The well-worn path at the corner where many people have begged for help - or as they call it "fly their signs".

Some of the women who beg on the street are homeless and some are not. Some are drug addicts but most are not. All of them are living in poverty.  

Those who beg - or fly their signs - share the corners and take turns. Each person gets 30 minutes to fly their sign. Most of the time they help and support each other. Here Anna is helping her friend make a new sign.

Anna flying in the rain.

Anna has to beg enough money each month to buy her medicines. She helps pay the bills for her son and granddaughter to have a place to live. She appreciates food and other material aids, but the pharmacy, utility companies and the landlord do not take payment in food. We often hear that you should not give money to the street people, but sometimes only cash will do when you have bills to pay.

This is the hill above the corner. 

They try to keep the hill and corner clean and tidy, and get upset when other flyers come along and leave trash and make a mess.

Getting a handout. You have to be quick at the traffic lights.

In our city, we have a panhandler law that requires you to register and get a free identification card that you have to wear when you beg on the street, and there are rules you have to follow. The police will give you a ticket if you don't display your panhandler ID. You also get a ticket if they catch you flying in the medians or impeding traffic. We have been told that this rule applies to panhandlers, but not to fundraisers (the fundraisers do have to display a city id though). 

Pam has tried everything to get off the street.

A local TV station interviewed her, and as a result she went down to the Urban Ministry (www.greensborourbanministry.org) office and started job training. We hope she will be able to find a job because she comes from a good factory worker background and really wants to have a life off the streets.

Sometimes the agencies can be a great help. We are trying to understand why street people don't go there or to other assistance agencies. So far, the responses we get include that some don't know about it, some don't trust it, some have tried it and don't like the conditions, some don't think they would get any help, some have already exhausted their help, and some just can't stick with the process long enough to get the help. We are looking into how true these thngs might be.