You've seen the signs. God bless. Will work for food.
But when it comes to panhandlers... Mike Karl with the homeless angels says not all of them are as down trodden as they might seem.
"I wouldn't call them scammers,” Karl said. “I would call them down on their luck. Not doing the right thing."
He says there are also panhandlers who do need help...
And there's a way to lend a hand without the risk of giving your money to somebody who doesn't need it: food.
"You never lose if you have something in the pantry,” Karl said. “Get something out, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you don't lose anything. It's going to go bad anyway. Just give love, give encouragement. Try to find out the real story of people that are standing on the streets."
Mike says you shouldn't be giving your money to panhandlers regardless of their situation. That's because of things like addiction. Mental illness. And...
"It really doesn't teach them a lesson or change their situation,” Karl said. It might temporarily. But it doesn't give them the resources they may need to get off the streets if they are homeless."
He says you can also tell what their story is and if they really need help, just by talking to them.
Here are some links to organizations that help the homeless:
