October 25, 2025
Opinion: Don’t Give Cash To Street Panhandlers
By John Hood
RALEIGH — It’s not the biggest threat to public safety, I admit, but panhandling along and often on North Carolina roadways is illegal, dangerous, counterproductive — and commonplace.
During my daily travels in the capital city, I routinely see panhandlers approach idling cars at traffic lights and stop signs to beg motorists for cash. Many have been working their “territories” for so long that I recognize them on sight, as do their regular “customers.” The panhandlers bring shoulder bags, water bottles, and other supplies to stow on curbs or medians and hold up signs proclaiming themselves to be homeless moms, disabled veterans, or folks just temporarily down on their luck.
They’re not just ubiquitous in Raleigh. I’ve also seen such panhandlers during recent trips to Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and Asheville. Perhaps you’ve seen them where you live, too.
In my day job, I run a charitable foundation that funds shelters, food pantries, free clinics, job training, and substance abuse treatment, among other worthy causes. I believe in the power of philanthropy to alleviate suffering and change lives. But it is unwise to give cash to someone you don’t really know, whose true needs you can’t possibly know, and whose claims may well be exaggerated or fabricated.
It took me a while to learn this lesson. When I moved to Washington in 1988 for my first magazine job, I was unprepared for the lines of beggars in the streets and subway entrances. After falling for their lines a few times, I stopped giving cash and offered to buy panhandlers sandwiches or cups of coffee. Many spurned me. Then I started offering addresses to shelters and other facilities. Most responded with disdain, contempt, or profanity. After one panhandler tried to rob me, I resolved to channel my charitable impulses more constructively.
When it comes to aggressive panhandling in and around streets, however, the potential harms are greater. It slows traffic and endangers both pedestrians and motorists. It promotes disorder.
And it’s against state law for a person to “stand or loiter in the main traveled portion, including the shoulders and median, of any State highway or street” or “stop any motor vehicle for the purpose of soliciting employment, business or contributions.” Municipalities are permitted to make an exception for solicitors who obtain written permission to raise funds on a particular day.
Last month, the city of Raleigh enacted its own ordinance to crack down on panhandling in its streets and medians. “I think we’re trying to protect rights, but then also protect the safety of the entire community,” Mayor Janet Cowell told WTVD-TV. “Both the individuals actually panhandling, but also pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, anyone that is out there in the traffic of a big, congested city.”
Just so. To the extent other municipalities have yet to clarify what is and isn’t permissible panhandling on public property, their leaders should do so.
Just to be clear: federal courts may well deem as unconstitutional a sweeping ban against panhandling on all public property. The First Amendment, as applied to states and localities via the 14th Amendment, prohibits lawmakers from distinguishing between, say, begging for money and handing out political brochures. Both are protected speech. But when done on public property, both can be subject to reasonable time, space, and manner restrictions. That renders more defensible limits on forms of solicitation that may imperil public safety or the free flow of traffic, such as North Carolina’s statute and Raleigh’s new ordinance.
Professionals or trained volunteers who minister to the poor are doing the Lord’s work. We should aid them and, if possible, join their ranks. What we should not do is hand cash to beggars in medians or streets.
Very few are temporarily down on their luck. Most are hustlers, addicts, or mentally ill. The former ought to be encouraged to find a safer and more productive line of work. And the latter need a more effective intervention than cash passed through the windows of passing cars.
John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His books Mountain Folk, Forest Folk, and Water Folk combine epic fantasy with American history (FolkloreCycle.com).
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13 Comments
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i am willing to bet this dude calls himself a christian. sure some are on drugs but with the cost of living and rent so high there are many people who truly do find themselves in the position that they have to ask for help. studies have shown there are literally MILLIONS of americans two or three missed paychecks away from being in that position as well.
People in need of social services, financial help have access to town, county, state, and other resources who willingly provide needed care and help. Ministries are also present and they provide programs, food, and other support. Panhandling is unsafe for the panhandler and the well intended giver.
And I am willing to bet that you call yourself educated, or of above-average intelligence, when your tenuous grasp of grammar shows that is not true. The opinion piece here was written by a man who states several times that he is a proponent of philanthropy, but you chose to ignore those portions of the article just to have something to gripe about. Do what you want with your ill-gotten cash and we will do the same with our legitimate funding. I too am a Christian, yet I will readily call out idiocy when I read it.
And as a Christian, I completely agree with the writer. There are many organizations – government, non-profit, and private- that will gladly supply help. To simply hand over money to someone begging on the street corner/highway exit median/etc., is simply enabling their poor habits. With regards to people living “hand to mouth” ( a few paychecks away from homelessness) – there will always be people living that way. And many people don’t like to live within their means. They want the latest cell phone, sneakers, TV apps, etc. Choices.
Every single homeless adult once had a place to call home. Consequences of their own choices put them where they are today. So, no, I do NOT provide cash to panhandlers. However, I do provide financial support to organizations who help the addicted and hungry. They are much better educated on how to help. Mentally ill people (not drug-induced) are more common-place now than ever. Handing over a few dollars isn’t what they need either.
IMHO this article is perfectly written. I too struggled with panhandlers, my heart went out to them and wanted to help as much as I could but I always had that inner voice telling me things like “they can stand here all day, they can work like I do”, “they’re just spending it on an addiction” or “much have a problem with authority and refuse to work for anybody” and so on. I have no doubt that there’s homeless people among them in small number but as you mentioned in the article there’s resources to help if people are willing to seek them out.
Reminds me of a time when I was with my dad going in a country store when a panhandler ask dad for some money to get something to eat. Dad said I don’t have change but will fix you up when I get put of the store. Dad bought a can of beans and franks, crackers, a drink and a spoon. When we went to hand it to the panhandler he got cussed out. Had the man been hungry for food he would have been appreciative. I learned a valuable lesson that day.
They are just trying to cut out the middle man.
If you give money directly to them. How are the NON-PROFIT CEO’s going to make $200,000/per year salaries?
FOODBANK CNC is public information.
Think before you donate.
My main concern is giving money to an addict and having them overdose. I will feed them, gas the car, drive them to detox or treatment, pray with and for them.. but no cash.
“Very few are temporarily down on their luck. Most are hustlers, addicts, or mentally ill”
I’d like to see your reference on this. Multiple studies by the ASU center for Problem-Oriented Policing and Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, for example, prove thats not true. Shame on you for wilfully lying to the public. #theTruthMaters
I appreciate the references.
I read a long excerpt from ASU Center for POP:
And I could only find this one 2017 article from the Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, which described an Austin, Texas study:
I didn’t actually read anything that would refute the writer’s opinion, however. It was interesting to read that not all homeless are panhandlers. Minority percentage of homeless actually beg for money, according to the research (ASU POP).
Thanks again for the references.
@JoCoProud: Nice to see a TRUE American who understands research. If you review the majority of studies in the past 15 years, you’ll see than less than 15% of panhandle are “hustlers” (as stated on the article). The vast majority are peiple who don’t qualify for government assistance.
My daddy always told me if you feel led to give a panhandler money, then do it. As long as you do what God led you to do, then it’s not your problem what that person does with the money.
Whatever the case they are there for a reason..ill help when I can to would want someone to help me if I was in need of it…
I agree with the author. Directing them to shelters where caring Christians display the lord’s teachings is the best course of action.