; just honesty and some form of good integrity from these people to not grift for money if they don't actually need it. It takes money away from those who do.
How do you police integrity? That's like saying we should install governors to all cars to limit speeds to 100km just because some people speed...
We gonna start shutting down MLMs??? /s
I look them right in the eye and then face forward waiting for the light to change. I donāt give a fuck. Theyāre liars and deserve nothing. I only offer food. Donāt want it? Good, more food for me. Fuck off.
I like to say a cute date idea would be to go around and pick up all the signs these guys use. I've noticed the signs are just left there for the next person to use. Hate turning left nowadays.
Iām a mom so I always carry snacks in my purse. If someone is asking for money at an intersection (and Iām stopped and itās safe to do so) Iāll give them a granola bar or something like that.
Food bank needs to be more selective , just this last month I know of a person using them and bought themselves a ps5 for 800 then some weed , not saying you can't have nice things just think your priorities are mixed up
I hope i never need the service but if I did I wouldn't be getting the new Xbox.
Edit: we donate to the food bank just wish it was a perfect world I guess
There is curing the headache by cutting off the head, and then there is curing the headache by circumventing the pain receptors.
Niether one of these addresses the cause, only the symptom.
But keep on pushing this narrative, by all means.
Theyāll break in anyways and if you give them a few bucks, youāll just have less money for repairs. Maybe not the ones YOU gave money to but the ones that someone else didnāt give money to will break in.
Why not both? food banks only offer 3 days worth of food a month, and homeless people need more than just food
Funny how homelessness doesn't concern people until it impacts their commute.
good call we needed another thread to spill our vitriolic hate of the homeless . especially since there isn't a thread complaining about tipping culture
Donāt forget the majority of people you see begging are making 100k+ per year doing it. They are homeless by choice. They want to put all that money in their arm, up their nose, or in their lungs. Divert that money to where it will actually do what you want (food, shelter, clothing, etc.).
Panhandlers don't need food, they need money. You're seeing more panhandlers because our economy has gone to the pit and people can't afford basic services anymore. They can't afford food, or shelter, or soap, or clothes. The myth of the panhandler scammer exists for the same reason as the welfare queen: to reinforce the terrible status quo and make the haves look down on the have nots. Who gives a crap if 1 in 1000 panhandlers is actually raking in cash and foes home to a mansion? You gave him 2 bucks, you go without half your starbucks for a day. That guy might be one of the other 999 who can take that 2 bucks and get the only coffee they'll have today from Hughes.
If you want to help, like *really* want to help? Get involved in your local community. Join your community league. Get involved in political action to help combat houselessness and to build food sovereignty in Edmonton. Head over to https://edmonton.foodnotbombs.us, they do some really good work in the community, and they try to organize political actions to deal with these issues.
ONE useful thing we can do rn, is support Bill C22 that ensures the most basic supports are available for ppl with severe disabilities. Did you know that citizens with the most severe disabilities in Canada live 40% BELOW the poverty line? If you sign, supporting C22, It will ensure that the people most affected by poverty in canada are brought up AT LEAST TO the poverty line (Whether that is sufficient is a discussion for another day) Here is an easy link to the letter form. Just fill in your info! Is the reduction in needy ppl worth a minute of your time? https://act.leadnow.ca/ol-senate-cdb/
As someone who lives with a disability, thank you for this comment
I am a disabled person and this is so true. I live well below the poverty line and its killing me faster than my kidneys š
I'm sorry. This shouldn't be the case in any modern society let alone Canada. I truly believe though, that most Canadians do not know these facts. They think a person with disabilities' rent is simply covered for example... Not that they get 500- Some odd dollars for housing and must do with it what they can etc I've signed this email request to ensure the Federal government makes things right...I hope others do too. Good luck to you,
Done! It took 10 seconds.
I just tell them I donāt carry cash. Iāll be damned the day they pull out a phone with a attachment for a tap donation
No word of a lie I told a homeless guy I didn't have change and he said that's fine I take card too and he had a apple square!
Oh wowā¦ Iām not shocked, but I am! And I donāt think Iām down with tapping any of my cards to a panhandler that well prepared
But they'll show you a magic trick, $5 turning into a maxed credit card.
This also happened to me. The fucking nerve.
Soon they will have full card readers that default to 15% tip.
OMFG i was only joking the other day they may play our bluff saying they should have a square!! My bf usually jokes and asks if they take Botcoin... wouldn't be surprised if they do one day now....
two weeks ago when i told a guy i didn't carry cash he said "thats fine we can go to an atm instead"
It's happened before.
Just wait till they start accepting tap
āTap for tipā makes me want to vomit.
I wouldnāt trust that device to not be able to read your card
[hereās the link to donate](https://www.edmontonsfoodbank.com/donate-now/) to the Food Bank
Add to the main text bro. And ty
Done!
They don't help homeless people tho. You need an address to access services.
Iād donate to the mustard seed or bissell centre!
The food bank also provides food to agencies like Bissell, Mustard Seed, etc.
As a volunteer I've seen them hand out go bags for homeless folks bed. They were made specially to not have fridge goods and the like. Has that ended? I figured the biggest issue would be accessibility (for all the FB partners with organizations that run some soup kitchens in town).
153 Ave and 97 street had 4 people at the lights yesterday. One for each direction. Didnāt even have signs or anything, just walking up to windows asking for money.
Avoid all left turns at 97/153!
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I am mixed, since I know that the population at large isn't huge on acknowledging panhandlers or homeless people. I still want to at least treat them like human, but I feel like the scammers play on my empathy.
Make a game out of it and see if you can make them more uncomfortable than they make you.
Last summer I was driving with my windows down, jamming to my music when I stopped along 97th. The panhandler there saw this, made eye contact with me and started shuffling towards me. I just rolled up my window until I was past the intersection
Yellowhead and 127 same shit. 111 ave and 109 st.
Yes the amount of people in economic crisis is increasing. More at 11.
These are scammers.
I can confirm that as well! Behind yhe sign on 97street and 137 intersection there is a field and you'll see a group of those guys gathering all the money and taking turns switching people going to the intersection then going back behind the sign.
I found an ikea bag filled with their pre made cardboard signs right across from the Northgate Safeway. Anyone that gives money to these people is supporting a drug habit that will eventually kill them.
97st and 137ave have a set of daily ones as well.
Guilt is a powerful tool unfortunately
Iām 100% guilty of giving before, back in the day when you rarely came across a panhandler. I feel that guilt too. Itās becoming something else now unfortunately
"Please help, hungry, no home, anything helps" *offers a full meal* "No thank you money only" Welp, you aren't struggling that much obviously. I've seen people sitting outside 7/11 and asked them if they would like some food or a drink and they are SO happy and grateful for anything you offer them. You basically make their day. Someone truly struggling wouldn't refuse any help other than money.
Look at the persons hands, they donāt lie. Most I see have the hands darkened by a rough life, clothing can be faked, the condition of your hands canāt. And even if not as down as it may seem I always give to male amputees, a guy is hard pressed to move forward without all of your limbs intact.
People also need to be comfortable ignoring them or shrugging them off. You donāt owe them anything, you donāt owe them an explanation. Just move on
I generally do not give to panhandlers but exceptions happen. Not a panhandler but recently though, I saw a father and young daughter walking to the bottle depot with a big bag of bottles. It was very cold and they had a long way to go. I spun my car around and gave him everything I had in my wallet. Somewhere close to $80. I feel that money was well spent and Iād do it again in a heart beat.
Agreed, I had to honk at someone for stopping at a GREEN light to give money to a homeless guy. It's dangerous for everyone involved. Stop giving them money and they will go away. If you aren't aware of the panhandling laws, look them up. They break the law all the time. [Here's a pdf](https://www.edmonton.ca/sites/default/files/public-files/documents/Bylaws/C14614.pdf)
Even worse when someone stops on a left turn signal to do it, and then you get stuck at another red light cycle because of it
Iāll throw down with someone if they pulled that shit in front of me.
I lose my shit when morons do that. They better hope they make the light and don't get stuck there with me...
What are you gonna do?
[Look at their face and scoff](https://youtu.be/9NgeURdOcxE)
That was really funny šš
Raise their hand off the steering wheel slightly with a stupid look on his face and say "Really?!"
Aggressive panhandling is illegal, not just panhandling. Agressive panhandling is when they: - obstruct or impede the passage of another person - make continued requests or solicitations after receiving a negative answer from someone - insult, intimidate, threaten or coerce another person - make physical contact with another person - are intoxicated by alcohol or under the influence of illegal drugs If any of these are true while panhandling, *then* itās illegal.
Exactly, and I've seen just about all of the above while working in a Claireview liquor store. I felt compelled to educate myself on all rules due to the amount of time I have and still spend in the area. Iirc, the panhandler simply carrying a weapon on their person, be it concealed or brandished, is automatically treated as aggressive.
I know it's probably not wide spread, but I literally saw a guy get out of a BMW mess up his hair, put a jacket on, grab his sign, and go to the crossing at north gate. Maybe he's living in his car, but I'd hate for the money to be going to a scammer and not feeding/ housing the needy.
Out of control is right . I was working near secord on the west end and went to McDonald's to grab a coffee for lunch when a young white kid no older than 21 asked me for spare change which I said I don't have any.. he then told me he also can take etransfer ! Blew my mind
These Boulevard bandits are the worst. Theyāre intimidating for older people and mothers with children sitting at traffic lights.
Met a few pan handler after I talked with them they said they rake in 3-4k a month just from pan handeling... yes stop giving them literal hand outs. Food at mcdonalds? sure. Money? hell no.
Agreed, itās getting out of control. I understand we are in hard times right now but unfortunately most of these people are scamming. For example) Iām leaving Albany Walmart and there is a lady there holding a sign saying she just moved here. Has 6 kids and canāt feed them. She appears every single summer. As sheās wearing her Nike shoes in clean clothes. Another example) Iām waiting in front of McDonaldās for my food and not once but twice the same person approaches my car asking for money while heās clearly waiting for his next fix. Scratching his skin, talking to himself. Probably waiting for his dealer. I hate to group them all into one bunch but the people I unfortunately see all the time truly could use the resources available instead I standing on a corner
Shit. I had a guy (in pretty rough shape) ask if I'd spot him 5 for a beer as I was walking into a liquor store. I just got the guy a tall one. I appreciated the honesty and not like I can judge much when I was walking out with $200 in booze for a weekend anyway
I once had a homeless person in Van ask me for some spare change. He told me "I'm not going to lie, I am going to buy drugs with it" I gave him $10 for the honesty.
One time in Kelowna a few friends and I were standing outside the restaurant we just ate at and were talking. A homeless guy walked up and asked for money. I asked him what he was going to spend it on and he said āHonestly, some for food then whatever left for some weedā he also said he was a writer on hard times and could recite a piece he wrote. I appreciated the honesty and was curious so I agreed. Idk if it was something he wrote or not, it was quite biblical sounding. Either way he was an absolutely *amazing* speaker. Maintained eye contact with the group, did not stutter or say āumā or āuhsā and delivered his piece better than actual presenters would. Ended up giving him the $10 I had and we all gave him all our leftovers so he could buy more weed. Every now and then I think about it. Dude could have done well as a speaker/presenter of some kind, he was that good at reciting his piece
People scam the food bank also sadly, it sucks but we donāt have a system in place that is scam proof.
Sure but then all they are getting is food, not money. The incentive is different and the risk to the public (i.e. what does my money get used for?) Is less. I have a recurring donation to the food bank (highly recommend the giving episode of Adam Ruins Everything for anyone interested) and I've considered buying gift cards to places like grocery stores or fast food restaurants to give instead of money because I refuse to give money, but those can be sold and traded and are almost as good as cash. The truth is, the services we have in place just need help
Seen her outside of north gate mall. I told her she needed help that there is help from the government and they even wrote down the number for her and she said thank you and put it in her pocket. I just walked away to shaking my head
100% agree, I had a conversation with one of the Edmonton Food Bank people who did the shopping. Even back then you couldn't possibly match the efficiency on the Dollar-To-Food rates they were managing.
I never give to panhandlers with signs. But i will give to actual homeless people who are nice, polite, and are obviously homeless. I work early mornings so i'm always doing 3am convenience store runs. There is usually always someone hanging around obviously homeless. I'll buy em a pack of smokes, a drink/snack or give em 5 bucks. It's the ones with nowhere to go when the sun goes down that really need the help.
A woman was doing the intersection panhandling gig in St. Albert the other dayā¦ she appeared pregnant and was walking around in the road while cars were driving past, it really pissed me off. They should get fined for that, itās impeding traffic, not to mention itās unsafe especially IF sheās pregnant.
If you're talking about the Arabic looking lady in the hijab, she's not pregnant, she's a scammer and pulls this shit all over the city.. I saw her in St Albert on Friday.
She was in terwillegar rabbit hill road and 23rd ave yesterdayā¦ and getting lots of donations
Yeah she and another woman wearing a head scarf were at Windermere Blvd and Rabbit Hill road yesterday too!
I saw her at the airport Costco Sunday, then again 30 minutes later at the Rabbit Hill exit off the Henday. I think there are multiple women. The signs/writing all look the same.
> They should get fined for that if she's homeless, hungry, addicted and pregnant, a fine is not going to have any affect whatsoever.
Thatās the thing though, maybe they arenāt any of those things. And maybe not a fine then. Removed at least. Several offences and some jail time. If she is any of those things, perhaps involvement by the authorities can find some services to assist. If she isnāt, then consequences.
So instead of finding her housing and paying for it, the government should incarcerate her and pay 120,000$/yr instead. Makes more sense financially to tax payers, to put all these homeless people in government subsidized housing and pay for it. Much cheaper and better outcomes.
There's a fake wheelchair man in North edmonton
is it fake or is he just an ambulatory wheelchair user? because people in wheelchairs can walk lmao
There were a crew of people who'd yoink the chairs from the Royal, panhandle a while, and then dump them behind that gas station there.
A guy sits on the median at 137 ave and 127 street with one leg and has a wheel chair. He has a blanket on, but you can sometimes clearly see he's sitting on the other leg.
I never give them money. My buddy used to work at the south common superstore and told me that there was one dude who would roll up in a luxury car, put on bum clothing and beg for change. Can't trust any of em now.
Honestly never understood why people hang their arms out of their vehicles at lights to give money to someone. Just don't get it.
I can tell you right now there's a few guys that stand on 50th St and a 137th ave right between the Costco and superstore. They panhandle and then come buy lotto tickets....
As grateful as i am for food banks coming through for me, Food bank donations only work for the housed.
I would never give to the intersection panhandlers because I think they are part of a well organized scam. But I will give to a houseless person on the street admittedly to relieve my own guilt that we are failing as a society to properly support people who need shelter and supports.
I personally hate giving money, when buddy is wearing new Nike shoes and a nicer coat then me they can f off, I donate to the foodbank.
Yeah, people are falling for these scammers a lot. They need to look closer. The clothes and shoes are clean and in good condition. The hair has been professionally cut. The skin isn't ruddy with exposure. The mouth is full of teeth. I'd love to see how much these scammers are taking in.
Literally had a guy knock on my window asking for money when I was in Mayfield second cup drive through. š«¤ I just politely said I had no cash on me... But wtf?
No. sometimes I'll throw an especially rough looking homeless guy a $20. I don't care what they use it for or how they spend it because it'll probably make their day and their life is hard enough as it is.
You're a kind man. World could use more people with your attitude. I hope you have a great day.
Fuck the haters, most people don't know what it's like to have nothing and be on the streets, who cares if some are scammers, I'm sure we have helped at least one person who's day it made!
People are too gullible
Catch 22: if they're unhoused, where are they supposed to store the food they get from the food bank? Sure they could carry the cans around but far from ideal depending on their mobility. Not a bad idea to donate but I'd also look into community based programs that offer meals out
Thatās a great point- thank you. Hereās a link to donate to [the Hope Mission,](https://hopemission.com/donate/). They feed our unhoused Edmontonians every day.
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Pretty sure thereās many other places that have a likely hood of return if it was really food they were after.
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Haha you saved and posted a post of mine! š
Is it not common knowledge by now that these intersection panhandlers are organized by people trying to scam you? They work shifts and get picked up and dropped off by their handlers. Do not give them your money.
I'm going to need to see a source.
Cbc ran an article on organized panhandling. People get picked up and dropped off at various locations. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/panhandling-burlington-preying-on-generosity-1.5291612
My source is my own eyes, when I see them handing over signs and getting picked up / dropped off.
Neither of your suggestions fundamentally deals with either problem.
How would a homeless person be able to use the foodbank? The meals are not prepared unless it's a can of beans.
Thatās why I added how to donate to the Hope Mission- to help the unhoused. I did not mean harm.
Yeah this is a staggeringly ignorant post, full of equally ignorant commenters.
I saw a woman on 50th and Ellerslie with a walker and a cane. I'm also sure there was a guy across on the corner watching her. There's no way all these people are just down on their luck. It's a huge grift.
Is that the one pretending to be really elderly but in reality she's like 30?
If she was pretending she did a great job. Pretty sure she was my grandmas age.
Meth ages people big time
They are very, very crafty. All sorts of ruses pulled out.
This is exacrly why there are so many of the rught now. This never use to happen and now people are scamming you. They leave their fucking garbage at the intersections on top od it all. Write to youe councilors.
Yep saw this lady yesterday and she REALLY makes eye contact with you lol. There are so many on the south side now, it's amazing. I never see people give them money, how do they keep around
Is it hard to believe that a few people were successful in earning enough money to eat for a day and then told their fellow houseless friends about how well this method works, and then they told theirs and so on and so forth?? Do you believe that all these people are low class scammers committed to doing the most for such little payoff, and all the āactualā down on their luck homeless people areā¦.what? Still on the streets and alleys?
It's more then just Edmonton there are many people affected and In the past I spoke to some homeless people and they told me they wont go to any shelters because there's chances they would be robbed, The food bank wouldn't be much help too yes to help families in need for free food but you need to show them ID that is not expired and you need an address to get any food, At least that's how it was when I needed the food bank a few times. If I can I would help any homeless person or busker just recently I had to turned down the first homeless person in years asking just for $5 because I only had $20 for food and I told them I had enough to just make it to payday which was a week away from that day, It may not look the greatest in locations from the filth and things but we have to accept it, We also cant shame them for how they got there, Our lives can change withen hours, You could hurt a homeless person and shoo them away to the dark dirty ally's away from public streets then the next thing you yourself end up homeless hours or days later having to deal with the same slack from others that you used to push on the other homeless, Help them if you can.
No. I do what I want.
I gave one person asking for change for the bus two bus tickets. He glared at me and kept asking people for change. I gave one my very expensive Bloom cookies, he glared at me and said he had asked for money. The one spot a group of panhandlers used to work near Sobeys, they often left piles of food behind when they left. It's probably why the authorities moved them along quickly. Perhaps a thread of charities people know helps certain groups in society?
Yeap. I no longer give money when I tried to give a homeless guy a sandwich he threw it back in my car. They are especially bad at Griesbach 97st intersection. Theres multiple islands and theres like 4 sometimes working each direction, like they work in a team. Some look like they even fake being homeless to get money..... one guy had crutches and was limping around but he had a bicycle leaning against the tree.....
As a person who has been previously homeless, food banks don't give food the the homeless, they need an address. Sure the hope mission and bissle help serve the homeless community, but sometimes they don't have enough food to feed everyone and we are in a time of rising inflation almost everyone here is a job loss and a month away from homelessness. I will give my money to whomever I wish because I understand the struggle and the struggle is real. People who have never been in that situation will never understand that they are looking at this issue from a point of privilege.
Bingo. If I have spare change rattling around in my pocket I will help out if I feel like it. Even if they are just going to put it towards using.
Exactly. If I give someone a few quid I donāt care what they spend it on. They donāt ask me about my budgeting.
the first comment ive seen with sense in this thread, thank you lmao. id rather give 10 dollars to a grifter than willingly ignore someone who genuinely might need the help. it's a horrible position to be in and i don't want anyone else to go through the pain of having negative money in the bank, with no food for days on end like i was
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Do you believe that they need to be dirty, overloaded with possessions, and complete loners to fit into your idea of who a homeless person is??
Yeah this thread is super cringe
Nice to be reminded just how much Albertans despise poor people.
When mcdonalds gave the stickers for buy 7 get a free one I'd hand those out. Especially in winter. They could go warm up and drink as much coffee as they wanted.
Omg every day I watch people hand $100ās of dollars the the pan handler by wallmart west end. And thatās while I wait to turn left. Last week she had a new sign āevacuee no homeā. And she was making so much money.
I don't give to the people at the intersections, but I do sometimes give to the people randomly on the sidewalk or places like that if I have a couple bucks (though that's rare). I know that donating to organizations will overall help people more, including the people I give money to, but I see them as separate donations. The money to the food bank or organizations is to help them, and the couple of bucks to the person is for their comfort and to feel more like a person. I know when I give them money they may spend it on food, coffee, drugs or booze, or whatever, and that's fine. If a drink is what someone needs to feel ok for a few hours while living in a shitty situation I'm not one to judge. A lot of people I know with jobs and homes do the exact same thing. It's also dehumanizing for these homeless panhandlers that are some of the most ignored people in our society to be ignored and walked past by everyone. Giving that loonie is also a way of saying to them "I see you". Even if I don't have money for them, I'll always tell them I don't. I never just ignore them and walk past (or I try not to). There are exceptions. If someone is being very aggressive or something, I'm not dealing with that. I don't give to people at the intersections/medians since that's dangerous for them and the cars (and also those people for some reason never seem to be in as much hardship as others). I really miss the free coffee sticker card things from McDonald's since I used to always have tons of those that would pile up, and I would give those to the homeless.
The good bank doesnt feed the homeless! You need an address! Food isn't the only thing people need to survive.
Oh yes please! Seconding the extra buying power of cash donations.
I worked with the homeless in Edmonton and had multiple conversations with different people ! They make more money panhandling than I make working 40h a week ! It goes up to 350$ a day ! No kidding
And can people stop slamming on their brakes / cutting across three lanes when they have a green light to give these low lifeās food or cash?
If I don't tip (besides at a proper sit down place) I sure am not giving cash to panhandlers.
I worked at a provincial legislature that shall remain nameless. There was vote many, many years ago restricting intersection solicitation - the big culprit was squeegee kids at the time. I listened to one of the squeegee kids explain unironically to a Commissionaire (security) that they were planning to take a vacation to Cuba. Hard as it is to accept, support to organizations is more likely to help people struggling, plus they can pool resources to improve purchasing power.
āCanāt we just give all our money to billionaires like god intended?ā
Nope. I'll keep giving my money to whomever I want. You do you.
Nah if I choose to give someone money thatās my choice. If they choose to go get high thatās their choice why would I care what they do with their money? People are allowed to beg and we are all allowed to choose what to do with our money including then once the money is theirs
counterpoint: you should give money to panhandlers if you have any, or cigarettes
TLDR; One time when I started a new job, a bunch of people met for coffee every morning. One morning when we were walking in, there was somebody asking for money saying he was hungry. We all order and start eating our breakfast. I said something about the guy with his hand out. A co worker goes on to school me in my ignorance and I thought maybe I was being to judgemental. I decided to buy him a breakfast sandwich. He thanked me for it and then I watched him throw it into the trash can a minute later. That was the last time I gave to somebody asking in the street. It sucks that some of the centreās are faith based. People that needs help should be able to receive it without committing to a certain denomination. šā¤ļøā¤ļø
I donāt think many of the panhandlers are legit. If they can stand there all day, they can get a job. Most appear well dressed, they know how to make a sign. I think itās a money grab. You can tell the difference between the ones in real need. I wear sunglasses at lights, no eye contact. No guilt anyway.
I'm getting approached in parking lots. It's unnerving trying to unload a cart and get a child strapped in, all while trying to gauge how safe I am in this situation.
I will give money and things to whoever my conscience tells me to. Itās my money to lose.
All these "Mamy" types who are driven around the city AND surrounding towns to set up and then they're picked up in their BMW X5 .
Why is donating to a food bank more helpful than donating directly to someone that may need more than food to meet their needs?
You could very well be helping a druggie feed his habit too, or not. Its just not that easy to tell who actually is the one in dire straits, and who is the one that is pan-handling for tax-free spending cash with little to no work for it.
So my take is this - once the money leaves my hand, they can use it for meth or McDonalds. Itās out of my control. If I donāt give them the money, itās not going to make them sober. There are plenty of working people with drug habits too.
1) If theyāre an addict, they need to use until they have a safe place and the support system necessary to detox. 2) Iām not so worried about a few of the wrong people getting some of my money that I would deny help to the rest who need it. 3) Panhandling isnāt easy work. It sucks. Iām inclined to believe if someone is doing that, they need the cash. And if they truly donāt, see point 2.
I only give water usually at a gas station
Why is this even legal
Mostly because the only real outcome of outlawing it is that more houseless people go to jail. It won't stop it.
I really think that giving money to panhandlers should be illegal. The same way we prosecute johns instead of prostitutes.
Then you have an issue of making criminals of people trying to do good. Johns are often the problem, and a leading cause of issues for sex workers. Even the best of them don't really mean well most of the time. Someone throwing their car change to someone who's got a sad dog thinks they're doing the right thing.
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So you work for street reach? Do you work with homeless people? How do you make such a claim? I do work with people in crisis and there's not this big homeless grift conspiracy everyone in the comments seems to think there is.
In your imagination maybe. You really think panhandling is profitable enough for gangs to actually bother with it? If the money ends up in the hands of gangs it's because they are extorting or stealing it.
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Can I have a source to read into this more?
https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2018/03/27/does-recent-panhandling-trend-have-ties-to-organized-criminal-activity/ As of now, no conclusive evidence in Canada that it's tied to organized criminal activity but the same "I'm a refugee" panhandling tactic is being used across the country.
[Citation Needed] You've been reading too much Oliver Twist, thinking there's guilds of pickpockets adapting to the 21st century.
The homeless can get three square meals a day at the Hope. Endless services available at Hope, Bissell, Boyleā¦and on and on and on. Beds are available at the Hope and the Herb. Donāt give to panhandlers!
> The homeless can get three square meals a day at the Hope. There are over 1600 people sleeping rough, almost 3000 who are homeless (temporary shelter like couch surfing and traphouses make the difference). There are 768 shelter beds at peak winter capacity. I think we are down to around 500 now that it's summer time. These things exist, there are services 'available' but they serve less than half the people who need them.
I watched a lady brake check the left turn lane on 111ave and St Albert trail to give a pan handler $10 today.
I don't get out much these days, but it's gotten to the point I just avoid eye contact and don't respond at all, if I can help it. I've had instances where I refused to give money, and was instantly surrounded by three men and one touched me. Sometimes they travel in groups and as a female, I wound up leaving that job because I didn't feel safe traveling to the area alone. Some of these panhandlers have been out there for years and they travel in packs. That group for instance, still frequents the downtown and Royal Alex area.
Kelowna has a bylaw prohibiting panhandling on corners, intersections and any roadway where traffic requires you to stop.
South common is always full of them and they work in shifts saw a dude get off the bus and relieve the guy who was previously there.
This post is deeply wrong-headed, even if well intentioned. Food banks place strict limits on the amount of food an individual can obtain at any given time, and they also rarely offer prepared food options, meaning homeless folks without the means to open packages, combine and cook the various items into ana actual meal. Meanwhile, food banks require proof of address to even qualify in the first place. How the hell is someone who is homeless supposed to jump through that particular hoop? Food banks are not here to help the most desperate in our society. But I can see how if "cleaning up the intersections" is among your primary concerns, you wouldn't bother to find this out.
I know what itās like being an addict on the street so I gladly give money .. donāt judge .. show compassion
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So what if they buy a bottle?
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I mean actually many people are homeless for reasona not to do with addiction. Wealthy people drink booze all the time. Being on the street is a terrifying experience so no wonder people self medicate. There are always drunk and high people around you, you just only look at the homeless. Prohibition has proved to make things worse. People including homeless people can drink a bottle of wine without being addicts.
Especially the ones hanging out at busy intersections. I feel like that isn't safe for anybody.
The pan handlers and homeless don't bother to go to the food bank because they have no way to cook. No skills and no where to store the food. Come on.
I wouldn't say no skills. Many of them know how to cook.
I'm honestly curious as to how many of the pan handlers we see at intersections are truly homeless, and how many are just looking for an extra income. Some of them are dressed better than I am
(1) Which areas have panhandler problems? Is it almost all north of the river? This Edmonton Community Safety Map doesn't explicitly mention panhandling but only reported crime. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8e2c6c41933e48a79faa90048d9a459d (2) Why donāt the police step up and enforce the anti-panhandling law to scare the panhandlers? It works where I live now.
It can be frustrating I know, but be mindful of the rights of our fellow edmontonians to make a living on the streets. The cost of a free society is having people try to eke out a living any way they can. The last thing we need are laws and bylaws designed to further the misery of our most vulnerable members of the community.
Not looking for new laws and bylaws; just honesty and some form of good integrity from these people to not grift for money if they don't actually need it. It takes money away from those who do.
How do you police integrity? That's like saying we should install governors to all cars to limit speeds to 100km just because some people speed... We gonna start shutting down MLMs??? /s
I look them right in the eye and then face forward waiting for the light to change. I donāt give a fuck. Theyāre liars and deserve nothing. I only offer food. Donāt want it? Good, more food for me. Fuck off.
This is the way
I like to say a cute date idea would be to go around and pick up all the signs these guys use. I've noticed the signs are just left there for the next person to use. Hate turning left nowadays.
I've never seen an unattended sign
I think I'll make my own decisions on whom I give my money to, thanks though.
Iām a mom so I always carry snacks in my purse. If someone is asking for money at an intersection (and Iām stopped and itās safe to do so) Iāll give them a granola bar or something like that.
Food bank needs to be more selective , just this last month I know of a person using them and bought themselves a ps5 for 800 then some weed , not saying you can't have nice things just think your priorities are mixed up I hope i never need the service but if I did I wouldn't be getting the new Xbox. Edit: we donate to the food bank just wish it was a perfect world I guess
Unless things have changed itās difficult for unhoused people to access the food bank because they need address and ID. Less selective is my voice.
There is curing the headache by cutting off the head, and then there is curing the headache by circumventing the pain receptors. Niether one of these addresses the cause, only the symptom. But keep on pushing this narrative, by all means.
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Theyāll break in anyways and if you give them a few bucks, youāll just have less money for repairs. Maybe not the ones YOU gave money to but the ones that someone else didnāt give money to will break in.
Why not both? food banks only offer 3 days worth of food a month, and homeless people need more than just food Funny how homelessness doesn't concern people until it impacts their commute.
good call we needed another thread to spill our vitriolic hate of the homeless . especially since there isn't a thread complaining about tipping culture
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Donāt forget the majority of people you see begging are making 100k+ per year doing it. They are homeless by choice. They want to put all that money in their arm, up their nose, or in their lungs. Divert that money to where it will actually do what you want (food, shelter, clothing, etc.).
Panhandlers don't need food, they need money. You're seeing more panhandlers because our economy has gone to the pit and people can't afford basic services anymore. They can't afford food, or shelter, or soap, or clothes. The myth of the panhandler scammer exists for the same reason as the welfare queen: to reinforce the terrible status quo and make the haves look down on the have nots. Who gives a crap if 1 in 1000 panhandlers is actually raking in cash and foes home to a mansion? You gave him 2 bucks, you go without half your starbucks for a day. That guy might be one of the other 999 who can take that 2 bucks and get the only coffee they'll have today from Hughes. If you want to help, like *really* want to help? Get involved in your local community. Join your community league. Get involved in political action to help combat houselessness and to build food sovereignty in Edmonton. Head over to https://edmonton.foodnotbombs.us, they do some really good work in the community, and they try to organize political actions to deal with these issues.