Beer for the homeless

their testimonials page includes quotes like:

"Before the guys from Beer For The Homeless came along, I had been forced to stop people on the street and ask for change. Now, I am holding my head up high and drinking good beer without bothering anyone."

-- "Mike", near the Dodds Avenue underpass

From FAQ of that website:

Thanks WH I hadn't seen that.

I hate beer - if I ever become homeless, I hope there will be decent wine and spirits for me....

One of the founders of that site reportedly said that they get 3 types of responses:

Once while I was in Brazil a lay told me she didn't give money to homeless because "they would just buy pinga (a sugar cane drnk that's quite strong and can be very cheap)" and was wondering why I always gave them money.

I answered that if i were homeless and had 1 Real I'd use it to buy a bottle of pinga instead of a hotdog too. People act like being homless is simply a matter of being too lazy to get a job. They act lke they ar superior to the homless and even people who regularly indulge in frink have told me that the homless were not worth helping because they "would buy alcohol".

I've always taken that as a cop out, some people (like my mom) actually buy them food instead of giving cash to avoid having their money go to alcohol etc.

The way I see it is that they need happiness just as much as the rest of us (if not more). I'm gonna go on that site and buy someone a beer (I'll have to wait till payday or I won't have enough).

Here is an interesting comment from their site:

Name: David A. Roach
City: Corpus Christi
State: Texas

Feedback: The production cost of beer is about $0.25 a gallon and a pack of cigarettes costs roughly $0.14 to produce; everything else is profits and taxes. Do the math for yourself: if a guy spends all day panhandling and comes up with $15 for his efforts, that's 4 quarts at $1.50 and 2 packs at $4; only $1 is left over for luxuries. This is why these people are poor; they pay more in taxes than most people.

Response (from the site): How about a tax cut for the homeless...

All well stated, Craven.

When I was much younger I spent lots of time hitch hiking and being in between jobs. I wandered among hobos, homeless and other poor folk. To a man they all befriended me and offered to share when they had anything. I agree that these people are as deserving of happiness as those having money.

I thought the site was quite funny. In my travels around the city, I have befriended a few 'functional' homeless people. Truly good souls really, in fact, some have told me that this is a lifestyle choice for them, and they don't really have any desire to live any other way. I love our chats (except when they are seriously loaded), but never give them money, not because I think they will "buy alcohol", just because I need it just as much as they do. The only difference between a homeless person and a hard workin', martini sippin' yuppie is the extent of their financial responsibilities. I do buy them a sandwich or a hot dog once in a while though, just to have a good convo. I would talk to a coherent homeless person over a pretentious stockbroker/lawyer/financial advisor in a party situation any day. Here the homeless have free access to food banks, shelters and even medical. I don't feel I am above them, in fact, I have the exact same rights.

Once upon a time, I had enough money to share a little, and I did. Now, I have a lot less income and a lot more responsibility and debt. So I am occasionally able to share the food that I prepare for myself, but I am almost never able to give my spare change or buy food for others.

And I do find myself thinking that the majority of the homeless people on the streets will buy drugs with the money I give them, perpetuating their state of homelessness. I know that not everyone shares the values that I do, that somewhere safe to live, no matter how squalid, is better than nowhere. I would not spend my last dollar on liquor on drugs. I would save it for a place to live.

In Boston, there is a newspaper called "Spare Change."

The paper employs the homeless and destitute to write, print, and sell the paper around the city. I think that this is a great thing. When I lived in Boston, I bought the paper whenever I had enough money to spare. The paper taught job skills and self-sufficiency to anyone who wanted and needed them. It could be a stepping-stone to a new life.

I must admit that I do not understand why any sane person would want to remain homeless. I do not understand why anyone would want to have to beg for money or food. It is not a lifestyle choice that makes sense to me. I would find begging to be the most degrading thing to ever have to do. If I were in that situation, I would do absolutely everything in my power to escape. I believe that creating jobs for those who need them the most seems to be the best possible solution. People regain pride and self-respect. They have meaningful work. They have a common goal. They may find a way out of extreme poverty.

We have a similar paper-selling band-aid solution in Toronto as well for the homeless, and a lot of them go in for it. However, it is a sad fact that many of them really do not want to get off the streets, so I say let them stay there if that is the life they choose. I feel more for the psychiatric cases who are in and out of hospitals too crowded and overworked to treat them properly. "Here are your meds, as long as you take them, you are okay to be active in society", then, they are released, and don't take the meds (or sell them), and they are on the streets again, and a menace. A revolving door of misery...the people who fall through the cracks. There used to be a panhandler near my neighbourhood who held two university degrees. When he wasn't on drugs, the guy was brilliant. I suspect he also suffered from schizophrenia, but the help he needed was again, a revolving door solution. I have not seen him in years.

Once in a blue moon, I'll give money, but most of the time, I'll take them to a fast food restaurant and tell them to order anything they like. I was once approached by a homeless guy, and when I said I'll buy him something at Burger King, he said he also has a friend, so I took them both. On one visit to Burger King several years ago, the guy in front of me ordered the cheapest hamburger they had, and asked how much a small french would cost. He said he couldn't afford it. After I left the restaurant, I felt guilty that I didn't treat him to his french fries. I still remember that event as if it was yesterday. I donate to Second Harvest Food Bank every month through a charge to my credit card. I may also do that for Habitat for Humanities, the other nonprofit I donate to. I say "no" to all the other charities. c.i.

Cav, do you know WHY so many choose to beg and live on the streets? This is what I just can't fathom. You say you have spoken to many homeless individuals. Have they given any clues as to why they prefer to live under bridges and in shelters?

I know it is true that many really choose to continue to be homeless. I also know that it is true that many people just live in and out of the hospitals, staying in the hospital just long enough to seem well, until they are released, stop taking their meds, and resume their previous lives, until they are arrested and returned to the hospitals and prisons. I know that these things happen, and I understand some of the political and economic reasons that people are allowed to slip through the cracks, but I just do not understand why people would choose this life.

marycat, Many middle-class families that lived from paycheck to paycheck lost their homes with the tech bust several years ago. With the unemployment rate at six percent or more, it's really difficult for many people to find jobs that pays enough to take them out of the homeless class. This, while our government spends billions to help the Iraqis free themselves from Saddam. c.i.

c.i., I know that only too well. I've been one paycheck away from the streets myself. And I'm pretty close again now. We just left New York, in part because the unemployment rate there hit 10% and there was no way we could continue to live there and not end up on the streets.

I recognize the large part Bush economics and warmongering have played in taking away many people's livelihoods and homes. I also recognize the part people's misplaced faith in the stock bubble played in same.

I feel badly for those who have lost their jobs and homes, and I try to do what little I can to help them.

What baffles me is that there really are people who CHOOSE to remain homeless, even when other alternatives present themselves. This is a phenomenon that has continued through good economic times and bad, and about which I have always wondered.

I know many people really are down on their luck and trying to make a better life. I also know that there are people who really do not want to make a better life, and would rather live under bridges. This I can not fathom.

Marycat, there are more people than you would think who simply do not have all the resources to survive living an independant life on their own, with all that usually means: shelter, food, clothing, socialization. Having taught in prison, I saw adult women who were decent but naive and maybe handicapped with lower intelligence or poor judgement. Some of them actually lived a better standard of life "inside" than free. This too is hard to understand unless you've seen it first hand.

Many homeless folks do not have an active choice in the matter. They live day-by-day and cannot begin to comprehend and organize their lives and goals for a successful move to what most people consider "proper" and right. Many homeless folks I know well are extremely independant for many reasons and many do not panhandle. Many smoke and use their meager cash-on-hand for this, and some drink alcohol. Some do drugs, and many give their money to others and share what little they have with others i the same boat. Once you are "down" that low, it is extremely hard to "come up".

AMEN! I'd say the overwhelming majority don't.



I couldn't agree more and it never ceases to amaze me that some act like it should be easy.

Saving every last dollar for an place to live is a fine idea but things like eating and the fact that place to live costs more than a few dollars tend to get in the way.