When we had a café in MO, there were a few people who would bring someone homeless to us and pay for a meal for them because we were the only food service place that would let that person sit at a table, out of the cold or heat, to have their meal. Then, we'd let them use our restroom to wash up (but gosh, they usually made such a mess!). We had few takers, but we also would offer $20 and a meal to anyone who'd sweep our short back alley and pick up the trash around the dumpster. I also tried to connect them with the local Methodist homeless shelter.

Still, there were some folks we couldn't help. They wanted only a cash handout and became quite abrasive if they were offered that deal.

Most people are just folks down on their luck. Incidences like the following are so very rare: One morning when I was alone in the café, there was also one man whom we often gave water to, who became aggressively forward with me so that I had to even refuse him free water, and to tell him not to come there again. That was so upsetting for me – it left me shaken and in tears. If a customer hadn't come in, I'm not sure I could have gotten him to leave. I never imagined I would be in a situation where I had to refuse someone another cup of water in August. A couple of the men he was often seen hanging about with made some rude comments to me after that as well. In six years though, that was the only time such a thing happened. But it did make us a little wary. My husband told me not to speak with the men at all when I was there alone (I opened at 6:00am and was the only person working until 11:00 am when my husband and our one employee arrived).