[] From comments I have heard and read around the internet, many people believe that every homeless person is getting a big, fat government check each month. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many dont get anything from the government. Most of those who do receive aid only receive food assistance which is, at most $200 worth per month for an individual and they can only spend it on food. Most shelters are funded by donations, not taxes. The amount of tax dollars that do go to programs directed at homelessness is about $4 billion dollars, mostly directed towards preventing families with children on the verge of homelessness from becoming homeless and not towards programs to help already homeless people. Already homeless people seldom get aid beyond food assistance. [/] [] Beggars, Panhandlers, and Bums For many people, the first thing that comes to mind when they think of people living on the street is panhandlers. The only faces of homelessness most average citizens see are those of the ragged folks who beg for change on downtown streets. Only a very small percentage of homeless people beg. For instance, on any given day in downtown Chicago you can find about fifteen to thirty people begging for change on the sidewalks. However, Chicago has somewhere between 6,000 and 12,000 homeless residents, the vast majority of whom never beg. The beggars and panhandlers people have come to see as the face of homelessness make up probably less than one percent of all homeless people. The people who beg are often those with mental illnesses or addiction issues, people who may not even be aware that other choices exist. I think many people are deeply disturbed by panhandlers because its hard to pretend they dont exist. And not only do very few homeless people beg, some panhandlers actually have homes! [/]
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 01:48:40 +0000
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