I’m often asked, “Should I give money or food to the beggars and panhandlers on the strip?”
That’s a tough call… Some of them honestly need the help.
Others are only pretending; they make a good living being beggars and panhandlers.
Las Vegas has hundreds of homeless. Many of them live in the flood channels beneath the city streets. Some of them have jobs and choose to be homeless. Others, beg, panhandle, find money on the ground and several other things to survive. The Guardian has an interesting article on this phenomenon.
There are a number of excellent charities in Las Vegas that do an amazing job helping those in need with not only short-term physical needs but with long-term solutions to the underlying causes of their homelessness and poverty. If you really want to help, give to one of the organizations listed at the end of this post.
PANHANDLING AND THE LAW
In the state of Nevada, it is illegal to solicit money within 20 feet of a door, ATM or bank, cross walk or bus stop. You also can’t ask for money at any indoor or outdoor dining area, public restroom, or on ramps to the freeway.
Given the statement above, most beggars and panhandlers on the strip are breaking the law. And donating to them in this situation is also against the law. Of course, this law is rarely enforced unless the person is being aggressive or is a danger to themselves or others.
IT IS HARD TO TELL…
The scammers and con artists are so good at deceiving you. Some of the folks begging in wheelchairs are actually in need. Others pick up their wheelchair, load it into their nice car and drive to their nice suburban home in a gated community at the end of the night. I’ve seen tons of truly needy, homeless people begging on Las Vegas Blvd. I’ve also seen lots of scammers begging and panhandling. There are fake disabled vets, fake homeless people and more. The worst ever was a young girl with a sign that said, “18 & homeless…the struggle is real.” She would park her 2015 BMW at one of the Casino garages every night and then roll out on the street with her suitcase. She would take off her $300 Jordans and put on a pair of dirty socks. Then, she’d use her water bottle to smear her mascara to make it look as if she were crying and simply hold her sign. People would give her cash and food…she threw away the food once the people walked away, saying she could buy her own food and wasn’t going to eat anyone’s scraps. Over a few weeks, I observed her average $700-$1,000 a night sitting on the sidewalk for 3-4 hours.
HOW CAN YOU KNOW?
HOW CAN YOU KNOW?That’s it…you can’t know if the beggars and panhandlers on the strip are truly needy or if they are scamming you–which is not only stealing from you, but from those who are truly in need. SO…
GIVE TO THESE AGENCIES INSTEAD
They are professionals and they know how to get your money to help those truly in need.
Caridad--best in my opinion…they actually go out and help people instead of sitting in a building.
Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth
AND OF COURSE IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT THE SINGLE MOMS WHO DANCE AT LAS VEGAS STRIP CLUBS
Click This Picture to Donate to Vegas Single Moms
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