Elaine-14-Vancouver panhandlers

Learn how you can really help street people!

It is the spirit of human solidarity that leads someone to give money to beggars. However, you must think that this gesture of "love" may be contributing to the increase of a social problem. I'm sure that people who give spare change to panhandlers only want to help; they think they are doing a good thing and feel proud of themselves. But instead, not realizing, they are encouraging people to go to streets and "helping" beggars to get more and more involved in drugs. Not to mention that if giving spare change were a solution for this social problem, it would be an emergency short-time solution to structural problem (it means: it wouldn't be a solution at all). First of all, to solve this social problem, people need to be aware of the negative aspects of giving spare change. Second, being aware, if they want to help, they should give that money that to organizations that support street people and know how to do it, know what their needs are and give them a better future. Lastly, people who have the awareness about how bad it is to give spare change to panhandlres, should advice people who do so and tell them about the organizations that help street people.

Mayra-4-Vancouver Homeless

Homeless looking at you...

I have been living in Vancouver for three months and the first time I saw a homeless on the street, I was really scared if some of them talk to me, and I'm still scared, because of them.That was my first feeling, but suddenly after some weeks when I was walking on the street, one of them asked me for some coins and for one moment I thought, what will this person do with the money? He looked young, but he had a really bad physical aspect.

I was thinking about it a lot of time, when I finally realized that some of them are asking for money to buy drugs, cigarettes or food. I have felt the feeling when they ask you for money and you only answer I don't have or I can't help you. Sometimes I felt really bad about it, because I want to go back and give them some coins and I start thinking, if I had gone back, he would have bought food, but then I think, they don't spend the money only on food and I don't have to feel bad, but that is impossible to me and I ask to myself, why we don't do anything to help them?

Moreover, I thought that some of them decided to live on the street, because they don't want to work or maybe they had problems with their families or just for the drugs, but seriously I don't like to look at them for not to feel that kind of felling, also I had a really bad experience with one of them, my friends and me were waiting to cross a street, when suddenly a homeless started to talk to us and he said, you are Latin people, I hate you, if I had a gum I would kill you... that day I felt afraid and so carefully when they are close to me.

Luis - 3 - Panhandler

 

Panhandlers (Beggars)

 In which kind of real work, can you  earn $200 per day?


   I look in the Internet and I can find this:



    Well Accounts Payable Specialist sound that I need to be very specialist in the accounts and manage the cash, so if I think is a work with stress.

   The next option is Radiology Receptionist, well maybe is no bad, I want to see what they need with more detail.

   Well it is good, but I don't have experience to work in radiology, and I don't want to attend 200 people each day.

   And my last point of the list, if I want to earn $200 each day in a work sound very complicated.... Maybe The best option is to be a panhandler, because in the others works I need to wake up early. If I become to be a panhandler, I don't need to study and I can do wherever I want... I can survive with the charity of the people.

  The person who chooses to be a beggar in my opinion is lazy. One study which was done in Toronto ( http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2255/how-much-money-do-beggars-make ) said that one panhandler can earn $200 per day. 


How much  per DAY ?!!!











   In Vancouver for the citizen is not difficult to have a job, because the percentage of jobs is high, so the people only need to be eager to do it.

   The easy way is to do nothing, because it is more comfortable and you don't have the responsibility with anybody. The only thing the panhandler  need to do is extend the hand and ask for money.

    I think this is a kind of stealing, because They abuse the charity of the people and the others factors, for example the religion or the pity. The panhandler try to make you feel bad with yourself and use this to receive money and if you give money, they can do the same forever and they can live for the people.

Jude-1-Vancouver panhandlers

 My very first impression of Vancouver was awesome; beautiful, spacious, clean, fresh and peaceful. It's so sad that I have not got enough time to list all the good things it has. On the other hand, everything even , the most beautiful jewelry such as diamond could have flaws; panhandlers seem to be the biggest one that makes Vancouver ugly but nothing else. You will see a lot of panhandlers in many places such as in front of stores, stations, Mc Donald's, and even in washrooms. I can't help thinking of a bunch of questions; 'why there are so many panhandlers?',  'does Canadian government have a will to solve this problem?, 'where does that all high taxes go to?', and 'don't Canadians feel any inconvenience about it?'

 Let's see why there are so many panhandlers in Vancouver. I did not do research or so but the reasons I could get superficially were like this. Since income of people here are comparatively higher than any other cities, people are generous and more friendly. This leads to pan handlers getting some small donations so that they earn money without doing nothing. However, easy come easy go, they  do not save it for the future and just live a daily life.

  The silver lining regarding pan handler problem is that Canadian government has some programs and the ways to solve it. I found that social safety network in Canada is very substantial. I could find many good programs in coummunity centers and even in the ads in buses that help people not to suffer by themselves in various problems; financial, family, and working.

 In short, Canadian government has to be more supportive and effective. If they educate people and enact laws strongly, I do believe that there will be fewer panhanders in streets. All they need is a strong will. I hope they can find the best solution that does not hurt neither panhandlers nor the citizens.

Olivia-7-Vancouver Homeless people

The facts of Vancouver homeless people

 Perhaps your will be surprised when you come to Vancouver, because there are a lot of homeless people in the streets. It was also shocking  for me, and I wondered why there are so many homeless people who ask money or changes from pedestrians to get something to eat . I  heard some  facts about them; Why there are lots of homelessness in Vancouver.

 

 First, the reason why we can find homeless people in the streets easily is that Vancouver is the warmest city in Canada. Canada is very cold in winter so it is impossible to sleep outside in winter except Vancouver.  Every winter many homeless people die when they are sleeping in the streets in cities like Toronto.

                                  

 In addition, I wondered why the beggars where asking for money instead of working and making money. I thought they are lazy and I couldn’t understand why they don’t work even though they look  young and healthy enough to working. I found out the reasons soon. Most of these people are having psychological, problems and ,depression is very common. When I heard the reasons, I felt sorry for them.

The last thing that was surprising to me was the government’s support. The Canada government helps them with some amount of money which when they are working to the homeless people. However I think this is not a good way to help them. I guess this reason also make them not to work, they don’t have to work for their keep. I think it is better help for them that supporting their mental treatment and offering fit job for them.

It is better teaching how to fish than giving a fish.

I realized again that I should not criticize or judge by appearances without precise information. In addition, I feel sorry for them and  I want them to find a solution which can help them to live  like other people.

Wendy-7-Vancouver Homeless

Where are our taxes going to ?  

There are lots of homeless people in Vancouver. Especially, in the winter season. Because it is warmer than other cities. Every time I go downtown it seems they are there. When I came to Vancouver first, I was really surprised when I saw them asking for money,taking drugs and being drunk. Beggars are also common in Korea ,but they don't ask for money. I heard that Vancouver government policy offer some money to them for living. You know, Vancouver prices are among the highest in the world, such as charging taxes. Some of the taxes are also used for them. Moreover, If they have dogs, they're going to get more money than others. When I heard this, I was shocked. I thought that many people complain about a heavy burden of taxes because of homelessness!! I thought “They probably can make more money than I do.” So, I couldn't help thinking that they are too lazy and don't have challenges in life, because they can get money easily even if they do not work as other people. So, I've never been giving money to them. I usually get on skytrain at Granville station. When I go there, I usually see a homeless who opens the door with sign " Give money, Beer". So, I always use another door.


One day, I took a speaking class for free. Topic was thinking of homeless, so I said my opinion.
However, teacher told me that I should not have said that, because it's a very serious issue, I should not have concluded that laziness is a problem. In Vancouver, people are also really sensitive to the problem of homelessness. But on the other hand, when you see panhandlers smoking cigarettes, drinking beer, or doing drugs, you have to wonder if your spare change is even going to help them for the better. I think “They’ll just spend it on drugs or alcohol;giving money only encourages more beggars and doesn’t solve anything.”
If I meet them again anywhere, I would rather give some food than give money.

   

" Do you want to give money to lazy grasshoppers still ? "