I have lived in Brooklyn for over a year now. Mass transit isn’t as a big a mystery as it first was. Platforms where the train is on both sides still make my heart beat faster because finding something to lean against is tricky. Ordering coffee – black, no sweetener, leave room works in most establishments. Then I fix it myself. Sometimes I add half and half, other times I leave it black. What a medium is called does take a quick glance at their menu. However, the one thing that I still don’t have a handle on, the one question I can’t seem to get an answer to is how to navigate the homeless?
My apologies if that sounded cold. But I really want to know what is the proper or right thing to do? Is the person sitting on the street a different etiquette than the person begging on the train? Is the male veteran different than the young woman? What about the person with the dog? In conversation with friends and family, I have heard don’t give to anyone, carry gift cards, carry granola bars.
A few months ago I decided I had to come up with my own strategy. So this is my current plan – I go with my gut and a couple of my own guidelines. Since the MTA says not to give to people begging on the train, I don’t. But if you are a singer, musician or dancer and you entertained me for part of my ride, yes, I give you some cash. I don’t carry gift cards because that seems rather presumptuous of me. I do carry cash and try to remember to stick a couple of five dollar bills in my coat pocket so I don’t have to open my purse. But I still feel bad and overwhelmed by the number of people who are on the street. So I am asking the same question again, how do I navigate the homeless? What am I as a white, female living in NYC suppose to do?
Well written as always Ann. Thank you for being who you are and for asking the tough questions. I am grateful that you will go with your gut and seek the Lord in each and every situation to know how to respond. My grandfather died homeless in New York City. I can only hope that someone shared with him the love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus while he was on the streets. I certainly don’t have as much exposure to the homeless as you, but I do try to say a quick prayer for each homeless person that I see, and pray for them all in general. Thank you for all you have already done.
Thank you for sharing part of your story. Praying for wisdom for myself and also praying for the needs of the homeless. Take care, my friend.
Great post, Ann. I always thought NYC was one of those cities with mandates for the homeless, but recent years the problem seems to have exploded. I found this at Coalition for the Homeless. https://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/take-action/what-should-i-do-if/#7
“Each of us must make our own decisions about whom to help and how, and just because someone is asking for food or money doesn’t necessarily mean he or she is homeless. But it’s safe to assume that person would not be asking for help if help was not needed. If you do not feel comfortable handing someone money or food, you can download the Coalition’s Crisis Cards or email us to order a box of our pocket-sized resource guides (Z-cards) – although giving someone subway fare with those materials will go a long way as well.”
I always thought NYC had mandates about the homeless but in recent years there seem to be more people on the streets. I found this at coalition for the homeless –
“Each of us must make our own decisions about whom to help and how, and just because someone is asking for food or money doesn’t necessarily mean he or she is homeless. But it’s safe to assume that person would not be asking for help if help was not needed. If you do not feel comfortable handing someone money or food, you can download the Coalition’s Crisis Cards or email us to order a box of our pocket-sized resource guides (Z-cards) – although giving someone subway fare with those materials will go a long way as well.”
https://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/take-action/what-should-i-do-if/#7
Thanks for posting!