Nomads in the city

While traveling around Manchester and even the outskirts along the city, you will most likely encounter a person that is sometimes hard to describe. Some people call them panhandlers, others describe them as homeless, but most are not sure how to classify them. It’s hard to avoid coming across one of these very unique people in your travels in the Queen City. Even though you might not know how to describe them or classify them, they are still people. I like to think of them as the “nomads of the city.”

I use the term, “nomad” because most of these people are constantly walking around searching for money, work, food, or anything in between. They could be stationary when it comes to living arrangements but it depends on each individual.  It is hard to determine if these individuals actually need the money they ask for or if they have other intentions besides basic survival. I believe that is why they are usually grouped as a panhandler, homeless, or even both at times. No one but them truly knows their reasons for asking for money. One might assume they are homeless and/or jobless, because why else would they be asking for money on the street?

Any given day while walking up or down Elm Street, I will come across a person who is either asking for money with a sign or directly approaching me. Whatever the case, it has always been a short and non-confrontational interaction with a simple head shake or “no.” Not once have I ever been sworn at, touched, or even constantly pursued by any of these “nomads”. Overall my experiences with them have been fine and many people I have talked to feel the same way.

I interviewed a young woman, Jessica, while drinking a coffee at A&E Coffee and Tea about her experiences visiting Manchester during the summer. She told me that during her trips to the Queen City she never had an interaction with a panhandler. “I have never been approached by one but a few of my colleagues have,” Jessica explained. She said that her visits to the city were for the New Hampshire Institute of Art and that a professor from NHIA had made her and other students aware of the panhandler issue. “We were told [by our professor] to be careful walking at night through Victory Park and to not walk alone.” Jessica is an art teacher in Minneapolis, MN, and the times she has visited Manchester have always been very positive. She explained, “I love the main drag of this area [downtown Manchester], it has a lot to offer.” Although Jessica had great things to say about the downtown area as a visitor, many residents and business owners have expressed concerns about the panhandlers roaming Elm Street.

Why does the presence of panhandlers and homeless people disturb the downtown business owners and patrons? Is it because they are constantly being asked for money? Or is it because they think it gives our city a bad reputation? When you ask these questions, the answer is usually all of the above. Whether you are visiting Manchester for the weekend or patronizing one of your favorite local establishments, no one wants to be bothered by a panhandler. Manchester Police Department has made an attempt to combat this issue by adding a foot patrol of downtown streets from Thursday to Sunday between 7 and 11 p.m. There have been fewer panhandlers noted between those hours on Elm Street, however it does not resolve this issue completely and there is still a large presence during daytime hours. You are still bound to come across a person asking for money or even sitting on the sidewalk with a sign any given day.

For me, these “nomads of the city,” are a constant reminder of underlying issues we face in the city. As residents of Manchester, we should all be working together to address this issue, as it is a reflection of us and this great city. Giving them money, avoiding eye contact, or crossing the street to avoid an encounter does not solve the problem. We need to go at this subject head on and have a community conversation about what we can all do to help.

Thanks for reading and until next week, live and be happy!

Ben Dion hosts The Weekly Dion live Thursdays at 6 p.m. on 95.3 FM WMNH, Manchester’s only downtown radio station. Follow him on Twitter @BenDionNH and @TheWeeklyDion. Contact Ben at theweeklydion@gmail.com