Posted on 08/07/2019 7:06:42 AM PDT by Red Badger
ABILENE, Texas (KTXS) — An Abilene man -- who appears to be homeless and handicap -- is making a good living by panhandling on weekends, according to the police chief.
Chief Stan Standridge said the man panhandles every Saturday and Sunday at the intersection of Hwy 83/84 and FM 707.
He sits in a wheelchair and the police department has gotten calls from people concerned about the man thinking he's homeless.
ADVERTISING
Standridge said the department's homeless outreach team has been in contact with the man.
They learned he is not homeless. Standridge said the man lives in a home in south Abilene.
He is also not wheelchair-bound, according to Standridge.
Someone drops him off every weekend to seek charity. Standridge said the man earns about $1,000 a weekend.
KTXS found him at the intersection on Wednesday. Multiple people told KTXS he's there every day.
RJ told KTXS that he is homeless, handicap and is lucky to make $6 on a weekend.
But that conflicts with what Standridge said RJ told his officers.
"He has told our officers how much he’s making. We know where he resides. I have personally seen him dropped him off on weekends," Standridge said.
Ultimately, Standridge said his Facebook post is not about RJ.
If we each give $5 out the window, “what have we done to address homelessness? Nothing,” Standridge said.
Standridge believes the best way to address homelessness is to move away from charity toward philanthropy.
"Imagine if those dollars were given to non-profits to help get our homeless neighbors off the streets," said Standridge.
The police chief encourages people to give to non-profit groups like Hope Haven and Love And Care Ministries that help people who are down on their luck.
Give secretly, reward heavenly............
She was there with that sign for at least two years.
I remember a story about a black woman, dressed as tho homeless, etc, who panhandled just outside the city limits of Beverly Hills, Calf.
Someone got suspicious & followed her a couple of days when she quit for the day. They watched her walk 2 blocks or so to a quite NEW Mercedes, get in & drive off. IIRC, he got her license plate info off the car & she was tracked to a very nice neighborhood where she lived alone in her own house.
Apparently, Panhandling was HER JOB.
Bet she didn’t file a tax return, either.
I don’t trust a single one of them
I suspect there are a lot of them like that.
A person can make pretty good money here off the touristas..............
While the wheelchair is a new direction, this is commonplace where I live. I see tons of able bodied men and women asking for hand outs. Makes me angry when I go into Walmart and the greeter is wheelchair bound or slightly mentally handicap. If they can get a job why not these other folk.
There’s Help Wanted signs all over town!!!!!!!!!.........
Yes we have those that are on the islands in the left turn lanes. I was shocked when my wife told me she has stopped to give them food before. I guess she has a bigger heart than me.
Don’t know about your town, but the people on the meridians is really a safety hazard. One day one of them is going to get clipped.
They are not allowed on the medians here. They try, but the cops make them get back on the side of the roads. Still not safe...............
Clearly your police are allowed to be police. WTF is wrong with my city?
but the people on the ..meridians...
********
?
#7 I live in Athens, GA.
There is a bench in front of the building and someone sleeping there.
Tell the mayor to get back to work!! : )
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.