homeless woman fauntleroy starbucks

[Millertime]

A homeless woman named Danielle has been pan handling for several months now outside of the Starbucks at Fauntleroy Way and California Ave.

I understand charity, but this woman has worn out her welcome. When people buy her hot chocolate, she slips inside afterward and tries to trade her treat for a fancy coffee instead. When people give her free drink coupons, she tries to trade them for cash, the last time, with a young teen girl who was with her mom. This woman has been offered jobs, job contacts, and direction to help her get off the streets. I believe Danielle has followed through with nothing. Did I mention that she does not live on the streets? She told me that she lives in a building provided by the city for people with drug and alcohol problems. When I stop in for my daily coffee, she is there everytime. I watch Starbucks toting customers hand this woman money time and time again. From what I have seen, she makes more money than the hard working baristas inside behind the counter. I put my spare change in the tip jar, not Danielle’s pockets. I have personnaly given this woman a list of phone numbers to call that could all lead to a good, decent blue collar job, but I’d bet you a year’s worth of lattes she hasn’t followed up. As long as we keep putting money in her hands, Danielle will keep asking for more, she will continue to get more aggressive in her requests, and she will get more comfortable in her surroundings. Is this what we want in West Seattle? I’m all for charity, but in this case, how about we all stop?

Share This

[JustSarah]

I have a friend who works at that store. Danielle lives at the Cal-Mor Circle building (northeast of Starbucks). From what I know, she has severe psychological problems (possibly schizophrenia, judging by the paranoid notes replete with underlined and all-caps words she leaves for the Starbucks baristas).

I doubt she can get a “good, decent blue collar job” with her mental disturbances. Harassing people is not OK, and if she does that the employees ask her to leave, but don’t delude yourself into thinking that if people just stop giving her money she will magically be able to function in the working world.

Share This

[TDe]

I’ve given her $ and found her to be very pleasant… and I leave $ in the tip jar, too. I’d like to know more about this person.. see if there’s anyway we can help or whether or not she wants help. Maybe she considers standing out in the cold as a job, who knows? Pretty miserable job, actually.

Share This

[argiles]

Millertime- I agree with your post completely. I might add she was mighty lucky to get a list of numbers for jobs from you, as seeing how they are hard to come by (I have been unemployed for 4 months now and searching for a job as a single mom is rather daunting). I admit I would occasionally purchase a real change from a very pleasant guy downtown when I was working, but I don’t promote the panhandling like that around businesses.

SarahScoot- If she is schizophrenic and cannot work due to that, would disability be a choice for her?

Share This

[elikapeka]

If she’s living at the Cal-Mor building, she’s already on some type of assistance. I believe that building is a part of some government program, but whether it’s SHA or somebody else I don’t know. Having known people with both schizophrenia and severe bipolar disorder, their behavior doesn’t necessarily follow any rational thought pattern. She is most likely on disability or SSI or something already, and this is just her way of filling her time. Ignore her or contribute to her as you like, and report her behavior if it becomes abusive. She probably can’t function in the working world, but she doesn’t get a pass on inappropriate behavior either.

Share This

[JustSarah]

Elikapeka, thank you! I was just about to reply with about the same response. Yes, I’m sure she already receives disability payments, which likely just barely cover her living expenses. So maybe she doesn’t need those handouts in the strictest sense of the word. But that money buys her some luxuries (coffee drinks), and people are apparently willing to indulge her. From what I know, Starbucks is her “social life.”

So yes, let it go unless she’s harassing people. Don’t make it the community’s mission to shun this woman because you think she needs a job.

Share This

[CarolM]

I was wondering what her story was. When I have seen her she was with another older woman with a walker who was sitting in the outside area or once sleeping inside. I don’t hardly ever give money to panhandlers but there is something about her that gets to me. Of maybe it is the fact then I feel guilty when I leave there with my latte and see them standing in the cold and rain. Yes, TDe, it is a pretty miserable job.

Share This

[charlabob]

Thanks to everyone who responded — especially to the folks who actually spoke to Danielle’s real story. Many people would have the same reaction as the OP — often there’s a compelling story behind the behavior of people we see casually and judge and it’s great that this community cares enough to explain (and WSB provides the forum).

Share This

[LeftWing]

She needs EBT. Ha!

Share This

[Jiggers]

Hey Millertime.. I hope you don’t become homeless or unlucky yourself. Payback can be a you know what!

Share This

[maude]

I used to work at a shelter for homeless women. The stigma of mental illness can prevent people from applying for disability. The mental illness itself can prevent someone from applying for disability. Remember the saying, “If you think you’re crazy, you aren’t”? Many of the women at the shelter were adamant that they were absolutely, 100%, not mentally ill. Then they’d turn around a minute later and accuse someone of snipping the threads on their backpack.

Share This

[dobro]

“I understand charity, but this woman has worn out her welcome.”

Obviously you don’t understand charity or the principles of giving freely without expectation of returns and of judging not, lest ye be judged. You know nothing about her (more now that knowledgable WSBers have chipped in), her medical conditions, her living conditions or anything besides the conclusions you jump to while ordering your double tall skinny no foam.

Next time you see her, try thinking this to yourself-There but for the grace of God go I- then forgive yourself for your judgemental attitude and go ahead and have an extra shot.

Share This

[Blend]

she could be a dog walker. Those people are pretty kooky. hehe.

Share This

[singularname]

PBS had a fascinating program last night: A couple with a severely autistic son, as a desperate measure, took him to Mongolia for a month to a shaman. They weren’t “believers” per se, but they were also drawn to doing this because the father is a “horseman,” so he was also intrigued by the Mongolian horse culture. (I’ve worked in hippotherapy as a volunteer and seen some very amazing things go on between “humans with severe challenges of all varieties” and horses.) Spoiler now:

The results were phenomenal (although certainly didn’t “cure the autism” or anything)–and believeable when you view the context of how all this happened.

Anyhow, a Western psychiatrist interviewed during the program had some very profound things to say about all this. I paraphrase very loosely here:

Shamans from all cultures are very often persons with eccentricities that we in the West might call autism, bipolarism, depression, or just plain bizarre. In the West, we shun these people; we are the only culture who “institutionalize” these people, remove them from our view and interactions. Many less industrialized cultures believe such people are simply here with their “eccentricities” for a reason like anyone else, which is what elevates many to a shaman or other status: All humans should be allowed to find their place, their contributions, to their communities, to society. They’re appreciated and respected as any other person.

I strongly agree with this.

(Drugs and alcohol were mentioned earlier in the thread–I have only a vague opinion on how that might apply to what I learned during this program, other than to venture that it could be very likely we treat our “eccentrics” with such disdain that many are driven to substance abuse.)

Share This

[JustSarah]

Disclaimer: I am not a psychologist, but it is my undergraduate minor and I have taken many courses in the discipline.

Further info regarding the drugs/alcohol tie to abnormal psychology: a large number of people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and assorted mood disorders do end up with alcoholism as a side effect. Basically, the patient feels the alcohol evens out or numbs the moods, or quiets the schizophrenic voices.

Share This

[acemotel]

fascinating discussion….. often when I go to Starbucks Alki in the evenings I see a homeless guy sitting there quietly, not bothering anyone, drinking a coffee. He has his backpack and sleeping bag rolled up by his chair. I wonder, where does he sleep?

It’s a shame in this so-called “prosperous” country to have homeless people anywhere, IMO. And I know the mentally ill are hard to treat, but no one should have to sleep outside.

Regarding the OP, if this woman bothers you, you are not obligated to give her anything! Just go to another store if it’s too stressful for you. I agree with dobro…. but for the grace of god….thankful to have a warm house to go back to, a soft bed; grateful to have most of my faculties (I think?)

Share This

[elikapeka]

Ace Motel, I’m wondering about the guy you see on Alki. There is a guy I’ve seen walking that area for the last three years or so, but usually up at the Duwamish end. I’ve never seen him go as far as the Starbucks. But he eats out of the trash cans as he walks, and is really filthy – has a full beard, dark hair. I have seen people try and approach him, but he just looks right through them. I’ve never had any interaction with him (and don’t want to, actually – I’m not equipped or trained in dealing with that type of situation) other than I saw him coming once and put half of my sandwich in the trash can so he’d find something to eat. I assume he lives in the wooded area somewhere, but I don’t know. He seems healthy enough and doesn’t seem agitated or angry, so he doesn’t appear to be dangerous or in danger, but it really bugs me to see someone eating out of a trash can. I just wonder if anyone knows anything about him.

Share This

[HunterG]

No one should eat out of a trash can. If you wish to eat garbage that is a different story.

Although I can sympathize to Danielle’s situation, it does become bothersome seeing her everyday with her sign asking for this or that. She is always respectful, which makes it less of an issue, but it she has been camped out at this intersection for a couple months now.

Do individuals living at Cal-Mor (I call it the Soup Can building) have social workers assigned to them?

Share This

[dobro]

People amaze me sometimes. Who “wishes” to eat garbage? Decades of anti-poor people propaganda that says people are homeless because they want to be, eat garbage because they “wish” to has certainly had its effect…and that its “bothersome” to see them…sheesh!

How about having facilities to care for mentally ill people, food and health care available to help…oh…wait…I guess that’s socialism.

Can’t have that.

Share This

[Jiggers]

To post #14, me thinks you’re on an acid trip. Acemotel..Why don’t you give him a room for free to live in so he can have a chance to get his act together. Nah..that would be too much trouble. Everybody loves to complain about them. With government cutting programs, it is time for citizens to develope humane services programs since obvously government ones have shown that they don’t work. Why do you need to wait for government to create, only to fail?

Share This

[HunterG]

Dobro…I meant the prefab in a box heat in the microwave McDonald’s no nutrition garbage.

Share This

[dobro]

Ok HunterG, sorry I misunderstood your meaning.

Share This

[acemotel]

Jiggers – ha ha ha I already have a couple people living in my house “getting their acts together” thankyouverymuch. Anyway, it’s not up to individuals to take in the homeless, that’s why we have things like social service agencies, hospitals, whatever….

elikapedia – I haven’t seen that guy, but I’m not often down that area of Alki. The Sbux guy is clean-shaven so obviously he has a place to take care of himself….I guess….. and enough money to buy a coffee….

It’s a difficult question, because some of these folks are mentally ill, don’t want to live inside even if they could. I used to have a fantasy of winning the lottery and buying a big warehouse, making rooms where all the homeless ppl could live and have their own place… very naiive!! I know.

Share This

[Traci]

My in-laws have fed the homeless for years at Operation Nightwatch, a wonderful organization. I’ve helped a few times and learned that every case is truly different. I’ve met people with mental illness, others with drug/alcohol dependency, some are transients and hop from city to city, some are unemployed and have hit rock bottom, etc.

Recently my in-laws “took in” two homeless guys that lived in a field by their house. They gave them a place to shower and eat, and have set them up in a long-term apartment. It’s been interesting to me for a lot of reasons. These guys are true alcoholics, and they are honest about what choices they made to get them to where they are today. Lots of mistakes. But they are incredibly appreciative and want to make their lives better. Will they in the long term? That’s impossible to know.

The whole thing has been a real learning experience for me. I consider myself a compassionate person, but it is uncomfortable to take down that barrier and get to know them personally. They have some acquaintances that scared us and letting the two men into their home made my in-laws a little vulnerable.

Ah, I don’t know where this is going. I guess my opinion about Danielle is this: give if you want to give. If not, don’t. Also don’t assume to know her situation or whether or not she is deserving of the handouts, because it will probably just frustrate you more when you see her.

Share This

[hammerhead]

REALLY HATE to highjack this but argiles are you looking for a job? Get a hold of me. IF you are not to picky….feraltrapping@gmail.com

Back to post

Share This

[Author]

Posts