FāVS News News and Commentary about Religion and Ethics in Eastern Washington and North Idaho
There’s no denying that Spokane has a homeless population. What do you do when you encounter someone asking for money?
Why are why not? Be sure to take our poll below.
Tracy Simmons is an award-winning journalist specializing in religion reporting and digital entrepreneurship. In her approximate 20 years on the religion beat, Simmons has tucked a notepad in her pocket and found some of her favorite stories aboard cargo ships in New Jersey, on a police chase in Albuquerque, in dusty Texas church bell towers, on the streets of New York and in tent cities in Haiti. Simmons has worked as a multimedia journalist for newspapers across New Mexico, Texas, Connecticut and Washington. She is the executive director of SpokaneFāVS.com, a digital journalism start-up covering religion news and commentary in Spokane, Washington. She also writes for The Spokesman-Review and national publications. She is a Scholarly Assistant Professor of Journalism at Washington State University.
I have worked with a LOT of drug addicts over the years. I’ve known many of them to be pan-handlers. If confronted I usually refer them to an agency to help them with their basic needs (UGM is a default choice), and even confront them on their addiction and refer to drug treatment if I see that this is clearly an issue.
I have loosened up on this policy with the current economic climate. Clearly a lot of people are just down on their luck because, you know…. Financial markets wrecked the economy. It’s a real judgment call.
I have on occasion but it is rare. It takes a clear, strong prodding of the Holy Spirit for me to give. I don’t encounter many, other than those standing on street corners, and I know many of those choose the lifestyle. I had a friend whose daughter found herself needing gas money once so asked someone in a mall parking lot for help…then thought, “what an interesting thought,” proceeding to collect over $100 in a couple of hours. I prefer to give through volunteering through UGM and through my church.