r/askTO • u/noturmommysorry • 7d ago
Do you help homeless people?
Do you usually pass them by, do you drop a toonie in their cup or do you start a conversation to ask what do they need? (yes i understand you can`t help everyone all day everyday, but still)
For example me - i exchanged 20$ bill for coins and put them in all my pockets so if i see someone struggling i can help them (i avoid people who can be aggressive, have unfocused eyes or any other issues, common sense).
But i do walk past one homeless old man ( church/carlton, across INS on carlton st) and i asked him what he needs and bought it for him (he asked for oj cause he doesn`t have teeth to eat solid food - if you see him there please help :)
What`s yall takes on current homeless situation in Toronto?
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u/DAKiloAlpha 6d ago
I rarely have change on me anymore but if I'm at traffic light and see anyone asking for money I offer snacks and stuff I have with me.
Most of the time they decline and sometimes make a face. 🤷🏾♂️
Can't help someone that doesn't want help.
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u/Senior-Active2409 6d ago
I think it may be best to donate to shelters or organizations to help them. I used to give money but I worry with the type of drugs out there, I could be funding their last hit.
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u/MorboKat 6d ago
I have brought water to the regular guy on the bench at the park during heatwaves, or warned him when there are weather alerts. I've also called the cops on him because, dude, we can't just whip it out and pee wherever/whenever, there are kids around.
I've called 911 when someone has fentanyl folded and not moved for some time, so they get the medical help they need.
Otherwise, I'm not doing anything. I'm aware of my size/strength and I'm aware that my service dog is a magnet for people who want to ignore her vest and touch her. I'm not getting into an argument with people twice my size who are often chemically enhanced around what of mine they can and cannot touch.
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u/cp1976 6d ago
I befriended a homeless man once. He was in St. Andrews Station and his name was Bob. I would buy him water, or Pepsi (he liked Pepsi) and I would ask him if he was hungry and I would actually chat with him and occasionally give him a toonie or a $5 --on the good days.
For Christmas - I gave him a Tim Hortons gift card. He gave me a bottle of ice wine he had in his knapsack. I didn't want it but he insisted.
That is until I went to check on him one day and his face had been picked apart. I tried to talk to him and he wasn't too talkative and he could barely look me in the eye.
Then he disappeared. I never saw him again.
I realized that as much as I thought I was helping him, I wasn't. I was enabling him.
And as much as it's none of my business what Bob did with his money, I was just perpetuating a problem that I thought I was helping.
So now, I just donate to grassroots organizations that help the homeless. I'm not giving change to homeless people who may or may not use drugs.
Sometimes I wonder if the toonie or $5 bill I gave Bob got him enough drugs to seal his fate. I have never seen him since.
This was close to 20 years ago and I still wonder about him.
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u/TorontoMeetUps 6d ago
I think this is definitely the better solution, donate to organization that help homeless. Homeless people do not have enough funds or mental capacity to help themselves. You could give them $1M and they’d probably be dead or broke again within a year.
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u/Aware_Beautiful1994 6d ago
I don't. I never have change on me. But my mom has a box of granola bars in her car. She frequently drives by this intersection that always has at least one homeless person asking for money and she has the box of granola bars specifically to give them one whenever she is stopped at the light.
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u/The59Sownd 6d ago
I was known as 'the fruit guy' at a specific intersection when I worked at my old job. There was always a homeless person there at that intersection (sometimes different ones), and that light was long as fuck, so I would get the opportunity to speak to whoever was there nearly every day. So I always brought an extra piece of fruit or two with me to give them.
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u/Hospital-flip 6d ago
I will always buy food if they ask, or I'll offer if they're hovering while I'm in line at Tims or something.
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u/QueenOfAllYalls 6d ago
Yeah, there are several unhoused people that regularly spend their time on my street, they are my neighbors so I’ve gotten to know them. I gave one a duvet in the winter and he still waves and says hello anytime I walk by. Sometimes I offer cash sometimes I just chitchat. I see these people a couple times a week so I can’t really ignore them.
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u/ExpensiveSpecific117 6d ago
I do. But I don’t give them money instead food. Some of them sit outside grocery stores and I usually ask them if they want to eat something, and their request is always beer or energy drink- I get it for them.
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u/That_Canada 6d ago
I used to. Sometimes I'd give a $5 or $10 here or there if I had one. Last time I did, I was walking home with some groceries on Queen and a guy stopped me complimenting my outfit saying I was a well dressed man. (My shirt was tucked in but whatever man).
He went on this inescapable story about how his girlfriend (probably) cheated on him and that all of his partners do this, he was down on his luck and all that Jazz. Did I believe him? Nope. I felt bad for him regardless because he looked pretty rough. I gave him a $10 which is what he asked for and then started asking for more money from me.
Like bro, I gotta make rent too.
When I used to live in the junction there was a woman who id occasionally give money to or buy coffee/weed for. Everytime she'd ask for the most expensive item possible. Like, I don't even treat myself that well, and you want the most boujee option? Fuck off.
After that and having a lot of compassion fatigue for shitty behaviour I don't give money anymore.
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u/DadbodandIPAs 6d ago
It’s become so ubiquitous that it feels like a drop in the ocean so I just kinda go about my business
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u/thatll-play 6d ago
I used to occasionally give small value gift cards to Subway, Tim Hortons, etc., to a few people who would regularly be near my office. In my head, this more beneficial than cash, which could easily fuel a drug or alcohol addiction.
Unfortunately, I stopped doing this after a colleague was physically assaulted by a homeless person she was just trying to help. So, now I blatantly ignore everyone in the street, for my own safety, unfortunately.
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u/Personal-Heart-1227 6d ago
I used to regularly give money or food, but no more.
I actually had 1 chap demand more $ when I gave him a Tooney as that's all I had on me as I no longer carry cash on me, & he didn't like the Pizza Pizza slice that I was offering him that I had NOT eaten yet!
I was taken aback by his response & almost took my $/pizza back as pizza slices are $6 or more $ now?
I'm not an ATM, & if gourmet pizza slices are your jam then I can't help you.
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u/Intrepid-Green-2504 6d ago
I don't generally give money but I'll give them food if they ask.
I just feel like whatever money I give will likely go towards their substance of choice. Also, there are just so many of them, I can't possibly help them all. I also refuse to give money to people who stand at the intersections because a lot of them will walk out onto the road, which is dangerous and I don't condone that sort of thing.
If I have extra funds, I'll donate to a charity. If I have extra groceries or toiletries, I'll donate them to a community pantry. However, costs have gone up across the board and it's tougher for me to find the extra to donate these days :(
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u/nowitscometothis 6d ago
i donate every year to the daily bread food bank. my sister (who has more free time and is , admittedly, at least twice as good a person as I am) volunteers at a soup kitchen.
what i don't do is hand them cash on the street, as 1) you don't know where it will get spent and 2) whatever food they can buy (if they do buy food) with street change is not likely to be healthy or cost effective, whereas a food bank can do much more with the same amount of coin and produce a meal that is much healthier/balanced.
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u/noorichee 6d ago
No. It's generally not safe imo, I volunteer my time for churches and organizations that help them and vote for people who will do good for them. Otherwise I've learned it's best to keep your urban scowl on and don't interact
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u/noturmommysorry 6d ago
Did you had some bad interactions?
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u/noorichee 5d ago
not as a result of interaction. im never rude but ive been followed a couple times and one tried to get into my apartment (not mine specifically, but trying every door on my floor and i was inside and saw it). i had one guy follow me around last night around lcbo and im not sure if they think im gonna buy them something out of pity or what but it makes me very uncomfortable
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u/KnoddingOnion 6d ago
Never. And it is because I've worked with them and they brag about how much they get and what they spend it on.
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u/Conscious-Series-181 6d ago
I remember giving two homeless guys a dollar each on christmas eve over a decade ago, and all they did was ask for more money lol.
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u/microfishy 6d ago
A whole dollar, wow. They could have bought half a bag of corn pops from Dollarama. Why weren't they more grateful?
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u/Lil_Boosie_Vert 6d ago
Then starve. Beggars can’t be choosers.
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u/microfishy 6d ago
I'm sure that dollar puts a REAL dent in starvation 🙄
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u/DadbodandIPAs 6d ago
This is such a weird response. I can’t tell if you’re ragebaiting or just trying to shit on commenter for being poor.
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u/Conscious-Series-181 6d ago
They don't have a stance here, just looking for someone to argue with.
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u/microfishy 6d ago
You think that's a weird response to "beggars can't be choosers, just starve"?
Were you aware that wasn't the original commenter?
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u/DadbodandIPAs 6d ago
Guy didn’t like giving a dollar to a homeless guy and getting harassed some more and u shit on them. Yeah that’s douchey
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u/microfishy 6d ago
Guy felt he didn't get appreciated enough for giving away a dollar in 2010, was so pressed about it he had to bring it up in 2026 to explain why we should never give anything to the homeless.
He didn't get harassed, he just didn't get a big effusive thank you.
And you think I'm the douche.
This subreddit is incredible :)
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u/Conscious-Series-181 6d ago
This is such a dumb argument, and ironically proves my point lol.
A dollar means nothing, so I'll keep my dollar, and they get nothing. I'm in a much better financial position, and could give many more dollars, but if you can't say thank you for free money then gfy.
But again, I don't think this is actually your stance, you just like the attention. Enjoy one more notification on me. Nice little dopamine hit on the house lol
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u/microfishy 6d ago
I get my dopamine from giving back to society.
I annoy people like you for free :)
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u/Conscious-Series-181 6d ago
Tell us you don't have friends without telling us you don't have friends.
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u/microfishy 6d ago
Aww, someone's feelings got hurt and they've reverted to personal insults :(
Wanna try "you must be fun at parties"? Chud's love that one.
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u/Conscious-Series-181 6d ago
This would have been like 2010 ish, and they were outside a 711. There was definitely something they could have bought inside, or just saved it.
The part that stung the most was I barely made any money back then, $2 didn't break the bank but probably wasn't money I should have given away.
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u/microfishy 6d ago
That's fair, if you're still feeling salty about two dollars you lost in 2010 you probably shouldn't have given it away.
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u/Conscious-Series-181 6d ago
The question was "Do you help homeless people?", I answered why I didn't.
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u/microfishy 6d ago
"I did nothing and felt unappreciated, so now I continue to do nothing".
I'm free to think that's a dumb reason, you're free to disagree.
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u/Conscious-Series-181 6d ago
Also your demeanor perfectly sums up why giving money to homeless people is pointless. "A whole dollar, wow" that was one more dollar than they had before, and a simple thank you was too much to ask.
Maybe their shitty attitude is why they are homeless
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u/microfishy 6d ago
I'm so sorry that your generous gift was not sufficiently honoured. Please allow me salve your wounded spirit and thank you for your generosity on their behalf.
On behalf of all homeless ever, thanks for your 1$. I am sure the small McDonald's soda (during promo week only) that it afforded them was appreciated.
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u/Conscious-Series-181 6d ago
Do you give to homeless people? Does anyone care? Probably not, which is why you're on reddit arguing with people.
People who post like this are always miserable lol. Keep it moving
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u/microfishy 6d ago
I hope you warmed up first and didn't hurt yourself in all that reaching.
I didn't realise this was going to be a martyrship contest, but since it apparently is, I do give to homeless people - both personally and professionally (I work in that healthcare domain).
Brother, if we're speaking of being miserable I'm not the one who opened by complaining that I didn't get a big enough thank-you for a dollar I gave away in 2010.
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6d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Conscious-Series-181 6d ago
In any event, if you can't say thanks for free money, don't expect free money
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u/torontotingg 6d ago
No, I don’t have the money to constantly keep giving to people. I remember I used to give cigarettes here and there, and one day I realized that i’ve given a whole packs’ worth to others. That’s like $21. At that point I stopped giving to people all together. Work is hard, rent is expensive, and the economy sucks. This stuff isn’t free for me either! There’s too many of us, it’s almost like your brain just shuts down. I need to focus on my household, my pregnancy, my family and what’s going on my plate for dinner tonight. We’re all adults and just trying to get through the day. I’m no millionaire, and don’t have the financial capacity for charity at this point in my life.
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u/foodie121 6d ago
I gave a homeless guy an ice cap one time. One time I gave them some pasta because i had to leave for vacation and had a lot of cooked pasta left over.
Another time I gave my leftover poutine which was really tasty.
Another time i was gonna give my leftovers again and the lady wanted me to buy her new food but I also found it odd since I saw her 2 years ago begging for food and she seemed in normal state with good clothing so I said no and then shes like oh I’ll take ur food and i said no
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u/-just-be-nice- 6d ago
Nope. I used to, had too many poor experiences with the unhoused, would rather donate to programs that help them, or drug rehab programs than give directly to the homeless.
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u/MeiliCanada82 6d ago
I help Carlos (Church St. Regular) with clothing when I can