Begging In Front Of Supermarket Stores

[couponmummy]

Once I got a phone call asking for donations to send some kid to summer camp. You know, $20 goes a long way, blah blah blah.

I can't even afford to send my kids to camp, I'm gonna send someone else's kid to camp?

[tjthemanto]

Even the stores are constantly asking for donations these days at the cash for various causes. They kind of make you feel guilty when you don't donate.

They take money from customers & donate to charity as if it is the company donating!

They create free publicity & goodwill for themselves but also get tax breaks from the government for these charitable donations (I think)

Something like this Wal Mart store just donated $ 25,000 to Hospital for Sick Children or Unicef or Red Cross or whatever. Nowhere they mention they took money from cutomers at cash tills with - "Would you like to donate to XYZ cause?" They will have their own images splashed in local newspapers for this promotion, where the donation is from customers - not the store or employees.

[Frugalbigmama]

Yesterday, we went shopping at IGA. There were a whole bunch of kids at the entrance in their soccer uniforms. Looks like the whole team was there. They all had signs and a bucket asking for money for hot dogs. We had to practically push our way in because they all crowd you and everyone who went in to shop. They did not have ticket stubs for "hot dogs" and when you went in, there were no set up to redeem your ticket for hot dogs, nor were there any hot dog stands, bbq outside. No adult supervision. What a scam.

If you can't afford to send your kids for sports activity, don't send your kids to beg for money to fund your kids uniforms and cleats.

I see this all the time in the winter during hockey season.

The kids are all at the end of the cash asking to bag your items. If you can't afford new skates, padding, helmets, and hockey time every year, don't ask the public to pay for your privileged expensive extra-curricular which can run in the thousands if you have 2 or more kids.

One year in an affluent part of town, a whole bunch of high school students were at supermarkets and SDMs in that area. They were all asking for donations to fund their high school graduation trip overseas. Like really, not to improve your school but for yourselves? Your parents can't afford your trip? The TV and radio stations got wind of it and the school got really bad press for this selfish stunt. I think at the end, the school donated all profits to a worthy organization.

I can afford and do pay for my son's hockey. Most hockey clubs have mandatory fundraising and collecting at the local shops is one of ours. My kid is damn cute and made a killing....but he was never rude or in your way.

[SavvyLady]

I saw a girl asking for help, money, outside our Freshco, LCBO, she was with her German Shepard dog. I had just bought a couple bags of dog food, I asked her if she would like a bag, she said, “no thank you, my dog only eats a special kind from the vet”. Maybe I should have asked her for some money, hahaha!!

[bhlombardy]

I saw a girl asking for help, money, outside our Freshco, LCBO, she was with her German Shepard dog. I had just bought a couple bags of dog food, I asked her if she would like a bag, she said, “no thank you, my dog only eats a special kind from the vet”. Maybe I should have asked her for some money, hahaha!!

That said, I wonder if she herself only eats a special kind of food... like from The Keg

[dyalect]

Update. Haven't seen this in awhile so I guess enough customers complained and those people begging got the boot. Food banks, welfare, etc. There are other options. Begging is easiest.

[couponmummy]

Here's a new low.

A lady in front of the exit door at Maxi holding up a picture of a family stopping shoppers so you could hardly move your cart around before you get run over from behind from other shoppers leaving.

[dyalect]

Had a fine fellow approach me last night at gas station. Apparently he was in the car with his family and had no money. He was lucky he was in a nice part of town. This is getting out of hand. One of these guys is going to get hurt approaching the wrong person. I hopped in car quickly and drove off. Get a job!

[olivercat]

About ten plus years ago, CTV news did a week long report of young people 'begging' at stop lights--approaching cars for 'food' money. At one corner in downtown Ottawa, they asked about six of the 'beggars' to be interviewed (anonymously). Of the 6, none were homeless, only 3 were on living below the poverty line. The remaining 3 were highschool students from nice homes, using this as a way to make money without the 'hassle' of a job. Their parents did not know. They dressed down for their 'job', wearing ripped and dirty clothing, etc. Their average weekly take home, for 3 days a week at about 3 hours per day was over $600---and that was ten years ago.
I live below the poverty line. I shop carefully, use coupons, and save when I can. I donate to the food bank, because I hope that my donations will go to those in need in my area.

[Ciel]

Last week, I sent $30 of my HST credit to a local organization (I had saved one of the five envelopes in a community flyer mailing) that handles meals for the homeless including the Thanksgiving community dinner. A change from purchasing a prepared food bag at the grocery store.

The Hamilton-area Out of the Cold program starts in November but October can be chilly before Halloween. I only know of a couple weekly places that offer free food to people in need in Hamilton-one is on the Mountain giving prepared food and another is a downtown community meal prepared by a church group). The movie I attended on Monday tends to donate proceeds from viewings to local organizations-an earlier October screening from the Ancaster Film Fest contributed $1000 towards the Out of the Cold program, as I learned from the pre-movie comments.

Dundas recently had a food drive and collected $6000 in funds too-the food bank will be able to get better value with wholesale food purchases (I assume the leaders know what their local recipients want for food options when bulk buying is used to stock the shelves). https://www.hamiltonnews.com/news-st...ash-donations/