Asheville has a huge number of homeless. Reading the paper it sounds like the town is getting sick of it too. I don't blame them. They fill the parks, do drugs openly in these parks as children play a few feet away. I was very sheltered as a child. Asheville is the first place I saw heroin and was offered to try it. Thank you but no thanks! They litter the sidewalks and ask for money from everyone walking by. I just ignore them, unless they have a dog, but it is amazing how many tourists fall for it and hand out money. FYI: Asheville has great resources for the homeless, the addicted, hungry, mental health help. I looked into it one trip because I was concerned with how many homeless live here.
Asheville also has a huge number of people who play music, sing, dance, juggle, you name it. Give to these folks. They don't hassle. They simply are using their gifts to make some extra change.
I met a young man on one of my trips that played the violin by a popular coffee shop. I was eavesdropping when someone was asking him why he was doing this. Didn't he have a family? He did have a family and he was loved. He simply needed money for a school trip and he wanted to take some of the burden off his parents and plus he could practice what he loved (playing the violin).
I'm not against helping the homeless, or travelers as a taught my kids to call them. After all, it is what we are called to do. But regardless if you are traveling or see homeless in your hometown, locate the resource centers, soup kitchens, etc. and give to them. If a certain individual pulls at your heart strings, buy them a sandwich, water, non alcohol wipes, medicine, things they can pack such as granola bars.
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