How Best to Help the Homeless

Caring people pay attention to what's going on in the world around them. And they make decisions based on serious consideration of the consequences of their actions. ...well, most of the time, anyway.

Money is hard earned, and in wanting to make the most of it, we try to not be frivolous. Yet, we live in a world where most everyone is out to get as much of our money as they can. The professionals set up temptations, using all the skills at their disposal - the science of marketing, using our weaknesses against us. Car sales people scheme, grocery store managers set up impulse buying displays at checkout registers, and panhandlers look extra pitiful right before they ask that question, "hey buddy, can I ask you a question?"

While everyone competes for our hard earned money, we must decide how best to spend it. But when confronted by a panhandler, we often forget about being frugal, as our hearts become conflicted with a complex dilemma. A fellow human being is in need. Even if his hard luck story isn't true, just to look at him we know he suffers from some ailment. He says he's hungry. Well, that could be true. Even addicts need to eat every once in a while. But we know he'll probably use what money we give him for something less than beneficial for him - bottle of mouthwash to drink, another crack rock to smoke. Deep down, we feel that regardless of our good intentions, the panhandler will not use the money we give him wisely. Although we do want to help him, we wonder what to do.

At first glance, the problems homeless people face may seem beyond our scope of understanding. certainly we cannot meet any of his, or her, more important needs in just 5 minutes of caring. We can put together care packages full of personal care items, such as is mentioned at thehomelessguy.blogspot.com. - travel size tooth brushes, deodorant, comb, clean pair of socks, etc., are things that many homeless people need on a daily basis yet often do without. And providing those things is a blessing to the homeless. But the homeless really need something more than just the chance to make it through the day.