How To Cope With Kansas City Hobo Crisis?!?!

A guide from our favorite local faith writer . . .

"Friends who run a Catholic Worker house in Kansas City say that the most important thing to do when someone on the street stops you and asks for money or help is simply to look him or her in the eye and acknowledge your common humanity."

Read more:

The religious question of panhandlers: 4-4-17

I live walking distance from a couple of grocery stores, and once in awhile I actually do walk to them if my shopping list is short and light. Which is what I did the other day. As I crossed the...

Comments

  1. Elect them all to the KCMO city council or the Jackson County legislature.
    It will provide them with a paycheck, get them off the streets, and give them something to do.
    And they sure couldn't do any worse than what's there now.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Put them on a bus and ship them to Denver with all the other university of Michigan dropouts. Widespread Panic and weed, man.

    ReplyDelete

  3. I've seen these people standing everywhere. Funny how they stand out there and smoke leaving a pile of cigarette butts on the ground, and also brave the elements when they are standing on the Plaza with numerous places to apply for a job. Standing in the cold seems harder than being inside washing dishes and earning a paycheck,and maybe even a free meal.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Grand Boulevard Sandwich Man4/4/17, 12:02 PM

    This is why I always carry a sandwich with me and then throw it at anyone who pisses me off.

    You can't go to jail for assault with a sandwich.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Unwanted should be guaranteed a safe place to sleep, to shower and at least two warm meals a day.
    We are failing that responsibility.

    ReplyDelete
  6. "guaranteed a safe place to sleep, to shower and at least two warm meals a day."? That's more than I got in a year in Iraq.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Most of the sign holders aren't looking for a job. Nor are they looking for a hot meal, a bottle of water, or a used coat. They know where the shelters are and they also know that they have to follow rules if they want to stay there. They want cash, plain and simple.

    ReplyDelete
  8. ^^^^^^
    Unfortunately I have to agree. I have witnessed it myself.
    I worked for a commercial bakery/caterer in NKC for a couple years, about 4 years ago.
    I made lunch deliveries nearly every day downtown, plaza , midtown etc.
    If I had a boxed lunch or two left over, most of the time I would eat them myself for lunch.
    A very common stop light for me was right on Independence Ave/near Forest, northbound.
    Daily standers/beggars at that light. Constant.
    Anyway, one day a particular person caught my eye. Somehow he seemed different than the usual junkies.
    I pulled up to the light and rolled down the van window. Of course his face lit up and he rushed over before the light could change.
    I handed him two very nice expensive boxed lunches. I figured he could use them more than me. And I had lunch waiting for me in the fridge at the shop.
    I must also mention that his sign stated that he was hungry.
    He seemed a little taken aback by jesture, but he took them. I took that as a good thing.
    I told hom to have a nicr day as the light turned green. As I turned the corner I glanced back over at him just in time see him take those two nice meals and throw them over his shoulder into the weeds/trash. Wow!!! Lesson learned.
    He only wanted cash. For drugs/booze/smokes/cell phone bill.
    I teuly believe that 99.9% of these panhandlers are lazy junkie flakes.
    As someone already said, they already know where the real help and shelters are. We all do.
    Hell, City Union Mission is like literally two blocks away from those great sandwiches he tossed out as trash.
    Never again. Compassion will always lose out to laziness and drugged out human vermin.
    Next!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. ^^^^^^
    Unfortunately I have to agree. I have witnessed it myself.
    I worked for a commercial bakery/caterer in NKC for a couple years, about 4 years ago.
    I made lunch deliveries nearly every day downtown, plaza , midtown etc.
    If I had a boxed lunch or two left over, most of the time I would eat them myself for lunch.
    A very common stop light for me was right on Independence Ave/near Forest, northbound.
    Daily standers/beggars at that light. Constant.
    Anyway, one day a particular person caught my eye. Somehow he seemed different than the usual junkies.
    I pulled up to the light and rolled down the van window. Of course his face lit up and he rushed over before the light could change.
    I handed him two very nice expensive boxed lunches. I figured he could use them more than me. And I had lunch waiting for me in the fridge at the shop.
    I must also mention that his sign stated that he was hungry.
    He seemed a little taken aback by jesture, but he took them. I took that as a good thing.
    I told hom to have a nicr day as the light turned green. As I turned the corner I glanced back over at him just in time see him take those two nice meals and throw them over his shoulder into the weeds/trash. Wow!!! Lesson learned.
    He only wanted cash. For drugs/booze/smokes/cell phone bill.
    I teuly believe that 99.9% of these panhandlers are lazy junkie flakes.
    As someone already said, they already know where the real help and shelters are. We all do.
    Hell, City Union Mission is like literally two blocks away from those great sandwiches he tossed out as trash.
    Never again. Compassion will always lose out to laziness and drugged out human vermin.
    Next!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. ^^^^^^
    Unfortunately I have to agree. I have witnessed it myself.
    I worked for a commercial bakery/caterer in NKC for a couple years, about 4 years ago.
    I made lunch deliveries nearly every day downtown, plaza , midtown etc.
    If I had a boxed lunch or two left over, most of the time I would eat them myself for lunch.
    A very common stop light for me was right on Independence Ave/near Forest, northbound.
    Daily standers/beggars at that light. Constant.
    Anyway, one day a particular person caught my eye. Somehow he seemed different than the usual junkies.
    I pulled up to the light and rolled down the van window. Of course his face lit up and he rushed over before the light could change.
    I handed him two very nice expensive boxed lunches. I figured he could use them more than me. And I had lunch waiting for me in the fridge at the shop.
    I must also mention that his sign stated that he was hungry.
    He seemed a little taken aback by my jesture, but he took them. I took that as a good thing.
    I told him to have a nice day as the light turned green. As I turned the corner I glanced back over at him just in time see him take those two nice meals and throw them over his shoulder into the weeds/trash. Wow!!! Lesson learned.
    He only wanted cash. For drugs/booze/smokes/cell phone bill.
    I truly believe that 99.9% of these panhandlers are lazy junkie flakes.
    As someone already said, they already know where the real help and shelters are. We all do.
    Hell, City Union Mission is like literally two blocks away from those great sandwiches he tossed out as trash.
    Never again. Compassion will always lose out to laziness and drugged out human vermin.
    Next!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Also, to Anony 1:26pm.......
    Thank you for your service from a fellow Vet.
    It is not for naught.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Folow up from John S......
    I also am a Vet.
    And, DAMNED PROUD TO HAVE SERVED MY COUNTRY.
    I would do it again.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

TKC COMMENT POLICY:

Be percipient, be nice. Don't be a spammer. BE WELL!!!

- The Management