Subway (sandwich chain restaurant) used to have cards that you put a stamp on every time you buy a sandwich, then when full it was good for a free sandwich. I used to like to give these cards to panhandlers when they were filled up, but they changed it so you have to buy a drink. Does anyone know of any other common restaurants that have a buy-X-get-one-genuinely-free card? I knew of other people who did the same thing with Subway cards, and I wonder if they changed their policy precisely because too many people were doing that and they didn't like having bums in their stores.

If somebody is asking specifically for bus money or food money, I'll offer a bus token or to share food I'm carrying - but I don't believe that giving money is really helping, as too many homeless people are too addicted or too mentally ill to use the money to their benefit.

I've got to disagree with what Rapaire said, though, about eye contact. I think it's the least we can do to be courteous - to look somebody in the eye as an equal, and give a verbal response to a verbal question. It seems cruel to me to ignore somebody who's already on the fringe of society - all these little insults contribute to their feelings of alienation. Also, when I'm busking and am tired or having an unlucky day, it lifts my spirits to have somebody acknowledge me with a smile or wave or hello. I expect that panhandlers feel the same way.

You know those gift cards you can get at grocery stores, that are charged with a certain amount of money by the cashier? In Portland I saw a panhandler trying to sell a $50 card for $25. I actually hoped that the card was stolen or depleted and he was trying to scam somebody who didn't understand how the cards worked. Because the alternative was too depressing: that some very generous person wanted to give him $50 worth of food but he'd rather have $25 worth of drugs.

Marion