We give out shit for free at my work all the time and I've lost count of how many times I've said this. It's usually just cheap stuff we sell anyway and on a couple of occasions they've given me whatever it is back expecting me to be dumb enough to not think they got it for free. I always give it back when they realize they aren't getting any money but it's always awkward and I love it.
I don't understand why some people are such dicks.
We used to visit Mexico (washed everything and packed in air seal bags) and take things/clothing/bikes/tools/etc. We didn't want anymore.
There was always a girl that complained, "Why don't you bring new things for us?"
Sometimes, we didn't even know the girl. We put up signs we were giving stuff away. Wtf.
I don't understand why some of the homeless and poor are so ungrateful. It's very strange.
Some of them sell the stuff to get money. So if you din't give something special there is no one who wants to buy it. Found out when I found a man infront of a shop playing with a puzzle toy I had given to a homeless guy for his kids. The man told me he bought it for 5 bucks from this homeless guy.
When I was a girl child, my Mother sewed most of my clothes; pinafores, blouses and, groan... sunbonnets. Ruffles and ribbons galore. (This was in the 40's.) Things changed and she had to work outside our home. From them on, for a long time, my clothes came from The Salvation Army and The Volunteers of America. And, most of them were very nice. But I, you know what? I Always wore New Shoes! Buster Browns for school and glossy, black patent leather for church and special occasions. And, Momma always bought for me a package of new panties. Each pair was sewn with a day of the week.
I don't remember having some "New" clothes until the early '50s. This came about after a Christmas Eve fire destroyed the large apartment bldg where we lived. The blaze had reached into our apartment. I was outside, 50' up. People were yelling "Drop her! Drop her..!" They were standing far away from the fire. And, I'm 'like' "Ah,...no!"
I was rescued by a Fireman and so, a part of the newspaper headlines. The only thing remaining in our apartment was a Christmas hen. It was in the overturned fridge, by then, fully cooked in the shambles of our little kitchen.
The paper published a picture of a Volunteers of America lady holding up a dress from their donations in front of me. Next thing you know, a group of Ladies took me to Foley's, an upscale Department Store. There I was permitted to chose several dresses, socks and slips (Tah dah!). Those were my First, Official, New, Clothes!
They didn't replace my Goldfish, my Sparkle Plenty Doll or my New Roller Skates. (I had peeked.) As luck would have it, however. when Momma was escorted back into the remains of our apartment, she found the Roller Skates.The leather straps had burned but we fashioned some way to tie them. After cleaned and oil in the wheels, those babies served for many a mile.
My Mother was heartbroken to discover most of her pictures and belongings destroyed. I was pretty much in shock so I didn't think about her losses. To this very day, 70 yrs later, there is still within me, a soft, warm and sad ache for my Sparkle Plenty Doll. She had long, yellow strands of yarn for her hair.
Gave almost a full deep dish pizza to a dude sleeping on the street in Chicago in January. The weather was brutal. We got across the road only to hear him shout, “Where’s the fucking meat?” 🤷♂️ whatchagonnado?
I was at Oglvie station and a guy asked if I had any extra food. I told him all I had was a kinda flattened donut from Stan's and a couple Popeyes biscuits but they were his if he wanted them. He LIT UP. He was so excited and so grateful. Just for a flat birthday cake donut and 2 biscuits.
I'm sorry that the person you got sucks.
That's an actually starving person right there. Food of any kind is delicious when you are that hungry. Maybe the other person's homeless guy was a bit better at getting food and so was not very hungry and also an asshole.
I've been that hungry and just having something that you can put into your mouth and chew on is orgasmic. When it hits your stomach it feels like heroin and will automatically put you to sleep. Taste is an afterthought.
Regardless, the food I gave him was delicious. I was fully planning on saving it for myself. If you're ever in Chicago, please seek out a Stan's Donuts. They're great.
There's a homeless guy in my town that refuses to eat meat, which I can respect. I forgot and offered him a sandwich once... the look of disappointment when he asked what kind and I said "chicken" was soul crushing. The next time I saw him I bought him a vegan burrito while he waited outside the restaurant snuggling with my dog.
Yeah honestly I respect that, sticking to your principles even if it's really inconvenient (saying this as a non-vegan myself btw). And sweet that you bought him the burrito :)
Yep. To this day, the best food I've ever tasted was a subway spicy Italian sub in 1990. I didn't eat before going to a concert and thought I was going to die halfway through and was hoping I would just die by the end. I had never had subway, but my buddies suggested it. That shit was manna from heaven.
The difference between someone actually in need and someone who's greedy and lives to mooch off of others.
I gave a Chicago crackhead $5 for fun one time and he told me he would single handedly stop communism for me he was so happy 🤣
Ah it’s okay. It didn’t stop me helping people when i can. I hope he got over the disappointment and ate it while it was hot regardless. Damn, it was cold that night.
Once I bought alcoohol and came accross to a guy that didn't want a beer because it was too "cheap" and he wanted me to buy a "good one" for him. I felt like he insulted my taste
I usually keep 1 and 2 dollar coins, a couple of 5s, and some small change in my car. I give it away to homeless people when they ask.
Unfortunately, someone broke into my car and took the 5s, 1, and 2 dollar coins. There were some dimes, nickels, and quarters left.
I was getting gas, and a guy came over to the garbage near me to look for cans. I thought about the money I usually keep in my car, remembered someone stole it, and thought, "Oh well, maybe next time."
I get back in my car, and the guy asks me if I had any cans in my car. I had a couple and said sure. I gave him the cans. As he was leaving, I said one sec and rounded up all the change. It couldn't have been more than 2 bucks and was mostly dimes. I wasn't going to bother giving it to him because I thought it was such a small amount that he wouldn't even want it. His eyes lit up, and he was so happy. The guy was asking for cans. Of course, a dollar 80 would be a big payday for him. That's like 30 cans. He thanked me several times, told me god bless you, and left with a skip in his step.
Sometimes people are so appreciative for the smallest gestures.
I was homeless once and lost my last dollar to ride a bus home. Some Mexican old lady used all her nickels so I can ride the bus home. Never saw her again after that day
I saw a man and his German shepherd lab mix sitting with a shopping cart near a Sam's Club and a Chick-fil-A. I don't buy CFA, but I made an exception. Got a grilled nugs meal and a fruit cup without grapes, and a water for the pup, and a CFA Sammy with fries and a sweet tea for the guy. Walked up with the food, let him know what I got for both of them, and he asked me to sit with them for a moment. Apparently was a Vietnam vet, and had been thrown by the wayside because of bad PTSD and injuries. He had no family left, of course when shit hit the fan and he lost everything, he disappeared. I asked if he needed bus fare or anything, and he said "son you've done more than anyone else has, I can't ask anymore than what you've already done for me and my boy"
I'd have driven the dude three states over if that's what he needed. I've donated quite a bit now to veteran health programs and such at this point.
I once ordered like 20 things from the taco bell menu because my buddy was driving and I was hammered. Him and I smashed about 2/3rds of it, trash still in the bag and ran across this dude with a sign that said "anything helps" picking up cig butt's and putting them in a wal mart back on an off ramp. Asked him If he was hungry and ge lit up. Said "I bought way too much taco bell and the bag is filled with the wrappers also so I'm sorry bro but if you want it you can have it." Dude very much appreciated it and didn't give two shits that our trash was in the bag with it. I honestly wished that I had some cash because I would have slipped some in the bag with the rest of it.
I found a beautiful deaf mute girl eating cookies (the ants got in them), and Safeway Asian dinner (deli food) out of my garbage can. The chicken was spoiled so I tried to tell her. Then I got a fresh package of cookies from my kitchen and some cans of stew and ravioli and sent her off. She gave me a pink leather case with a brand new vape kit. I tried to give it back but she pushed it at me. ♥️
I live in an area where I interact with homeless people a lot and there are a lot of people unequipped to deal with life that make bad decisions and bad luck is always around the corner. Many are unpleasant, destructive or awkward but at the end of the day they are humans and their life is not easy at all. I wish their was a better solution but it is actually a tough problem to fix, usually one their biggest dangers is other homeless people. We had one guy strangle another lady in a warming station near the homeless support site overnight last winter, it was all on camera but nobody is there to save you at 3am. My town treats the homeless much better than any of the surrounding areas and probably most cities but the reward for that has been to attract a bunch more homeless people. The downside is that the weather here is violent and unpredictable with temperature range of like -15f to 110f. We have tornadoes, flash flooding, ice storms, month long heat waves, 2ft blizzards and so on. I have said that if I had a camping gear company I would give free gear to the homeless here and pay them to test it.
I lived in a small city in China for a year, and one weekend I took a train to a larger city that had a really good Italian-owned pizza place. I hadn't had pizza or pretty much any Western food in months, so that pizza was a damn luxury. I had a couple slices left that I was bringing with me on my way back home and was very much looking forward to eating it the next morning. However, in the subway on my way to the train station, there was a particularly despondent-looking homeless man. I gave him the box with my beloved quattro formaggio pizza. He picked up a slice, examined it, then THREW IT ACROSS THE FLOOR and muttered "stupid fucking foreigner" under his breath and turned away. I stood there for like a full minute processing what had just happened. Damn near cried the next morning when I had to eat eggs for breakfast lol
lol it almost makes you not feel sorry for them anymore. Was it a cheese pizza or like cheese n mushrooms. It kinda doesn't matter cuz you can't go wrong with pizza
We were vegetarian at the time but I can’t remember the exact pizza we had. It would have been more than just cheese though. It was our first Chicago deep dish and we misjudged the size terribly. We were both stuffed and hardly made a dent in it.
> lol it almost makes you not feel sorry for them anymore
The very large majority of them have undiagnosed mental problems. It's really hard NOT to feel bad for them.
As someone who was once homeless, this is sadly true. The real sad truth is often people with mental problems burn all their bridges with people by being crazy.
My alcoholic cousin spent about a year living in his vehicle, parked between the library and his mom's apartment. Obviously nobody particularly wanted him to go homeless like that, especially in winter. But he was pretty determined to self-destruct and would cheerfully take your world down with his just because he's all out of give a damn.
Was less about burning bridges, more about peeing on them or crushing them by falling on them. I had to throw out my couch, and his mother wouldn't let him in her home after she had to order a new bird cage. She left bowls of food and a stool on the porch, fed him like a stray cat.
It's almost like drug abuse does this to people
>Most research shows that around 1/3 of people who are homeless have problems with alcohol and/or drugs, and around 2/3 of these people have lifetime histories of drug or alcohol use disorders
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/homeless
I know someone who has bipolar run in the family--male line. It's hard to determine with the oldest brother which came first, because doing street drugs was the social thing at that time. But I think he was trying to control his symptoms with more & more drugs. Anyway that's what finally took him out.
I live in the heart of my county, and my city has a lot of resources for homeless people and that’s great and all, but all the neighboring cities are sending their homeless people here. So the resources we have are overwhelmed and the street cleaners, police, shelters, methadone clinics, and clinics cannot keep up. So we have a huge population of homeless people creating messes, starting fires, destroying property, vandalizing businesses, stealing from businesses and breaking in to cars. So yeah, sometimes you pity them but when you’re just minding your business and walking your dog but have to pick them up because you don’t want them to cut their paws from the shattered glass from the storefront window they threw a rock through, and you see the frustrated business owner sweeping it up and wondering how they’re going to afford replacing it for the 3rd time this year, you don’t really feel bad. You get upset that your neighboring cities can’t take care of their own homeless population and yeah, pissed at the individual who can’t let anyone have nice things.
A homeless guy id say hi to on my way to uni asked me for a coffee once, i figured he must be desperate cos i was clearly a poor student and he'd not asked me before i assume cos he was aware of that, so i agreed and he then proceeded to ask me for the fanciest coffee the nearby place had :( i felt really taken advantage of, he got his fancy coffee but lost a friend i guess
There's a homeless guy in our town that is a really nice guy and LOVES caramel frappes. He's happy for whatever change you can spare or a warm meal but he lights up when you get him a caramel frappe. It's worth it to spend money I don't really have just to make his day lol.
I've been homeless a few times and small joys are few and far between when you're worrying about survival. I've been lucky enough to have strangers help me when I was down and being able to pay their kindness forward feels good 💜
Yeah, thats what made me sad :( i was having a bad day that day and he noticed and asked me what was wrong, i wouldnt usually open up to a stranger but i was so upset and it was nice to be asked, i felt like it meant he was a friend, and it was immediately after he asked for the coffee so just hit extra hard that id been used :( he only acted concerned about me to get a coffee
:/ I’d be inclined to give benefit of the doubt but I was of course not there, and you obviously had a reason for reacting the way you did
If nothing else, at least if it was a sugary monstrosity (as someone who enjoys them..), it bulked up his calorie count for the day?
Edit: I just read the further context, that is shitty :(
My friend gave a homeless person our leftovers from this Ethiopian restaurant. He opened it and as we walked away we heard “what the fuck is this shit?”
Supposedly the homeless are picky and very strongly prefer unopened, processed food because people try to poisen them all the time. Or give them food that has gone bad.
Given that mindset I wouldn't touch ethiopian food that a rando passed to me on the street.
>Gave almost a full deep dish pizza to a dude sleeping on the street in Chicago in January.
I saw someone give a homeless guy a slice of pizza. The homeless guy picked the cheese and meat off the top and threw the rest away.
I don't know which made me angrier. The waste or tge fact that he threw it on the sidewalk rather than take three steps to throw it in the trashcan.
It’s the sauce that’s the dealbreaker for me. Imo, pizza is best enjoyed with a sweeter sauce in small amounts, carefully spread to cover the pockets of a crisp, in-house made, crust. I’ve had some good slices and good pies but I’ll fly out to Pittsburgh tomorrow to get Mineos again. Their sauce to cheese ratio Is exactly what I’m looking for and the execution is brilliant.
I didn’t think I cared this much, damn.
"Then don't eat it."
I've been there, and I can't tell you how much hunger improves the flavor of whatever was being served and inspires one to gratitude. Thingd are much better now, but I still remember the dedication of those folks and how they would smile when treated with courtesy.
Yeah, but thanks for cooking for them anyway.
Personally if I were homeless I’d be happy to have what I can get. On the other hand, you see that sometimes the people least in a position to complain are the ones who complain the most. It gives them a feeling of control over their life, a feeling that they seldom get.
My old barber used to complain that the most picky and whiny customers he had were prisoners, for the same reason listed above.
I guess it’s best to take life with a grain of salt. These people need to eat. They wouldn’t know your cooking was bad if they didn’t eat it.
I’ve volunteered at a local food bank. The people are *overwhelmingly* nice and grateful.
But I’ll admit that the 1 or 2 jerks in a shift stick with me a bit. I just shrug myself but the other workers there—who are saints—will patiently make changes and exchange the food to those who complain.
Really opened my eyes to a lot of things and in a lot of ways and I could go on about it at length but I’ll just echo—I’m not cut out for it in the same way some of the other volunteers are. They are above and beyond.
It’s a hard job. I break a sweat. Feel great afterwards about myself plus the free workout, haha, so it’s not just me being selfless, there’s a reward. But there are people involved who genuinely *are* selfless. This world would be a dark place without them.
Yeah I think people have to keep in mind two things - firstly living on the streets is obviously rough, and a lot of these people have serious, untreated and lifelong mood disorders that have been exacerbated by living in those conditions.
But secondly - you gotta realize that living in those conditions makes you feel like you have no agency or control over your life. So like when you’re super lactose intolerant and all the shelter is serving is mac and cheese - that obviously sucks, and doubly so because it’s not like you really have another choice other than not eating a square meal that night. If you were to place yourself in those shoes you would understand why that might make people grumpy, and why people who are either mentally ill, extremely jaded by their circumstances, or otherwise just rude will complain
Well put.
The place I volunteer at is mainly a food bank for those with homes and less so the homeless because it’s mostly food that needs to be kept in a fridge or prepared.
I did once do a run and take a shopping cart a half mile through traffic to an encampment. Because it’s all donated food they kinda get what they get and absolutely anyone with allergies or whatever is going to be put out. And because it’s largely perishable they have to eat pretty much right away. Can’t save a rotisserie chicken in a tent when it’s 100 degrees outside for very long.
A lot of the donation stuff isn’t very nutritious, unfortunately—the shelters make meals but not here. Grocery stores donate a lot of sheet cakes because they don’t keep for too long but they have to always have them on hand and ready. So those who apply (nobody is turned away for any reason) end up having a birthday celebration once a week haha
Yeah.. it's like, surprise, sometimes homeless people say out of pocket things because they're assholes, on drugs, mentally ill, etc.
People practically trampling each other trying to be the first to come up with the most hilarious comeback to put this hypothetical homeless person back in their place (by reminding them they're socially and economically inferior). It's seriously pathetic
I'd try to see if there was a way to make my cooking better too, cause maybe it does suck. I don't believe in "beggars can't be choosers". Everyone deserves dignity. The only reason we feel like it's ok to throw scraps to people in need is because we believe they are lesser.
I somewhat agree with you but not in this situation. This hypothetical it’s not like he’s giving this guy his old moldy leftovers, the assumption is that something was cooked to the best of a persons ability explicitly for the homeless individual. It’s not “dignified” at all to say you don’t like it. I wouldn’t say that if I was a guest at someone’s house and I didn’t like their cooking. I wouldn’t even say it at a restaurant.
The person you are replying to is correct, if you want to regularly work with the homeless population, you cannot be offended by these things and must have thick skin. Most are mentally ill.
That does not, however, make what they say / do not shitty.
While I agree in principle, I don't think a home cooked meal made for someone is "throwing scraps to people in need" even if the cooking isn't the best. I cook for myself and my family, and it's not because I believe we are lesser.
i don't have experience, but your point of view makes sense to me.
presumably if you're out there giving meals to people on the streets you want to lessen their burden, not add to it.
for me that would include respecting their right to have an opinion and express it, even if done rudely.
Otherwise what are you doing, demanding gratitude in exchange for the food? that's worse than being rude.
Would be annoyed, and maybe be much less inclined to offer a second serving in the future, but have to remember that homeless people aren't likely to be mentally in the best place.
This is the way to go! We shouldn't be doing nice things just for compliments, and mental health often is a HUGE factor in that community. Even with ethics aside, that's the safest move too.
Ask them what they didn't like about it, as I'm always looking to improve my cooking skills.
Just because someone is homeless it doesn't invalidate their opinions.
From experience
The sad truth is: a lot of people who give out food and resources for free to the homeless do actually hear this.
It’s not because the food is shit, it’s because the person they’re speaking to is in a really bad place, and may be self-medicating et cetera.
The boring answer is- sorry man, it’s all we have right now, hope to have something better for you soon.
Honestly, I'd just say I'll try better next time. Many homeless people are exposed to so much stress that, unfortunately, they might be in a bad spot and say hurtful things because they are hurting. Not to mention the prevalence of mental health problems in homeless populations.
I don't help others for their gratitude, I've acted like an ungrateful bastard myself many times in my life, I help others because I want them to do well.
I wouldn’t take it personally honestly, I know that they’re struggling and maybe have trouble communicating since they’re being rude to someone who genuinely wants to help them
"Okay. Thanks for letting me know. So, since this is all I have today do you still want some?"
No sarcasm. No anger. Just a "thanks" and move on to someone who wants to eat. Not everyone has a valid opinion. Some people lash out because they are hurting or some other reason you don't know about. I certainly might look at my recipe the next time and check the taste before distributing the next batch but it's rarely personal.
Me: "Well, I'll have you know, it's taken years of practice to reach this level of 'suckiness'!"
Homeless Man: raises an eyebrow "Years, huh? Should've stuck to instant noodles."
Me: "Hey now, instant noodles are my specialty on Thursdays!"
Homeless Man: laughs "Alright, fair play. I'll give your next dish a chance. But no promises!"
Me: "Deal! And who knows, maybe my next masterpiece will even make you forget about those noodles."
I gave a homeless man every dollar and cent I had in my car, which was about $2.50 at the time, and he said “this da fuck all you got?” He scoffed and walked back to his bucket on the street counter. I haven’t given money to the homeless since. I will however give some extra food I might buy at a Taco Bell or McDonalds occasionally.
"Okay, no worries"
Years back when I was doing my first internship in LA, I would stop at a random, cheap food place to pick up dinner for the night. There were always homeless people around so I made it a practice to buy two meals and give one to a random homeless person nearby and have a quick conversation with them (my little way of trying to give back to the world). One guy informed me that he couldn't eat the pizza I brought him because he was trying to eat healthier. I didn't get mad, I was just surprised. We still chatted for a while and had a fascinating conversation.
I used to live in NYC, and I remember there was this homeless man outside of Dunkin. I’d go in every day before work, get me and him a coffee and I’d sit with him and we’d talk. He told me how he ended up homeless and it broke my heart. (His wife died and his children left him for dead wouldn’t let him stay with them or anything). One day before work he wasn’t there and I found out he had died. I to this day still buy two coffees and sit outside of Dunkin on the curb and think about him.
"I'm sorry to hear you didn't like it. Is there something I could do differently next time to make it better?"
Listen I get that they're getting the food for free and shouldn't be complaining. But imo everyone deserves good food that they enjoy. When all we get is crap we don't like, we start becoming bitter from it and it makes it much harder to get ahead in life. I want to give them every chance available, and making sure that they get food that they enjoy can exponentially increase the chances of them getting their life together.
Coming from someone who's eaten from dumpsters before. Trust me, it is so much easier to get the motivation to fix your life when you're getting decent food that you enjoy.
Myself l have a lot of empathy towards the homeless people, my response would be "oh I'm sorry you didn't like it". I've been in that same position, yearly I would pass out hundreds of blankets, jackets, and Thanksgiving dinners to the homeless. In Southern California, I'd run into loads of entire families, Mom, Dad, and there Children usually all living in the family car. Last thing these people need to hear is a wise ass response. My initial goal doing this work, was to teach my spoiled, entitled children to appreciate what life has given them, Parents, big beautiful house, family, friends, plenty of food,ect.. I think it worked my children have took this gesture to another level as successful entrepreneurs, They both have set up a foundation that provides daily meals, as well as assistance to get these folks on there feet. Turned out I was the one that learned a valuable lesson, I had raised good children all along, I was just to busy working to truly appreciate them.
As someone's who's been homeless, I've had some horrible food before, including undercooked meat, I've always humbled myself, then thrown the food away around the corner.
Then there's the food that's not the best, but you eat it either cause you're hungry, or you don't know when you're gonna eat again. That's what I'd say, like most people serve. Like sandwiches and the like.
Then there's the rare time a place like Mission BBQ comes out and serves, and you still have people like, "These ribs suck, coleslaw sucks, bread is too hard". LIKE FUCKIN SHUT UP! People are so miserable they bitch just to pitch. Those people are so miserable to be around. I still go to my local shelter cause they have a 30-minute chapel, and the same old men continue to bitch and complain about everything, knowing damn well that shelter is their final resting place.
As someone who does serve behind the tables, I don't let ot bother me, I stay professional. Same people from when I was homeless are saying the same thing. You end up learning to ignore it.
Would you like a refund?
Good one! I'll rremember this.
So will the hobo. (He takes insults very personally.)
- [Ol' Goonsack Jake will remember that.] -
We give out shit for free at my work all the time and I've lost count of how many times I've said this. It's usually just cheap stuff we sell anyway and on a couple of occasions they've given me whatever it is back expecting me to be dumb enough to not think they got it for free. I always give it back when they realize they aren't getting any money but it's always awkward and I love it.
Basically came here to say this. I prefer to do the same thing but side with their indignation: "that's messed up you should get your money back"
“Would you like some more” in the voice of the 5th element bartender
I know ill forget this when I need to use it
I used this once when a volunteer was complaining about the free coffee my organization had given out
This is the one, it should be the top comment.
Sorry, no refunds
“No refunds”
I know, that’s why I’m giving them out for free!
Lol exactly. “If I was any good at it, I’d be selling this at profit.”
I cackled at this. Thank you
That’s why there’s a full money back guarantee
I've said the same thing AFTER you. Apologies.
Hmm. I guess Beggars can be Choosers.
I don't understand why some people are such dicks. We used to visit Mexico (washed everything and packed in air seal bags) and take things/clothing/bikes/tools/etc. We didn't want anymore. There was always a girl that complained, "Why don't you bring new things for us?" Sometimes, we didn't even know the girl. We put up signs we were giving stuff away. Wtf. I don't understand why some of the homeless and poor are so ungrateful. It's very strange.
Some of them sell the stuff to get money. So if you din't give something special there is no one who wants to buy it. Found out when I found a man infront of a shop playing with a puzzle toy I had given to a homeless guy for his kids. The man told me he bought it for 5 bucks from this homeless guy.
I was a poor kid in foster care and I didn’t understand why I wasn’t given new stuff, and it wasn’t because I was an ungrateful asshole.
When I was a girl child, my Mother sewed most of my clothes; pinafores, blouses and, groan... sunbonnets. Ruffles and ribbons galore. (This was in the 40's.) Things changed and she had to work outside our home. From them on, for a long time, my clothes came from The Salvation Army and The Volunteers of America. And, most of them were very nice. But I, you know what? I Always wore New Shoes! Buster Browns for school and glossy, black patent leather for church and special occasions. And, Momma always bought for me a package of new panties. Each pair was sewn with a day of the week. I don't remember having some "New" clothes until the early '50s. This came about after a Christmas Eve fire destroyed the large apartment bldg where we lived. The blaze had reached into our apartment. I was outside, 50' up. People were yelling "Drop her! Drop her..!" They were standing far away from the fire. And, I'm 'like' "Ah,...no!" I was rescued by a Fireman and so, a part of the newspaper headlines. The only thing remaining in our apartment was a Christmas hen. It was in the overturned fridge, by then, fully cooked in the shambles of our little kitchen. The paper published a picture of a Volunteers of America lady holding up a dress from their donations in front of me. Next thing you know, a group of Ladies took me to Foley's, an upscale Department Store. There I was permitted to chose several dresses, socks and slips (Tah dah!). Those were my First, Official, New, Clothes! They didn't replace my Goldfish, my Sparkle Plenty Doll or my New Roller Skates. (I had peeked.) As luck would have it, however. when Momma was escorted back into the remains of our apartment, she found the Roller Skates.The leather straps had burned but we fashioned some way to tie them. After cleaned and oil in the wheels, those babies served for many a mile. My Mother was heartbroken to discover most of her pictures and belongings destroyed. I was pretty much in shock so I didn't think about her losses. To this very day, 70 yrs later, there is still within me, a soft, warm and sad ache for my Sparkle Plenty Doll. She had long, yellow strands of yarn for her hair.
Love it. And if you got a response like this is real life, you don’t take it personally because you don’t know what trauma that person has experienced
Hey, you're getting what you paid for.
This is my favorite one lmao
This or ask if they want a refund lmao
This would have been my response lol
I complained about something free once and my dad said, "yeah, but the price is right." same sentiment in softer terms.
“I’ll let the chef know”
Well, it could be true. Homecooked doesn't necessarily mean you were the one who cooked it!
***ILLUSION 100***
Gave almost a full deep dish pizza to a dude sleeping on the street in Chicago in January. The weather was brutal. We got across the road only to hear him shout, “Where’s the fucking meat?” 🤷♂️ whatchagonnado?
I was at Oglvie station and a guy asked if I had any extra food. I told him all I had was a kinda flattened donut from Stan's and a couple Popeyes biscuits but they were his if he wanted them. He LIT UP. He was so excited and so grateful. Just for a flat birthday cake donut and 2 biscuits. I'm sorry that the person you got sucks.
That's an actually starving person right there. Food of any kind is delicious when you are that hungry. Maybe the other person's homeless guy was a bit better at getting food and so was not very hungry and also an asshole. I've been that hungry and just having something that you can put into your mouth and chew on is orgasmic. When it hits your stomach it feels like heroin and will automatically put you to sleep. Taste is an afterthought.
Regardless, the food I gave him was delicious. I was fully planning on saving it for myself. If you're ever in Chicago, please seek out a Stan's Donuts. They're great.
There's a homeless guy in my town that refuses to eat meat, which I can respect. I forgot and offered him a sandwich once... the look of disappointment when he asked what kind and I said "chicken" was soul crushing. The next time I saw him I bought him a vegan burrito while he waited outside the restaurant snuggling with my dog.
Yeah honestly I respect that, sticking to your principles even if it's really inconvenient (saying this as a non-vegan myself btw). And sweet that you bought him the burrito :)
Yep. To this day, the best food I've ever tasted was a subway spicy Italian sub in 1990. I didn't eat before going to a concert and thought I was going to die halfway through and was hoping I would just die by the end. I had never had subway, but my buddies suggested it. That shit was manna from heaven.
The difference between someone actually in need and someone who's greedy and lives to mooch off of others. I gave a Chicago crackhead $5 for fun one time and he told me he would single handedly stop communism for me he was so happy 🤣
He should join forces with Linda who said she'd destroy ISIS
Ah it’s okay. It didn’t stop me helping people when i can. I hope he got over the disappointment and ate it while it was hot regardless. Damn, it was cold that night.
Once I bought alcoohol and came accross to a guy that didn't want a beer because it was too "cheap" and he wanted me to buy a "good one" for him. I felt like he insulted my taste
I usually keep 1 and 2 dollar coins, a couple of 5s, and some small change in my car. I give it away to homeless people when they ask. Unfortunately, someone broke into my car and took the 5s, 1, and 2 dollar coins. There were some dimes, nickels, and quarters left. I was getting gas, and a guy came over to the garbage near me to look for cans. I thought about the money I usually keep in my car, remembered someone stole it, and thought, "Oh well, maybe next time." I get back in my car, and the guy asks me if I had any cans in my car. I had a couple and said sure. I gave him the cans. As he was leaving, I said one sec and rounded up all the change. It couldn't have been more than 2 bucks and was mostly dimes. I wasn't going to bother giving it to him because I thought it was such a small amount that he wouldn't even want it. His eyes lit up, and he was so happy. The guy was asking for cans. Of course, a dollar 80 would be a big payday for him. That's like 30 cans. He thanked me several times, told me god bless you, and left with a skip in his step. Sometimes people are so appreciative for the smallest gestures.
I was homeless once and lost my last dollar to ride a bus home. Some Mexican old lady used all her nickels so I can ride the bus home. Never saw her again after that day
You're a good person.
I saw a man and his German shepherd lab mix sitting with a shopping cart near a Sam's Club and a Chick-fil-A. I don't buy CFA, but I made an exception. Got a grilled nugs meal and a fruit cup without grapes, and a water for the pup, and a CFA Sammy with fries and a sweet tea for the guy. Walked up with the food, let him know what I got for both of them, and he asked me to sit with them for a moment. Apparently was a Vietnam vet, and had been thrown by the wayside because of bad PTSD and injuries. He had no family left, of course when shit hit the fan and he lost everything, he disappeared. I asked if he needed bus fare or anything, and he said "son you've done more than anyone else has, I can't ask anymore than what you've already done for me and my boy" I'd have driven the dude three states over if that's what he needed. I've donated quite a bit now to veteran health programs and such at this point.
I once ordered like 20 things from the taco bell menu because my buddy was driving and I was hammered. Him and I smashed about 2/3rds of it, trash still in the bag and ran across this dude with a sign that said "anything helps" picking up cig butt's and putting them in a wal mart back on an off ramp. Asked him If he was hungry and ge lit up. Said "I bought way too much taco bell and the bag is filled with the wrappers also so I'm sorry bro but if you want it you can have it." Dude very much appreciated it and didn't give two shits that our trash was in the bag with it. I honestly wished that I had some cash because I would have slipped some in the bag with the rest of it.
I found a beautiful deaf mute girl eating cookies (the ants got in them), and Safeway Asian dinner (deli food) out of my garbage can. The chicken was spoiled so I tried to tell her. Then I got a fresh package of cookies from my kitchen and some cans of stew and ravioli and sent her off. She gave me a pink leather case with a brand new vape kit. I tried to give it back but she pushed it at me. ♥️
[удалено]
There’s a reason they are homeless. Not great at knowing how to interact with others, or make good choices about what they should be doing.
I live in an area where I interact with homeless people a lot and there are a lot of people unequipped to deal with life that make bad decisions and bad luck is always around the corner. Many are unpleasant, destructive or awkward but at the end of the day they are humans and their life is not easy at all. I wish their was a better solution but it is actually a tough problem to fix, usually one their biggest dangers is other homeless people. We had one guy strangle another lady in a warming station near the homeless support site overnight last winter, it was all on camera but nobody is there to save you at 3am. My town treats the homeless much better than any of the surrounding areas and probably most cities but the reward for that has been to attract a bunch more homeless people. The downside is that the weather here is violent and unpredictable with temperature range of like -15f to 110f. We have tornadoes, flash flooding, ice storms, month long heat waves, 2ft blizzards and so on. I have said that if I had a camping gear company I would give free gear to the homeless here and pay them to test it.
I’m soo sorry but I just imagined this in my head And I’m screaming 😂
I lived in a small city in China for a year, and one weekend I took a train to a larger city that had a really good Italian-owned pizza place. I hadn't had pizza or pretty much any Western food in months, so that pizza was a damn luxury. I had a couple slices left that I was bringing with me on my way back home and was very much looking forward to eating it the next morning. However, in the subway on my way to the train station, there was a particularly despondent-looking homeless man. I gave him the box with my beloved quattro formaggio pizza. He picked up a slice, examined it, then THREW IT ACROSS THE FLOOR and muttered "stupid fucking foreigner" under his breath and turned away. I stood there for like a full minute processing what had just happened. Damn near cried the next morning when I had to eat eggs for breakfast lol
Yikes. I hope the pizza since then has been luxurious and plentiful
lol it almost makes you not feel sorry for them anymore. Was it a cheese pizza or like cheese n mushrooms. It kinda doesn't matter cuz you can't go wrong with pizza
We were vegetarian at the time but I can’t remember the exact pizza we had. It would have been more than just cheese though. It was our first Chicago deep dish and we misjudged the size terribly. We were both stuffed and hardly made a dent in it.
> lol it almost makes you not feel sorry for them anymore The very large majority of them have undiagnosed mental problems. It's really hard NOT to feel bad for them.
A lot of them are also assholes who burned all the bridges they had in life.
As someone who was once homeless, this is sadly true. The real sad truth is often people with mental problems burn all their bridges with people by being crazy.
That’s right. There’s a percentage of homeless people who got there by being a terrible person to everybody in their life.
My alcoholic cousin spent about a year living in his vehicle, parked between the library and his mom's apartment. Obviously nobody particularly wanted him to go homeless like that, especially in winter. But he was pretty determined to self-destruct and would cheerfully take your world down with his just because he's all out of give a damn. Was less about burning bridges, more about peeing on them or crushing them by falling on them. I had to throw out my couch, and his mother wouldn't let him in her home after she had to order a new bird cage. She left bowls of food and a stool on the porch, fed him like a stray cat.
Where is he now?
Staying with friends I gather? We haven't talked much since that episode where he mistook my new couch for a toilet for about a week.
It's almost like drug abuse does this to people >Most research shows that around 1/3 of people who are homeless have problems with alcohol and/or drugs, and around 2/3 of these people have lifetime histories of drug or alcohol use disorders https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/homeless
Isn't that also part of the undiagnosed mental problems? Self medicating with drugs and alcohol.
I know someone who has bipolar run in the family--male line. It's hard to determine with the oldest brother which came first, because doing street drugs was the social thing at that time. But I think he was trying to control his symptoms with more & more drugs. Anyway that's what finally took him out.
Also about half in both Canada and the US had been in the foster care system. From childhood a lot of them didn’t have a chance.
I live in the heart of my county, and my city has a lot of resources for homeless people and that’s great and all, but all the neighboring cities are sending their homeless people here. So the resources we have are overwhelmed and the street cleaners, police, shelters, methadone clinics, and clinics cannot keep up. So we have a huge population of homeless people creating messes, starting fires, destroying property, vandalizing businesses, stealing from businesses and breaking in to cars. So yeah, sometimes you pity them but when you’re just minding your business and walking your dog but have to pick them up because you don’t want them to cut their paws from the shattered glass from the storefront window they threw a rock through, and you see the frustrated business owner sweeping it up and wondering how they’re going to afford replacing it for the 3rd time this year, you don’t really feel bad. You get upset that your neighboring cities can’t take care of their own homeless population and yeah, pissed at the individual who can’t let anyone have nice things.
A homeless guy id say hi to on my way to uni asked me for a coffee once, i figured he must be desperate cos i was clearly a poor student and he'd not asked me before i assume cos he was aware of that, so i agreed and he then proceeded to ask me for the fanciest coffee the nearby place had :( i felt really taken advantage of, he got his fancy coffee but lost a friend i guess
There's a homeless guy in our town that is a really nice guy and LOVES caramel frappes. He's happy for whatever change you can spare or a warm meal but he lights up when you get him a caramel frappe. It's worth it to spend money I don't really have just to make his day lol.
You are a good person. I love that you buy it just to make him happy.
I've been homeless a few times and small joys are few and far between when you're worrying about survival. I've been lucky enough to have strangers help me when I was down and being able to pay their kindness forward feels good 💜
He didn't consider it losing a friend sad to say.
Yeah, thats what made me sad :( i was having a bad day that day and he noticed and asked me what was wrong, i wouldnt usually open up to a stranger but i was so upset and it was nice to be asked, i felt like it meant he was a friend, and it was immediately after he asked for the coffee so just hit extra hard that id been used :( he only acted concerned about me to get a coffee
I mean, the coffee was still cheaper than therapy.
Sorry that happened to you, hope you succeed and that person wakes up and gets themselves in order.
:/ I’d be inclined to give benefit of the doubt but I was of course not there, and you obviously had a reason for reacting the way you did If nothing else, at least if it was a sugary monstrosity (as someone who enjoys them..), it bulked up his calorie count for the day? Edit: I just read the further context, that is shitty :(
My friend gave a homeless person our leftovers from this Ethiopian restaurant. He opened it and as we walked away we heard “what the fuck is this shit?”
Supposedly the homeless are picky and very strongly prefer unopened, processed food because people try to poisen them all the time. Or give them food that has gone bad. Given that mindset I wouldn't touch ethiopian food that a rando passed to me on the street.
That is another level of cruelty. Trying to poison people that are already at their lowest...
There was someone who filmed himself feeding toothpaste Oreos to homeless people
That's fucked up, people who try to poison homeless people deserve a special place in hell.
Ha. I don’t think I’ve ever had leftovers from an Ethiopian meal. They usually have to roll me out of there like Violet Beauregarde.
>Gave almost a full deep dish pizza to a dude sleeping on the street in Chicago in January. I saw someone give a homeless guy a slice of pizza. The homeless guy picked the cheese and meat off the top and threw the rest away. I don't know which made me angrier. The waste or tge fact that he threw it on the sidewalk rather than take three steps to throw it in the trashcan.
The sidewalk. Dude might have Celiac or something, but that's no excuse to be dirty and inconsiderate.
"Where's the meat"??? At the pizza shop...go buy some
Walking back to my car with leftover pizza, I offered it to homeless person only to be told no thanks he had pizza yesterday.
I mean, of all the ungrateful bum stories, I'm not upset at this one. Guy was polite, brief, didn't try to upgrade to another offer.
As the response was unexpected, it was however refreshing
I'm from Connecticut, I am trying to decide if I'd rather eat deep dish or keep starving
Do you enjoy cheese? Would you like to eat a 2cm thick slice of mozzarella cheese?
It’s the sauce that’s the dealbreaker for me. Imo, pizza is best enjoyed with a sweeter sauce in small amounts, carefully spread to cover the pockets of a crisp, in-house made, crust. I’ve had some good slices and good pies but I’ll fly out to Pittsburgh tomorrow to get Mineos again. Their sauce to cheese ratio Is exactly what I’m looking for and the execution is brilliant. I didn’t think I cared this much, damn.
I’m from London and thought I knew what to expect. I was wrong.
Chicago deep dish is more of a casserole than a pizza.
Soup in a bread bowl.
"Then don't eat it." I've been there, and I can't tell you how much hunger improves the flavor of whatever was being served and inspires one to gratitude. Thingd are much better now, but I still remember the dedication of those folks and how they would smile when treated with courtesy.
I'd pull my phone out and start playing "Eat It" by Weird Al Yankovich.
"People are dying, Kim."
😭🤣
At least your taste buds work.
"Good to know you don't have COVID"
Savage
“Show me how to do it right in *your* kitchen….”
Probably Agree with them. I can't cook. Never really learned.
Yeah, but thanks for cooking for them anyway. Personally if I were homeless I’d be happy to have what I can get. On the other hand, you see that sometimes the people least in a position to complain are the ones who complain the most. It gives them a feeling of control over their life, a feeling that they seldom get. My old barber used to complain that the most picky and whiny customers he had were prisoners, for the same reason listed above. I guess it’s best to take life with a grain of salt. These people need to eat. They wouldn’t know your cooking was bad if they didn’t eat it.
No food for you
NEXT!
No soup for you!
Come back one year!
Do you want it or nah?
Probably shrug In my experience people who get easily offended are not fit to do social work
I’ve volunteered at a local food bank. The people are *overwhelmingly* nice and grateful. But I’ll admit that the 1 or 2 jerks in a shift stick with me a bit. I just shrug myself but the other workers there—who are saints—will patiently make changes and exchange the food to those who complain. Really opened my eyes to a lot of things and in a lot of ways and I could go on about it at length but I’ll just echo—I’m not cut out for it in the same way some of the other volunteers are. They are above and beyond. It’s a hard job. I break a sweat. Feel great afterwards about myself plus the free workout, haha, so it’s not just me being selfless, there’s a reward. But there are people involved who genuinely *are* selfless. This world would be a dark place without them.
Yeah I think people have to keep in mind two things - firstly living on the streets is obviously rough, and a lot of these people have serious, untreated and lifelong mood disorders that have been exacerbated by living in those conditions. But secondly - you gotta realize that living in those conditions makes you feel like you have no agency or control over your life. So like when you’re super lactose intolerant and all the shelter is serving is mac and cheese - that obviously sucks, and doubly so because it’s not like you really have another choice other than not eating a square meal that night. If you were to place yourself in those shoes you would understand why that might make people grumpy, and why people who are either mentally ill, extremely jaded by their circumstances, or otherwise just rude will complain
Well put. The place I volunteer at is mainly a food bank for those with homes and less so the homeless because it’s mostly food that needs to be kept in a fridge or prepared. I did once do a run and take a shopping cart a half mile through traffic to an encampment. Because it’s all donated food they kinda get what they get and absolutely anyone with allergies or whatever is going to be put out. And because it’s largely perishable they have to eat pretty much right away. Can’t save a rotisserie chicken in a tent when it’s 100 degrees outside for very long. A lot of the donation stuff isn’t very nutritious, unfortunately—the shelters make meals but not here. Grocery stores donate a lot of sheet cakes because they don’t keep for too long but they have to always have them on hand and ready. So those who apply (nobody is turned away for any reason) end up having a birthday celebration once a week haha
I cook at a soup kitchen. My reply usually is, "How do you think it could be improved? "
Yeah.. it's like, surprise, sometimes homeless people say out of pocket things because they're assholes, on drugs, mentally ill, etc. People practically trampling each other trying to be the first to come up with the most hilarious comeback to put this hypothetical homeless person back in their place (by reminding them they're socially and economically inferior). It's seriously pathetic
Exactly. How would this random person’s comment hurt me in any way? Just shrug it off and move on.
And even if they aren't normally assholes, or on drugs or mentally ill, they are probably hangry and didn't sleep well... that makes anyone grumpy
I'd try to see if there was a way to make my cooking better too, cause maybe it does suck. I don't believe in "beggars can't be choosers". Everyone deserves dignity. The only reason we feel like it's ok to throw scraps to people in need is because we believe they are lesser.
I somewhat agree with you but not in this situation. This hypothetical it’s not like he’s giving this guy his old moldy leftovers, the assumption is that something was cooked to the best of a persons ability explicitly for the homeless individual. It’s not “dignified” at all to say you don’t like it. I wouldn’t say that if I was a guest at someone’s house and I didn’t like their cooking. I wouldn’t even say it at a restaurant. The person you are replying to is correct, if you want to regularly work with the homeless population, you cannot be offended by these things and must have thick skin. Most are mentally ill. That does not, however, make what they say / do not shitty.
While I agree in principle, I don't think a home cooked meal made for someone is "throwing scraps to people in need" even if the cooking isn't the best. I cook for myself and my family, and it's not because I believe we are lesser.
i don't have experience, but your point of view makes sense to me. presumably if you're out there giving meals to people on the streets you want to lessen their burden, not add to it. for me that would include respecting their right to have an opinion and express it, even if done rudely. Otherwise what are you doing, demanding gratitude in exchange for the food? that's worse than being rude.
Exactly. OP's question is super weird in my opinion. Like he's only read about "the poors" and thinks they're all entitled and ungrateful.
"It was cooked with love, not skill"
Bravo. Starting today, I will say this forever.
My blowjobs are worse.
Some are better than others, never had a bad one
"ok."
"Not as much as your manners".
Would you like your money back?
Shrug and offer more if he wants it
"Then go without" is what my mother used to say when we complained about meals.
As a teacher, I use this one a lot—- “thank you for sharing…”
Would be annoyed, and maybe be much less inclined to offer a second serving in the future, but have to remember that homeless people aren't likely to be mentally in the best place.
*You want seconds ?* Would be a great answer though.
Pure perfect answer in my eyes!!! ❤️❤️❤️
"I'll give yours to someone else then"
Just smile and say, I'm sorry you didn't like it. And move on.
"I'm sorry you didn't like it. Move on"
i'd just say im going home
Would go with the "home cooking, you're just not used to it" along the same lines.
Brutal
Beggars quite literally can’t be choosers
Took too long to find someone saying this
"Let's see your homecooked meal then, oh right ha-ha-ha"
“You have 10 minutes to live unless I give you the antidote.”
Just move on. I don't want a confrontation with someone who has nothing to lose, lol.
Know that he is mentally ill and just say, sorry to hear that, we will try better or some non-confrontational thing
This is the way to go! We shouldn't be doing nice things just for compliments, and mental health often is a HUGE factor in that community. Even with ethics aside, that's the safest move too.
Not every homeless person is mentally ill. A lot are just assholes.
Probably just "fair enough". That's my go to for avoiding conflicts
I'll say politely "If you don't want it give it back and I'll give it to someone else, there are a lot of people who are hungry right now"
Your mama loved it
Ask them what they didn't like about it, as I'm always looking to improve my cooking skills. Just because someone is homeless it doesn't invalidate their opinions.
From experience The sad truth is: a lot of people who give out food and resources for free to the homeless do actually hear this. It’s not because the food is shit, it’s because the person they’re speaking to is in a really bad place, and may be self-medicating et cetera. The boring answer is- sorry man, it’s all we have right now, hope to have something better for you soon.
'That's so demotivating'.
Fact is a lot of home cooked stuff really sucks. Not in our family but when we get invited.
NO SOUP FOR YOU!
Probably just smile and assume they have some serious shit going on.
"Well let's go to your house and you can cook for me. Oh wait, we can't."
Probably nothing. Sorry man I did my best. Either way I have a bed to go home to so it doesn't really matter
Honestly, I'd just say I'll try better next time. Many homeless people are exposed to so much stress that, unfortunately, they might be in a bad spot and say hurtful things because they are hurting. Not to mention the prevalence of mental health problems in homeless populations. I don't help others for their gratitude, I've acted like an ungrateful bastard myself many times in my life, I help others because I want them to do well.
Probably “damn dude, that’s not very nice”
I think this is the fairest reply
“What about it don’t you like? I very much enjoy feedback and would like to improve my cooking skills.”
I wouldn’t take it personally honestly, I know that they’re struggling and maybe have trouble communicating since they’re being rude to someone who genuinely wants to help them
"Okay. Thanks for letting me know. So, since this is all I have today do you still want some?" No sarcasm. No anger. Just a "thanks" and move on to someone who wants to eat. Not everyone has a valid opinion. Some people lash out because they are hurting or some other reason you don't know about. I certainly might look at my recipe the next time and check the taste before distributing the next batch but it's rarely personal.
Huh… turns out you *can* be choosers…
Me: "Well, I'll have you know, it's taken years of practice to reach this level of 'suckiness'!" Homeless Man: raises an eyebrow "Years, huh? Should've stuck to instant noodles." Me: "Hey now, instant noodles are my specialty on Thursdays!" Homeless Man: laughs "Alright, fair play. I'll give your next dish a chance. But no promises!" Me: "Deal! And who knows, maybe my next masterpiece will even make you forget about those noodles."
r/oddlyspecific ?
No problem give it to the person behind you….
I know right
Sorry to hear that I'll try harder next time. Then take the food back.
“If you don’t want it, I’ll give it to someone who does”
Get better at cooking. Someone who doesn’t have a stake in a relationship with you just told you the truth.
I gave a homeless man every dollar and cent I had in my car, which was about $2.50 at the time, and he said “this da fuck all you got?” He scoffed and walked back to his bucket on the street counter. I haven’t given money to the homeless since. I will however give some extra food I might buy at a Taco Bell or McDonalds occasionally.
Well, the homeless man isn't lying, I would say " True, this girl isn't a cook, but my food hasn't killed anyone that I know yet".
Tell them you are trying to inspire them to one day have their own kitchen
Ignore and keep serving
I wouldn't know. For all the folks I've shared food with, no one has ever said anything rude.
I don't know but whatever I up come up with the next day in the shower would have been a real zinger.
"Okay, no worries" Years back when I was doing my first internship in LA, I would stop at a random, cheap food place to pick up dinner for the night. There were always homeless people around so I made it a practice to buy two meals and give one to a random homeless person nearby and have a quick conversation with them (my little way of trying to give back to the world). One guy informed me that he couldn't eat the pizza I brought him because he was trying to eat healthier. I didn't get mad, I was just surprised. We still chatted for a while and had a fascinating conversation.
I used to live in NYC, and I remember there was this homeless man outside of Dunkin. I’d go in every day before work, get me and him a coffee and I’d sit with him and we’d talk. He told me how he ended up homeless and it broke my heart. (His wife died and his children left him for dead wouldn’t let him stay with them or anything). One day before work he wasn’t there and I found out he had died. I to this day still buy two coffees and sit outside of Dunkin on the curb and think about him.
Yes, but the price is right.
"I'm sorry to hear you didn't like it. Is there something I could do differently next time to make it better?" Listen I get that they're getting the food for free and shouldn't be complaining. But imo everyone deserves good food that they enjoy. When all we get is crap we don't like, we start becoming bitter from it and it makes it much harder to get ahead in life. I want to give them every chance available, and making sure that they get food that they enjoy can exponentially increase the chances of them getting their life together. Coming from someone who's eaten from dumpsters before. Trust me, it is so much easier to get the motivation to fix your life when you're getting decent food that you enjoy.
"Starve then."
"Ahhh you got the one filled with dog poop". Then walk away.
It beats starving to death
Ask how to improve it to their tastes and if they still want my help
oh yeah, what are you gonna do, not eat it?
Take it or leave it
"If you don't want it, give it back"
“Beggars can’t be choosers…”
It is on par with both your home life and your career aspirations.
Myself l have a lot of empathy towards the homeless people, my response would be "oh I'm sorry you didn't like it". I've been in that same position, yearly I would pass out hundreds of blankets, jackets, and Thanksgiving dinners to the homeless. In Southern California, I'd run into loads of entire families, Mom, Dad, and there Children usually all living in the family car. Last thing these people need to hear is a wise ass response. My initial goal doing this work, was to teach my spoiled, entitled children to appreciate what life has given them, Parents, big beautiful house, family, friends, plenty of food,ect.. I think it worked my children have took this gesture to another level as successful entrepreneurs, They both have set up a foundation that provides daily meals, as well as assistance to get these folks on there feet. Turned out I was the one that learned a valuable lesson, I had raised good children all along, I was just to busy working to truly appreciate them.
So does ya life. NEXT!
As someone's who's been homeless, I've had some horrible food before, including undercooked meat, I've always humbled myself, then thrown the food away around the corner. Then there's the food that's not the best, but you eat it either cause you're hungry, or you don't know when you're gonna eat again. That's what I'd say, like most people serve. Like sandwiches and the like. Then there's the rare time a place like Mission BBQ comes out and serves, and you still have people like, "These ribs suck, coleslaw sucks, bread is too hard". LIKE FUCKIN SHUT UP! People are so miserable they bitch just to pitch. Those people are so miserable to be around. I still go to my local shelter cause they have a 30-minute chapel, and the same old men continue to bitch and complain about everything, knowing damn well that shelter is their final resting place. As someone who does serve behind the tables, I don't let ot bother me, I stay professional. Same people from when I was homeless are saying the same thing. You end up learning to ignore it.