Anybody know Ss benefits? I gave $ to someone begging, did I

[Stand_watie]

get took?

Normally, I don't - and it was just a handful of change - but it was a woman and I'm not as good at being hardhearted (common sensed) about women as men.

She made the deaf/mute sign at me at the gas station, and gave me a note.

I'm sure it's a common enough scam (whether she was scamming me or not).

Does anybody know

a)Is deaf/mute a qualification for social security benefit?

b)How large a check does that qualify for?

It's a small town, and since I probably now have "sucker" written on my forehead, I'll probably see her again.

P.S. I have no problems with charity, and my values demand it of me - when I talk about begrudging charity in this sense I mean the begrudgement of giving it to the wrong people, rather than not giving it at all (my own preference is through my church).

[garyk/nm]

Charity is charity. If you thought she needed something (which you obviously did), then ya done good. Second thoughts not required.

[grislyatoms]

It's odd how I choose to give folks money. For the "Got any spare change?" crowd, most of the time, I say "Sorry, can't help."

One time, I was standing in line at a Subway in an affluent part of town waiting for a sandwich to be made. In walks a grubby kid, maybe 18. He made directly for the garbage cans and started rooting around. The manager told him to "get out of her trash."

He looked up, and said "I'm hungry." All the folks in the line stood there smirking or rolling their eyes.

I told him to get in line with me, and he could order whatever he wanted. I payed for his sandwich and gave him a $20.
Seeing him rooting around in the garbage in plain view of the public really struck a nerve.


There's also a guy I see sometimes right by an overpass on my way home. He makes the coolest magic marker and crayon drawings on scraps of cardboard. I have purchased a few of his drawings; he has never once asked for a handout.

He lives under the overpass.

Sounds maudlin, I know, but...

[Stand_watie]

..There's also a guy I see sometimes right by an overpass on my way home. He makes the coolest magic marker and crayon drawings on scraps of cardboard. I have purchased a few of his drawings; he has never once asked for a handout.

He lives under the overpass.

Sounds maudlin, I know, but...

He's an entrepeneur and an artist. If you buy his work because you like it, there's no distinction between he and I and the majority of people, in my thinking, except that he has an eccentric home, and (probably) less stress than I do.

One nice thing I have to say regarding  street-salespeople/homeless in a gun friendly state, they approach you much more non-threateningly/politely than in other places...Instead of "Gimme a dollah!" from a guy who won't let you get by him on the sidewalk, it's "Exuse me, do you think you could help a fellah out?" from a guy well off to the side. I'm comparing Detroit to Dallas here.

[Guest]

"a)Is deaf/mute a qualification for social security benefit?"

In 25 words or less... yes.

www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/2.00-SpecialSensesandSpeech-Adult.htm

As far as the monthly check, there's Social Security Disability Insurance for folks who have worked enough years to qualify and then there's Supplemental Security Income for folks who haven't.

SSDI is based on the number of years worked and how much you made. The check for someone who never worked in a profession might be $600 to $1000.

SSI was about $600 the last time I looked. (Remember, this is Supplemental Income to help out a household, not income to try and run an independent household.)

John

[Guest]

Ive known a couple of deaf/mutes and while there is *some* work available, it can be pretty hard to make ends meet. On the other hand I know a woman who was born deaf in another country and managed to move here and support herself. She had to learn how to read lips and speak in a second language despite being completely deaf. She is probably the exception though.

[jefnvk]

One nice thing I have to say regarding  street-salespeople/homeless in a gun friendly state, they approach you much more non-threateningly/politely than in other places...Instead of "Gimme a dollah!" from a guy who won't let you get by him on the sidewalk, it's "Exuse me, do you think you could help a fellah out?" from a guy well off to the side. I'm comparing Detroit to Dallas here.

Been to both, can't figure which is which.  I had polite beggers in both cities, I've had beggars in both cities that seemed more like someone collecting money for the mafia.  I would have my doubts that the beggars you came across in Dallas (I'm guessing they are the polite ones), are more polite because they are in a more gun friendly state, any more than the beggars in Detroit are more pushy because the are in a less gun friendly place.  My guess would be that the beggars in both towns would have next to no knowledge on most gun laws, outside teh generic 'Everyone in Texas carries a gun'.

[280plus]

Last time I gave a hand out it was to a teenage girl begging on the streets of Manhattan early one Sunday morning. She wasn't looking so good. I was amazed though, I had been wandering the streets haphazardly for three days by then and she was the first panhandler I'd seen. They really cleaned that place up. It was one of those melancholy early Sunday mornings in NYC when nobody is on the street yet, kind of a surreal way to experience the place, I suggest you try it. I gave her a couple bucks and said something like, "You know we all have to take care of ourselves in this world." She said, "Yes, sir." and off she went. My friend started giving me crap telling me she was probably a pro and clears $500 a day. My friend can be an idiot sometimes...

[Bogie]

I know a very profoundly deaf woman with significant speech impairment who gets a SS or SSI or something check every month. Not completely sure of all the circumstances, but she seems to burn through it pretty fast. She has two deaf (but not as impaired) sisters who hold professional-type jobs.

[Art Eatman]

Check Wikipedia for "Helen Keller".

A Tallahassee TV station interviewed a "will work for food" guy who worked the intersection of I-10 and US 319.  He said he worked the rush-hour traffic periods of roughly 7AM-9AM and 4PM-6PM.  He took in $40 to $60 an hour.

A young woman in Austin, Texas, worked the intersection of N I-35 and US 290.  Had her infant in her arms.  Made enough for a down payment on a house and a pickup truck, and was supporting her husband through Tech School.

Art

[Antibubba]

I'm a sucker for the ones who have dogs.  

The ones I call "Change Machines", because they have their mantra down to a science, them I don't help.  If they say they're hungry. I'll buy them a meal if I can.  "There but for the grace of God go I..."

The deaf woman may have had mental issues, too-very common on the streets.

[Third_Rail]

My aunt is deaf, and has been since a young child. She learned to read lips, and she's now a very well paid and quite competent nurse working the nightshift for major money.

According to more than one source, she could be getting checks for doing nothing other than sitting at home; she's just not that kind of person.


As for whether you were taken or not, I'd go with no. While there are a few bad apples out there (like Art said), many people who ask for change, food, etc., are truly homeless. I tend to buy them food rather than give money, though.

[Perd Hapley]

What is this deaf/mute sign you speak of?

[Jamisjockey]

My mom is Deaf.  Once, we were confronted by a man in a food court handing out those cards selling cheap *expletive deleted*it for a couple bucks (lousy keychains, IIRC).  I promptly began signing to him, and he didn't understand me.  He wasn't deaf.   This lead to an interesting exchange when I outed him in the crowded food court....I may have used some salty Corps language on him, and mall security escorted him from the premisis.....
A) my mom is deeply offended by these people that beg solely because thier deaf.  She doesn't have much, but worked up until the point she truely became disabled (back).  Her deaf husband works as well.
B) Its a common scam to feign handicap and beg for money.  
Its a judgement call, but I don't recommend giving money solely based on someone claiming handicap.

[Guest]

Sure there are some scammers working, but not all deaf folks in the USA can sign. For years (decades?) I worked with our regional counselor for the deaf and the placement counselor for the deaf. Even took the intro ASL class the placement counselor taught at the community college when I was dating a woman who lost her hearing in college - she was learning ASL after finishing grad school.

The counselor is now our state coordinator for services for the deaf and hard of hearing and the placement counselor is the director of the state agency for deaf and hard of hearing.

John

[Stand_watie]

What is this deaf/mute sign you speak of?

Hands behind ears, then hand to mouth, then shake head.

[gunsmith]

having been there, I am hardened and generous.
I was homeless at 15 with no idea about how to find a job
and how to budget. To embarrassed to ask for help and
no idea where or who to ask.  slept in doorways and subway trains
and vesitbles, roofs and in van courtland park in the
Bronx.  

Seen unbelievable cruelty.

After the military I drifted around mostly NY area "partying"
and pretty much clueless, most "homeless" were not even close to as destitute
as I had been and were scammers.

A  neighbor in SF would constantly stnd in front of his apt bldng
in a tourist neighborhood and panhandle the homeless line, I really
felt like knocking his teeth down his throat.

The "deaf scam " used to be popluar I don't see it quite as much.
I know of about 8 junkies in Reno who are "professional"
panhandlers, they clear about 100 a day!
(you meet all kinds in AA)

I will be generous to those I feel need it
and won't even waste my breath on the others, if they mess with me, they might get hurt.