A homeless man asking for spare change in Sydney received a different kind of help when gardener Nathan Stafford offered him work instead. Stafford was cleaning up a residential street when the man, who introduced himself as Robert, approached him and asked for money because he needed to eat.
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Robert was pushing his belongings in a trolley while standing in the pouring rain, news.com.au reported. He told Stafford that he lived on the street and that the trolley contained “everything” he owned. Rather than simply handing over money, Stafford asked if Robert would help him clear leaves from the street. “I’m happy to help you out, but would you like to give me a hand?” Stafford replied. “Sure,” Robert said.
Stafford then gave him a rake, and the two men worked together to clear the leaves. Once the job was finished, Stafford gave Robert $100. The exchange was recorded and later shared online, where it drew a strong response from viewers.
“You helped me out, so I want to help you,” Stafford said as he handed Robert the money. Robert was visibly happy with the payment. “Beautiful, I’m very happy with that. That’ll last me a long time; I’ll have a lot of meals. Thank you brother,” he said.
Stafford explains why he offered work
Stafford, who runs Nathan’s Lawns and Gardens, later explained his thinking behind the encounter. He acknowledged that some people might question his decision to ask Robert to work while he was already wet and living on the street.
“I had two choices here... some may say I got it wrong,” Stafford wrote while sharing the video online. He said his own experience of homelessness influenced how he responded. Stafford explained that he understood why Robert was asking people for money because he had also done the same when he was living on the street.
