01.19.14
Susan Miller is sick of all the panhandlers downtown."It's embarrassing when you ask someone for money and they tell you someone else just asked them," Miller said.
A panhandler herself, Miller said she lives on the "little bit" of Social Security she gets.
"There's too many here now," Miller said. She's been bumming money from people for a few years now, she said, but blames the increase in stores and foot traffic for drawing more panhandlers to the city.
"I ask for money for something to eat and to get by," said Miller, the mother of three. "But I'm going to stop soon and do something else with my life."
Miller and Sweety Ream often panhandle together in the center of downtown.
Ream is pregnant and due in March. Her three children are currently split between her mom and the children's father.
"I go to McDonald's, or I buy a honey bun," said Ream of the money she gets from begging.
"The most I ever got was like 20 dollars," she said.
A U.S. Department of Justice study reports panhandlers can make anywhere from a few dollars a day up to several hundred a day, tax free. The report said some panhandlers pretend to be disabled or veterans or use pets or children to get sympathy.
Both Miller and Ream said they do not use the money they get to buy drugs or alcohol, but some of it might be spent on cigarettes.
He'll fly away
Ben, staking out a spot on Prince Street, agreed to take a break from panhandling to get a soda at a nearby cafe — even though he had a plane to catch.
Ben (not his real name) said he needed just a few more dollars and he would have enough money to buy his plane ticket.
"I don't like asking for money," Ben said. "It makes me feel like dirt. But I don't know where to go."
He said his father passed away in Florida and he needed to travel there for the funeral. Even his siblings, who Ben said were wealthy, would not help him. "One of them owns a golf cart," he noted.
Ben said he was born in Lancaster County and attended Lancaster Catholic High School, but has been plagued with medical issues most of his life.
"I've had a couple of strokes," Ben said. "I have high blood press, I've had skin cancer, I have bipolar II. I have depression and anger problems." He added that he has been hospitalized several times.
Ben said he lives in a small one-bedroom efficiency and gets by on a Social Security check. He said he used to work at Turkey Hill Dairies until he lost his driver's license.
After the interview was completed and a photograph taken, Ben called five times to ask that his real name not be used. He also asked that the photo not be used.
"A lot of people know me," he said.
The arrangements for his trip to Florida were a bit fuzzy.
He said he was depending on a buddy of his named "Mike," who was supposed to pick him up the next morning and drive him to the Philadelphia airport for his flight.
But Mike lives in Philadelphia and would have to drive to Lancaster and then back to the airport to get Ben. Hence, Ben needed some gas money for his friend.
It wasn't clear if Ben needed the money for the gas or for the plane ticket.
"I just need the last $8.50 for the ticket," insisted Ben. "I have the rest."
When he called the next day, it was past the time his flight would have left the terminal.
"I missed my flight. I have to get another one," he said.
So it's back to the streets for Ben.
Homeless or not?
Another panhandler, Donny Ingle, is not homeless, according to his mother, Jackie. However, that's the story he told people while he was asking for money in December on the first block of North Queen Street.
At that time, Ingle said he doesn't get along with his family and they "threw him out."
But Jackie said her son has had frequent problems with the law and couldn't meet for an interview because he had been arrested on a charge of breaking into a car to steal a purse.
Court records confirm Ingle was charged twice with disorderly conduct and once with criminal mischief and theft from a vehicle in December.
Jackie said her son often goes to Water Street Rescue Mission for meals but usually comes home to sleep.
Sandwich man
Ray is another familiar face downtown. He often asks for money for a sandwich, although he won't always turn down an actual sandwich either.
This week he set up a post at King and Market streets, where someone actually brought him a bag from Subway, which he tucked behind his legs.
He said the sandwich wasn't his.
"I'm holding it for someone."
source
Panhandler decries the increasing competition
Susan Miller is sick of all the panhandlers downtown."It's embarrassing when you ask someone for money and they tell you someone else just asked them," Miller said.
A panhandler herself, Miller said she lives on the "little bit" of Social Security she gets.
"There's too many here now," Miller said. She's been bumming money from people for a few years now, she said, but blames the increase in stores and foot traffic for drawing more panhandlers to the city.
"I ask for money for something to eat and to get by," said Miller, the mother of three. "But I'm going to stop soon and do something else with my life."
Miller and Sweety Ream often panhandle together in the center of downtown.
Ream is pregnant and due in March. Her three children are currently split between her mom and the children's father.
"I go to McDonald's, or I buy a honey bun," said Ream of the money she gets from begging.
"The most I ever got was like 20 dollars," she said.
A U.S. Department of Justice study reports panhandlers can make anywhere from a few dollars a day up to several hundred a day, tax free. The report said some panhandlers pretend to be disabled or veterans or use pets or children to get sympathy.
Both Miller and Ream said they do not use the money they get to buy drugs or alcohol, but some of it might be spent on cigarettes.
He'll fly away
Ben, staking out a spot on Prince Street, agreed to take a break from panhandling to get a soda at a nearby cafe — even though he had a plane to catch.
Ben (not his real name) said he needed just a few more dollars and he would have enough money to buy his plane ticket.
"I don't like asking for money," Ben said. "It makes me feel like dirt. But I don't know where to go."
He said his father passed away in Florida and he needed to travel there for the funeral. Even his siblings, who Ben said were wealthy, would not help him. "One of them owns a golf cart," he noted.
Ben said he was born in Lancaster County and attended Lancaster Catholic High School, but has been plagued with medical issues most of his life.
"I've had a couple of strokes," Ben said. "I have high blood press, I've had skin cancer, I have bipolar II. I have depression and anger problems." He added that he has been hospitalized several times.
Ben said he lives in a small one-bedroom efficiency and gets by on a Social Security check. He said he used to work at Turkey Hill Dairies until he lost his driver's license.
After the interview was completed and a photograph taken, Ben called five times to ask that his real name not be used. He also asked that the photo not be used.
"A lot of people know me," he said.
The arrangements for his trip to Florida were a bit fuzzy.
He said he was depending on a buddy of his named "Mike," who was supposed to pick him up the next morning and drive him to the Philadelphia airport for his flight.
But Mike lives in Philadelphia and would have to drive to Lancaster and then back to the airport to get Ben. Hence, Ben needed some gas money for his friend.
It wasn't clear if Ben needed the money for the gas or for the plane ticket.
"I just need the last $8.50 for the ticket," insisted Ben. "I have the rest."
When he called the next day, it was past the time his flight would have left the terminal.
"I missed my flight. I have to get another one," he said.
So it's back to the streets for Ben.
Homeless or not?
Another panhandler, Donny Ingle, is not homeless, according to his mother, Jackie. However, that's the story he told people while he was asking for money in December on the first block of North Queen Street.
At that time, Ingle said he doesn't get along with his family and they "threw him out."
But Jackie said her son has had frequent problems with the law and couldn't meet for an interview because he had been arrested on a charge of breaking into a car to steal a purse.
Court records confirm Ingle was charged twice with disorderly conduct and once with criminal mischief and theft from a vehicle in December.
Jackie said her son often goes to Water Street Rescue Mission for meals but usually comes home to sleep.
Sandwich man
Ray is another familiar face downtown. He often asks for money for a sandwich, although he won't always turn down an actual sandwich either.
This week he set up a post at King and Market streets, where someone actually brought him a bag from Subway, which he tucked behind his legs.
He said the sandwich wasn't his.
"I'm holding it for someone."
source
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