Helping the Homeless?

no one said anything about it being right or wrong to give what you wish or to give nothing if you want to do that either. It's down to the individual.
And it's not about casting judgement on anyone.

http://www.faithit.com/homeless-people-are-all-just-druggies-and-drunks-mooching-off-the-system-right-wrong-so-wrong-these-beautiful-people-are-about-to-prove-it/#.U9ETTfL54cN.facebook

elizabeth wrote: no one said anything about it being right or wrong to give what you wish or to give nothing if you want to do that either. It's down to the individual.
And it's not about casting judgement on anyone.

Not sure if you were responding to me or not

The OP mentioned is it good or bad to give/not to give. I was responding to that particular statement.

And I do agree with what you said above, fwiw.

I was responding in general, more that it doesn't reflect on you as a person if you decide not to give money or anything to someone begging.
It's a personal choice and sometimes we have nothing to give..
Didn't mean it to come across wrong sorry
:dry:

I think as others have said, it's best to try and talk with them and determine what it is they need. They may be trying to get money to get food, a ride, or medicine, among other things. If they are trying to get some antiseptic to cure an infection, and you give them a sandwich, their situation really isn't going to be improved much.

Just the other day I gave a homeless girl around my age 10 dollars so that she could get a ride to wherever it was she was trying to go. Is it possible she was putting on a farce to get money from those willing to help? Of course....

But I went on with the knowledge that I helped out someone who was seeking assistance. How they choose to spend the money that I gave them is their decision.

This winter I will be donating blankets, coats, and hot meals to local shelters, and handing it out to the homeless population around here if/when I see them. If I have some money to spare, I will pass that out too.

As Jedi, we are called to serve others. Not having the means to do so is one matter, choosing not to do so is an entirely different one.

I'm trying not to read this wrong because I'm aware I do that sometimes..
Are you saying that choosing not to help a homeless person makes you less a Jedi than someone who helps?
Isn't that guilting people into helping which kinda makes the act of helping worthless and who are we to judge why people would choose to help or not?
I understand showing compassion but individuals have the right to decide for themselves wether to help or not without feeling that they are being judged.

I don't tell CEOs how to spend the money they make off of me, why should I tell a panhandler how to spend the money? I try to avoid giving money, but rather meeting their needs by buying them food... Sometimes even that is just a ploy, for example one guy asked me to buy him breakfast at Dunkin Donuts and I did. As soon as we parted ways he went to the liquor store (right across the street from the Dunkin Donuts).

All the same, as long as I am able, I will continue to help with what I have.

Sometimes doing what we perceive as being for the greater good can cause us to lose sight of the individual standing before us. Thanks to those who have posted on this, particularly Elizabeth with your experience of being homeless. I have reassessed my previous views and will try to take more time to look at the individual situation and help if I can, including giving money.

Where I live, California has homeless shelters and homes where they have volunteers who help feed the homeless. I on the other hand, helped upgrade one by changing it to a luxurious, fancy hotel lobby style. This place now has added chandeliers, no dirty smells, the floors and polished and cleaned daily, in house bathrooms with showers and even tables for you to sit in. This place is now hoping with homeless people. It is now visited by 10,000 homeless visitors daily. All thanks to me, the world is a little brighter, happier and nicer.

When I was little, probably around 8, my father and I came across a blind woman who was sitting on a blanket outside a supermarket with a small metal tin. I wanted to stop and give her the coins that I had seen him get from the cashier but he got angry with me and pulled me away. Telling me "She'll just spend it on rubbish".

Ive never forgotten that incident. Nor the feeling of disappointment in my father for what I felt then was an act of utter selfishness. We had more than we needed yet he wouldn't share a miserable few coins of it.

A few months ago in the capital here there was an attempt at banning begging. The rational was that people felt uncomfortable having beggars and the homeless around. Having worked in not for profit for so long and having done more study on the psychology of donating (or not donating) than I care to think about, I remain disappointed with peoples motivations for this. How terrible that we judge someones circumstances. Yes, the "they might buy booze or drugs with it" thing is very valid in some cases. I have seen this happen first hand, but I don't believe that is enough of a rationale to not help those who are in less fortunate circumstances than ourselves.

I spent a single night on the streets when I was younger, and as silly as a single night might sound, it was enough to convince me that many that are homeless don't feel like that have another choice, even if there are shelters or help they can access. People here are encouraged to donate to the organizations that try to care for the homeless, rather than give directly. Which I think is great if people want to help but are concerned about what someone might do with the money. But none of us have a right to judge them, or vilify them to subdue any feelings of guilt, or justify our selfishness.