Helping or exploiting the homeless?

[SirJethro]

This is a new strategy to me...check out this pic. Some local pizza parlor is paying homeless folk to hold signs instead of asking for money. So I would ask you, is this helping the homeless, by giving them a source of income, or is it exploiting there situation?


Peter Schoeff, right, is joined by Pamara True on a downtown sidewalk holding a sign advertising a local pizza shop in Portland, Ore., Tuesday, June 10, 2003. In what advertising industry watchers said is a first, a Portland pizza company, Pizza Schmizza, has hired homeless people off downtown sidewalks to take part in a guerrilla marketing campaign. They are paid in pizza, soda and a few dollars. 'I think it's a fair trade,' said Schoeff, 20. (AP Photo)

 

[Yoda Power]

sounds fair, atleast they do something to earn the money

 

[Cimbri]

I suppose they do it voluntarily. So I don’t see it as exploitation.

If they spend most of their time on the streets, they might as well be paid for doing just that

Cimbri

 

[Mojotronica]

The idea is under fire f/ minimum-wage advocates, who say that owner Andre Jehan is taking advantage of the homeless.

Here's a commentary by Seattle's KOMO news (ABC affiliate) Ken Schram:
http://www.komotv.com/kenschram/story.asp?ID=25426

 

[CruddyLeper]

I see one problem with this scheme - what's to stop them holding the sign during the day and begging at night?

It's not exactly empowering them to get off the street, as many initiatives do.

Overall, I give it the thumbs down.

 

[napoleon526]

This reminds me of the episode of Seinfeld where Kramer started a rickshaw business and hired homeless guys to pull the rickshaw around town.

 

[Cimbri]

Whoa
I just remembered I have seen that many times here in Copenhagen. Homeless guys with signs for shops and stuff.

Wicked...

 

[alamo]

How dare that buisness owner try to do both something good for business and good for vagrants.

I suppose he could put them under contract as an unregulated part-timer.

All those lefties wringing their hands at worker exploitation. What about all those parasitic unions that destroy jobs?

Why can't they form a business that puts homeless people to work?

 

[Hundegesicht]

Hmmmm... well, on one hand, it IS giving them food and money and such, but on the other, they're still sitting out on the street, being bums, doing practically nothing. What happens when they are no longer needed?

Whenever meeting a homeless person, instead of giving him the money or food to keep him going for a day (or in this case, a sign to lug around), I'd rather hand him a pen a job application (and take him to my house so he can get a shower and a shave... as well as letting him borrow a good pair of clothes for whatever interveiw he'd have to go through) so he can actually make something of himself and support himself for life rather than depend on other people for his income.

Same principle as taught in that old proverb: give a man a fish, and feed him for a day... teach a man to fish, and feed him for a lifetime.

 

[SirJethro]

Hey...at least these guys now have something they can put on their resume.....

 

[Kidicious]

The interesting thing is that the owner is able to pay them enough to do it. I see the homeless where I live get paid a lot of money for holding up signs. I don't give them anything though. I also wonder if this strategy is paying off for the owner.

 

[Perfection]

Fine with me, they'll whine less, and that's a good enough reason for me

 

[andrewgprv]

Im going to exploit Pizza Schmizza!

your telling me I can sit on my ass talking to my friends while holding a sign for thrity minutes and get a free meal and cash out of the deal? Hey I'll pretend to be homeless for that deal! hehe

 

[Mojotronica]

Part of it, I have to think, is a tax issue. The city/state/whatever is saying that the issue is minimum wage, but the REAL issue is that Jehan is cutting them out of the deal...

1/2 hour at minimum wage is around $3.25, (USD) TOPS... (probably less.) Seems like the meal and cash he's paying would approximate that in trade value.

 

[joycem10]

Resume entry for potential homelss exploitees:

JOB:

July 2003 Assistant Marketing Intern - Pizza Schmizza Portland, WA

Duties:

Participated in aggresive marketing campaign requiring personal interaction with members of the community. Concentrated on "getting the word out on the streets" regarding corporate name and logo. Employment developed outside sales/marketing experience and techniques.

Salary:

1 slice/half hour

 

[Pongui]

How crass. Saved by Pizza Schmizza.

How about big red cardboard boxes by the roadside, with
McHomeless ShelterTM
printed on the side?

 

[meldor]

I saw that picture this morning....




But back on topic, it beats them begging and probably gets around the laws on posted adverts.

 

[china444]

ehhee thats good.

thanks for the laugh

 

[Inter4]

I think it's a good idea

 

[gael]

Is it just me, or is anybody wondering why two people who are that young and fit are homeless.
If its in Britain, with the welfare program thats there, i don't understand it.

They don't look like helpless drug addicts, alchos, or completly demented.