Panhandlers 'R Us

During the winter months there seem to be a lot of panhandlers and homeless people along the freeway exits looking scruffy and holding signs asking for money or food. I'm always reluctant to give these people money because not only does it just keep them out there because they know they can get money off me, but it most likely goes to feed an addiction.

When Ciera was living with us, and even still now when we see her on weekends, she always wanted to give them money. She had a period back in the day when her dad was in jail and she and her mom and brothers were homeless and living in a shelter. Ciera's mom is mentally ill, and though I'm sure there are programs out there for her, she didn't know about them. She and the kids lived in a homeless shelter downtown until her dad was released from prison. That lasted about 6 months.

Anyways, her yucky story of homelessness combined with my cousin Molly's suggestion of giving out single-serve packets of food made me come up with a lovely idea. I bought some single-serve organic honey peanut butter packets in bulk online, some organic granola bars, and a bunch of bottled water to make the perfect snack to pass out at freeway exits. If these people really are hungry, they'll take it and be grateful. If they're looking for drug money, they're probably not spending any money on food and are hungry, so they will also take it and be grateful.

Just to not be a total cheapskate, I'm throwing a dollar into the mix. One dollar won't buy a whole heck of a lot of drugs, but it will buy you a Wendy's Jr. bacon cheeseburger!

I bundled up my bottled water, peanut butter, granola bar, and dollar into a nice little packet for convenient distribution, and will be keeping a small box in my back seat for just such an occasion. I feel a lot better about myself for not ignoring these people, and I think Ciera will LOVE handing them out this weekend!