re: Most amount of money you’ve given to homeless or beggar

Zero have one a subway gift card one time as he was begging in front of one

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I’ve bought food a few times for someone.

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Same here. I'd see them downtown and there was McDonald's right there. Also bought coffee at Jackson Square on a cold night. This was before Teedy so you could go to the Quarter without worrying about lead poisoning.

Had one guy (not necessarily homeless) hit me up for change to buy coffee. I had about 30 or 40 cents on me so I thought what the hell. I apologized and said it was all I had on me, but it turned out to be exactly the amount he was short. He ran into the gas station right away and bought the coffee.

$0

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Once in the 90's, around Christmas time, I met a homeless girl at the mall. Funny story, I actually met her dad shaving in the public restroom first. He ended up passing out and being put in the hospital. A good friend of mine (former ex) actually bought her dad a sportcoat to help him find a job. After visiting him at the hospital, I invited the homeless girl to be in a Christmas play with a bunch of my friends at the mall. In the end, I guess I never really gave her much except some food, and a kiss (she was hot), but my dad did help her dad get a job.

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lol

I gave $20 to a guy that ran up to me with a sob story, tears included, about his girlfriend left him at the hotel next door and took his wallet. I saw the same story, tears included, a few weeks later on FB. I was pretty much done giving cash after that. I told my kids I’d rather donate meals/drinks than cash. If they’re really hungry, they’ll appreciate it. If they’re not really hungry, then they’ve got to work a little to trade for liquor or drugs.


My buddy tells a story about when he was in college, a bum asked him for money around Christmas, so he gave him $20. 30 minutes later, he’s getting beer at the convenience store, and sees the bum…buying Budweiser, while he was buying Natty Light. He raised holy hell in the store and made the bum put back the beer and give him his $20 back

During Covid an elderly man asked me for $20 in a Winn Dixie parking lot. I gave him $100. I don’t look it but I’m pretty wealthy. I was returning a Redbox movie….lol I get zero attention from women because I wear Walmart clothes and under 6’. I’m a millionaire…lol

Not actual money per se, but I put a homeless person up in an inexpensive motel room a couple nights.

Freezing weather. She was in bad shape. Two nights $50.

Didn’t change my world at all, but for two days she slept comfortably, got out of the cold and got a hot shower….

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That's fine -- it was worth it to me knowing I at least tried to help. Not as if I overextended myself.

I truly hope that mom and little girl were in the situation you thought they were, but that’s the problem. Good-natured people like you (and me if I’m being honest) perpetuate pan-handling and scammers because we want to believe we’re helping, but we almost never are and there’s a good chance we’re causing harm.

It’s really best to give money to an organization you trust who will actually talk to people and make sure they have legitimate needs
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You can do both. The money given to someone on the street is small potatoes to you but could mean a lot to the person. But I agree that donating to a worthwhile charity likely means more. Not mutually exclusive.

I align with tylerlsu2008 more than with biglego.

Probably $10