Please do not feed the homeless

will infest for foodYesterday I received a note from my landlord under my door. Here’s what it said:

August 21, 2003
Blabity Blah Realty
Atlanta, GA 30306

It has come to our attention by the Atlanta Police Department that there has been a recent increase in car break-ins in the zone 6 area. Blabity Blah Realty encourages all residents not to leave valuables either in your trunks or inside your apartment. Car break-ins can happen at any time during the day or night, so please take every caution at all times.

It has also come to our attention that residents are feeding the homeless. Be aware that the more times you offer the homeless food or clothing, it’s more likely they will try making our properties their homes. If you feel the need to help the homeless, please take all of your donations [to] your local homeless shelters. (United Way, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc.)

Thank you for your time and understanding about these situations. We enjoy having all of you as residents and will take any actions to help make your stay more enjoyable

Blabity Blah Realty

This message is for real. If you don’t believe me, check the original. I’m going to test my realtor’s logic this weekend and feed the hell out of one of these homless people. And if I’m lucky, he might come back to Boston with me!!

24 thoughts on “Please do not feed the homeless

  1. It’s interesting that you got that note, I’m a student at GT and we’re seeing increased breakins on campus to the student cars. We rarely see homeless on campus unless it’s super early.

    I must admit this is the first visit I’ve made to your blog, but your email is at mit, so are you in Atlanta?

  2. Wow, I thought my landlord yelling at me for encouraging homeless people by throwing away a six pack of rotten eggs was bad.

    ” to help make your stay more enjoyable”

    That is creepy. Like you are in a hotel and only expected to stick around for a weekend or two.

  3. The homeless should be fed in shelters, not in public parks like animals. The bums on the benches in Woodruff Park act like they own the park.

  4. I think that the homeless need our help I have taken the time to get to know them.
    They Just want a little help. I have spent 4 hours a week feeding them and I asked one of them why
    they do the things that they do and it was told to me that no one loves them. So you all think about it God Bless.

    Pastor John Deane.

  5. On Saturday, November 21, 2003 I had to opportunity to feed the homeless. It is so sad but true, that the homeless do feel that no one loves them. It is our duties as Christians to to go out into the highways and byways and feed the masses. I felt joy in my heart this weekend just to see the smiles on their faces and to hear them say, “I thank God for you!”

  6. Feed the homeless? Of course we should feed the homeless. They are human beings, just like YOU and me, with a heart and a soul and maybe, or maybe not, a family who they love and who loves them.
    They each certainly have a story, all their own. Obviously something happened in their lives to lead them to this place, it is certainly not by choice.

    Most likely they are just down on their luck with no one to lend them a helping hand. Don’t ever think that the tides couldn’t turn, and it couldn’t happen to you, or someone you love, for it could.
    Live by this golden rule. ~Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. ~

    If you, or your children were hungry,and had no other alternative, would you not ask for food from the kindness of a stranger, and hope someone understood and helped you out? Never look away….

    ”Be kind to strangers, you never know when you are entertaining angels.””

  7. I think that instead of the homeless always waiting for something to come their way they should make an effort to do something with them selves. It is not our responsibility as tax paying citizens to feed those who made life that way for them selves. I know people dont ask to be homeless, but if they see that they are living a life full of stuggle woulndt they feel like they should do somthing for them selves, instead of continueing to burrden others? I would sure like to help my self. I know this may sound selfish but I dont mean it that way.


  9. we are feeding 500 men twice a month @ peachtree & pine st . looking for resources,help and prayers.and info would help. thanks 770-489-6339

  10. may the lord bless all the less fortunate and the weak and the hungry and the lost . how can most people just not pay any attention to the homeless,,, could it be that they are a re-minder of how it could be for any of us at any given moment. scarry, but true nothing is promised to last forever here on this earth and thoses that are in tring times, are blessed for when the time of trouble comes, to this world from the lord, there will be many soldiers out there already surving and know just where to go and how to handle the rough times,, so be mindful of how you treat the homeless for they may be who your turn to when the lord comes, and turns this world of his upside down , be humble and conciderate for he may be sharing his next meal wilth you some day or maybe not

    peace be to all and may the lord bless your heart and your footsteps

  11. “the homeless” …jeez and I would have thought in the era of rampant political correctness that this stereotype surely would have been …whatever…guess its not as attractive politically as others…

    when you say homeless what do you mean?…I guess everybody has their “own”…

    a worthless lazy #$$%#$ eeking by “get a job!”
    a poor schmuck laid off twice, 3 times
    a freakin con artist who “drives a rolls royce”
    (yeah and where is the yeti?)
    a shellshocked veteran with lots of dead buddies
    for constant company
    or maybe its you when all the stuff you take for granted is strppied away…

    I would hope even an complety amoral perosn would understand the logic in not “jynxing” themselves and tehir realtive good fortune by looking down their noses at ANYBODY

  12. I feed the homeless every Sunday and I also visit their camps, since many live in the woods and provide them with food, toiletries, clothes etc. I love them and even though I am just a housewife and mother of 5 I have made a diference in many of these men and women lives as they have made in mine. I take time to listen to them and I also find ways to asisst them in their journey. I have bee very sucessful in getting many off the streets into rehab and long term housing and work programs. I have no background in any field that that equiped me to do this work except that I love God and I see them as my brother. It is a mandate to feed the hungry and be merciful to the poor. I know that if I became homeless I would have many friends helping me pitch a tent. I must add many of these men are veterans who have helped in the cause of freedom. If we are not part of the solution we are then part of the problem. Feed a homeless person but better yet help restore his dignity by taking the time to look in his eyes and maybe you may see it reflect some humanity back.

  13. I feed the homeless every weekend. If no one ever fed them they would die. How can people be so selfish?
    Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

    Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

  15. Everybody must go through an eye opening experience in order to see things through other peoples point of view. My eye opening experience and I beleive life changing event happened this past week while on vacation at the beach. My Fiancee and I were watching a live band at an outside stage beside our apartment and noticed a few homeless dancing and singing and just enjoying themselves. We were amazed by the fun they were having, but one man stood out from the rest. He was a man in a wheel chair, dressed in camo, and flying a huge American Flag from his wheelchair. The man was missing one of his legs and gliding around on his wheelchair by pushing backwards with one leg. I really never payed much attention to homeless, but this man just cuaght my eye. He looked as if he were a war veteran, but I dont know this for sure. It just made me wonder how he got to this point. We then saw a young lady walk over to him and give him a single slice of pizza on a paper plate. The reaction that this man gave over one slice of pizza changed my attitude in a moments time. I could not beleive how grateful this man was for one single small slice of pizza. It brought a tear to my eye to know that with all that God gives me and I throw out, this man cherished one slice of pizza. It tour my heart out knowing that the week prior, I through out a half of a pizza because it sat out in the hotel too long. It certainly opened my eyes and changed my life to see this one small event. I hope that my story helps to open others eyes to the magnitude of one act of random kindness. It can change a life forever.

  16. I have gone out several times with friends to feed the homeless, and though yes some don’t seem to want help, they all appreciate food. It is amazing how sharing a meal with someone you wouldn’t have given a second glance at, can be so humbling. They are real people, and have real thoughts and genuine feelings. A lot of them are hurting, a lot of them feel like they have no hope.
    Everyone has suffered times in their life where they just didn’t know what to do. A difficult class where you are so far behind you think why try? I’ll never pass anyway….now multiply that times a million. These people have almost nothing, and day to day their human interaction is far below civil. People don’t offer them smiles or kind words, we look away and pretend their not there. How would you feel if everyone acted like you were invisible?
    So, okay, a lot of them have mental problems or drug problems far beyond our ability to help, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t benefit from kind words or a warm meal. I don’t think kindness breeds contempt, the homeless are just as capable of kindness as anyone else.
    I have had very nice conversations, I have had them preach to me, I have had them ramble words I couldn’t understand, and I have had several confess to me all the wrongs they have committed and the guilt they feel.
    Do i think that thay are all going to turn their lives around? No. Do I think that one meal can save someone? No. Do I think that they are all harmless? No! I know you need to be careful, and I know that some my steal or break into our cars, I also know that there are some that have chosen to be homeless. But I also know, that if I were in that situation that I wouldn’t want to be given up on. If that were my daughter, or son, my brother or sister, my childhood best friend…I would want someone to help them however they could, on the chance that one day they might have the strength and the ability to turn their life around. It is rare but it does happen…how much more would it happen if there were more people helping, then the ignorant ones like your landlord.

    I say ignore him.

  17. Strange, but according to Matthew 25:35-36says, For I was hungryt and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me water; I was a stranger and you invited me into your home; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison, and you visited me.
    Today it seems like it’s wrong to help someone and if you do you get in trouble with the law. Yet, what is our government doing to help the situation?
    You get a job teaching and just because you are Spanish the principal terminates you. You report child abuse in the Bd. of Ed and some Christian Schools and you are terminated for doing what the law says to do. You’re big, short, blue, white, black or you just look strange to someone and they run to make a law.
    People see a policeman killed and the keep their mouths close due to fear that they will be the next victem instead of the witness. Thousands of children that are being abused daily so unreported because teachers are afraid to loss their jobs. Show us who are the people making these laws and I’ll tell a story and maybe the reason why.
    What is happening to this Nation? We get involved in wars that we will never win. Yet, our men and women die for what? We spend money making believe that we are resolving the problems of other nations; yet, what are we doing about our people? The church in the love of Christ are out there trying to make a difference and you say NO! You put words into the people’s mouth and say we can not allow that. Then tell us what can we do? This Nation needs to turn back to God. The Bible says, If my people shall humble themselves and pray, than I will heal their land. What are we waiting for?

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