The Dilemma of Helping Those on the Streets
If you’ve walked down the streets of New York City or any metropolitan area, you’ve seen the plight of the homeless, begging for change, sleeping on benches, and walking aimlessly.
When I see someone like this I feel the urge to throw them a couple of dollars. Yet, I’ll admit it; something inside me stops me from doing so. I debate whether it’s the right thing to do. I ask myself;
“Are they really going to use the money to buy food?”
“Is this just putting a band aid on a more severe and long term problem?”
“If this person is really desperate, why aren’t they trying to seek assistance at the numerous organizations set up to help them?”
“Will I be putting myself, those with me, or strangers walking by in harm’s way?”
So the dilemma certainly isn’t about money. I’m not greedy. I’m happy to donate money to a trusted organization that will feed and provide shelter to the homeless.
What do you think? I want to hear your opinions and stories. Is it good to help a beggar? Better to donate to a charity set up to provide more effective help? Please post in the comment section below.
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20 Responses to “The Dilemma of Helping Those on the Streets”
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Hey Andrew!
I think it is up to us to give without condition.
I frequently do that and then pray for the person I just gave it to…that they use the money to better themselves in some way.
It is my directive to give and give joyously.
I always think…there but for the Grace of God, go I.
So it ends up as not only a gift to them, but a blessing in your own life as well.
Love your Stuff!
Tim
Hi Tim,
I really like your approach to giving. When I have reservations about giving to beggars it’s because I want the best for them. I want them to have the strength to ask for help in another way and have the strength to help themselves.
But perhaps you are right. There shouldn’t be any conditions to giving.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Tim! You’ve given me a lot to think about.
Sincerely,
-Andrew
I have faced this dilemma in the past. Sometimes I would feel, like you said, whether they really need the money. Or they will use it on the right things… And with donating to the organizations I was always more skeptical as to whether they will use it without any “leakage” from within.
But all of it is immature thinking, I realized. If you are really hoping to make the situation of poverty better, then all those are lame efforts. I thought a lot and went thinking through the root of poverty and met with quite an insight.
Poverty is not a problem, but paradoxically, wealth is. Poverty is an outcome of “creation of wealth”. How can something be solved which is not a problem on the first place!
Please read my article “How poverty can(not) be removed?” I would like to know your opinion
http://www.darshanchande.com/2009/05/how-poverty-cannot-be-removed.html
Thanks!
If I can help someone in any way I will.
When it comes to giving money, I use my discernment, however if they are hungry, I will go buy them something to eat. If they need shelter I would get them to the appropriate place.
I am all into helping out various organizations also.
I feel bad for those on the streets and help when I can,
I also pray and always think… (as Tim mentioned above)….there but for the Grace of God, go I
Have a wonderful day.
I say be very careful. We have many agencies and groups, church groups and otherwise, that will provide food, shelter, job training and counselling to people in need without question or judgement. If you give freely to people on the street where will it end? Freely giving is naive and in fact enabling and counter productive. In reality you are probably supporting the persons addiction which may very well be the root cause of the homeless situation.
Hi Robin,
I think buying someone food or gloves or a coat (if it’s cold) is better, because they’re nothing they can really do but use it for what it’s meant for. I will have to remember that for the future.
Thanks for sharing your opinion!
Hey Dan,
This is exactly my concern. I want to help, but I feel like by just giving them a few bucks is only encouraging them to continue begging instead of seeking more long-term and effective assistance.
Thanks for chiming in!
You all have really interesting perspectives. There’s much to think about.
I try to give when possible. Sometimes it just makes me feel good. Its not for me to judge what that person should do with the money. What he or she does with it will be judged by God and that’s where I leave it.
Becuase we do not have time & efforts to give enough cosideration for those people we choose between two situations ;giving without asking with hope to be the right person who deserve that donation,or to ignore giving those people becuase we encourage them continuing bigging which not accepted by us.I think if the bigger use bigging as a job then giving him/her food,cab or any other things will not solve the issue .we need to give others love , consideration ,trust & time then we can help those people.
Hi Eddie,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! The only reason I worry is because the money I hand out is meant to be something good. I don’t want to add to their problem.
Hi Anwer,
Thanks for writing in. I understand what you’re saying. Throwing someone a few dollar bills isn’t really giving someone love, consideration, trust and time. If someone is seeking that they’re most likely going to find that with an organization that really wants to help the impoverished and homeless.
Thanks again everyone! So much to think about with this tough subject.
-Andrew
Hi Darshan,
Sorry, your comment got tossed in the spam box, just found it now.
You have a really interesting perspective on poverty and that the real problem is wealth. The only thing I have to disagree on is calling the questioning of whether the money will go towards something good, “immature thinking.” I think the more naive thinking would be to just toss money to someone without consideration.
Thanks for sharing your comment and article.
-Andrew
I give them money regardless of what they do with it. If I am leaving a restaurant with food, I give them that. The number one thing we do is give to Salvation army, food bank and local homeless shelters every month. This helps with the basics. But-no matter what-its only a buck or 2 to the guy on the street but there is nothing like having money and the ability to choose how you spend it. If they buy booze, so be it-I am not here to judge or tell others how to live their life. Thank God we are not in their position. No matter what anyone says or thinks, I believe there is nothing more demeaning than having to beg others for help.
Hi Judy,
You seem to have a really great approach to this problem. You’re doing a little bit of everything. I like the idea of giving your restaurant leftovers. I understand how it’s only a dollar or two, which is not my worry, but if the person has a drinking, drug, or some other problem; I’m worried that I’m going to add to their problem.
Thanks for writing in!
-Andrew
Hey there Andrew
Having been homeless myself on more than one occasion, I’ve had my share of up-close-and-personal exposure to the whole experience. Accordingly, I’ve given a lot of thought to the idea of giving to the homeless; when you cut to the heart of it, though, it seems we Americans really have tended to overthink it. As Tim and Robin, Eddie and others suggested, it’s ours to give without strings – whether our giving is of money, time, clothes or kindness.
Thanks for the good discussion!
~j oliver
I’ve shared a few more thoughts at http://towardfatherhood.com/post/813625634/giving
Hey Andrew, I just had another thought about this: I think we’re called to give out of compassion, not out of foreknowledge of success or benefit. Here’s why: God gives you and me breath, life, words, money, relationships, food, spare time – endless gifts – whether we use them well or not. He wants us to use them well, but if (when) we squander yet another hour or paycheck or chance to show kindness, He gives us another chance. Another gift. He’s not the God of a second chance, as the song says, but the God of endless chances! If we would be more God-like, giving from near-thoughtless compassion is a great place to start.
Thanks!
~ j
Hi J,
Thank you so much for writing and sharing your story. I was hoping someone who has experienced living on the streets first hand would express their opinion.
Most people seem to agree to give without thought or reservations.
Thanks again for joining the discussion.
-Andrew
Andrew,
I’ve had a few experiences in Montreal and Toronto, where there are always people begging on the streets. My husband taught me a lesson when we were in our early 20s…being from a smaller town, he would say hello to everyone! I never even used to say hello, because I didn’t know how to deal with ‘these people’….he made me realize they are PEOPLE, just like me and you, but with a very different set of life situations. In Toronto, a homeless man befriended me at a set of lights….after the initial embarassement of being seen with a homeless man, we chatted while we walked for 2 blocks, at which point, he looked at me and said “Thank you for talking to me today, you made my day!” Not once did he ask for money, or anything else…just wanted a normal conversation. He forever changed my mind about homeless people. So it’s not always about giving things, but sometimes more about giving attention, and acknowledging that we are all people…..
Hi Judy,
Thank you so so much for sharing this story!!! You’re very right. Giving someone on the street acknowledgment, respect, and a simple “hello” can help them in another way.
Thanks so much again,
-Andrew
to give or not to give–its that simple.
if you want to make bigger changes, then go ahead and do something big as well.
Hi, this is kind of a downer comment, but I think it needs to be said. The organizations that are set up to help, don’t always help. They have stringent criteria, and are unflexible in many situations. I was near homelessness less than a year ago when I finally balled up the courage to leave an abusive marriage with my 4 young sons. The battered women’s shelter turned me away since I owned my own home, the social assistance agency rejected my application since my ex husbands business made to much the year prior, and the food bank would not assist us without a permanent address. I was bruised physically as well as mentally, and yet still almost every door I went to was shut in my face, yet these same types of agencies promote leaving abuse, with the promise it will “get better”. If I hadn’t had my family and friends and one VERY kind gentleman from my church to help, this could have been a disaster. Please make sure you know exactly what an agency supports before you donate, because you may find you aren’t really helping those you had hoped after all.
Hi Sarah,
Thanks so much for writing in! I don’t think your comment is a downer at all. I know exactly what you’re talking about. Many organizations and government services have these very strict rules that create cracks that people fall through. Like you hear stories of someone making like a few hundred dollars too much to qualify for help. That few hundreds dollars isn’t enough to support one’s self, yet it’s too much to get help. It’s such a frustrating Catch-22.
I also highly recommend people do research on an organization before donating. One great resource is Charity Navigator: http://www.charitynavigator.org/ .
Again Sarah, thanks so much for writing in. I wish you and your children the best. My mother, sister, and I went through a very similar situation. If you’re interested, you can read a bit about our story here: http://www.lyved.com/aboutpage/
Sincerely,
-Andrew