I didn't see a topic about theis. So if there is then, please close I guess. ^^'

Okay, what do you think the homeless, do when you donate money and stuff? I think at least some use it for, Drugs and Alcohle. Why cause once, I was in Atlantia, Georgia and I was with my stepdad, cause he drives a transfer truck. We happened to see a guy on the side on the road and he was holding a sign that said. "Please give me money for food" So, I looked over and we had a left over hamburger from when we stopped by to eat that day. My stepdad, pulled over and said "He is some food" The guy looked and said "I just want the money" My stepdad laughed and said "Well, you must not be too hungrey then eh?" and we drove off. It kinda got me thinking maybe he was just going to use it for Drugs and stuff.

We had another happen in my hometown. A guy who was really rich actually. After, work he would dress in Homeless cloths and beg people for money and this guy was like rich I tell you, an my mom gave him money and then when we stopped by again we happened to see him dress in his work cloths and he drove off. My mom called the police about it and he had to give back the money he stole, IMO. <_<

So my question is I guess. What do you think the Homeless, do with the money we give them?

Uhh, the homeless? Well, it's very sad to see them. I wish everyone out there could have money, a job, a family.... a home. But I do what your stepdad did. If they're begging for money, I give them food. If they don't want the food, then that's their problem.

Substance abuse may not be the reason that they became homeless though. A lot of the time, the homeless have lost their minds. One time, when I was in Mexico, my brothers and I were eating outside on the patio, talking to each other in English. A homeless woman came up to us, and started saying that if we need a place to stay, we could come stay with her. She was clearly homeless and obviously insane. It's kind of heartbreaking to see people really fall through the cracks of the system like that.

My grandfather held to the principle of giving food, not money. Sometimes it can be due to substance abuse; in his case, the people who came to him for money always ended up spending the money on cheap alcohol. So he buys them a packet of rice etc. instead, and I also believe in doing that.

However, you're not gonna be able to feed every homeless person you meet. That's where the major organisations that can purportedly reach the masses are supposed to come in. But after reading multiple news reports of organisations taking most of the donations, it's hard to trust even them (true story: out of every RM1.00 donated in Malaysia to a certain organisation, only RM0.10 actually made it to the intended; the rest were used for "administration" and other crap).

So it might not always be the case of the homeless squandering our money. They might be getting piddy-squat in the first place.

Your second scenario is also widely known about in Malaysia. You'll see beggars asking for money at the night markets, and Malaysians are always donating to them. Newspapers have asked multiple times not to, because while some may be truly desperate, chances are most of them are either filthy rich from doing this (there was an old report of a guy who'd drive his Mercedes to his begging spot, change into rags and beg) or linked to bigger crime organisations that take most of the money anyway.

When it comes to donations, I really don't know what to do. Sometimes I end up giving $2 or something, mostly pitying the poor student who walked his legs off asking for donations in a drive his club set up. I have a bit more faith in students like these, having been involved in similar small clubs that strive to give as much of the donations to the intended as possible.

I do occasionally give to homeless, but I too adhere to "food, not money" because in reality, I've seen that (around here at least, may be untrue elsewhere) most homeless people have gotten THEMSELVES there by doing nothing but dope and/or drink.

I tend to adhere to "food, not money" also, but sometimes I give in and I may give them a few dollars... I mean, if they're homeless and all they want to do with the money is drink and do drugs, then really, so what? I mean, what makes a regular person who does drugs any better? People can be quite hypocritical when it comes to that. I have pity for the homeless... Their lives are probably not going to get any better whether you give them anything or not, so in my eyes I really don't see any difference. Either they'll die of starvation or sickness or both. Many wind up killing themselves.

I remember two years ago I was walking to school one morning, and I saw this girl running out of a supermarket with this guy chasing her because she was a bunch of apples she stuffed into her backpack. She had to be maybe sixteen or seventeen years old, about my age or maybe a little older at the time. The guy who worked at the store tackled her to the ground, and she started to scream, "Don't hurt me! Let me go! I need food!" And she was sobbing so hard and trying to pick up all of the apples. He let her go finally and she ran down the street crying. I still don't understand how the stupid asshole tackled her to the ground for stealing a freaken half dozen apples and hurt her. Seriously, is it going to affect your sales that much? Obviously she needed the food more than he did.

I followed her until she reached the bus stop and I sat down on the bench next to her and talked to her. I asked her if she would like me to help her out, if she needed to go to a police station, or if she didn't want that, maybe go to a supermarket and get some food or something, maybe help her get somewhere she could go... I took her to a grocery store and I bought her some things she could use, some food and a can opener and toiletries. Then we went to the bank and I took out fifty dollars and gave it to her. It was all the money I had, but if I had more I would have given it to her. I asked her if there was anywhere she could go, and she said no, so we looked up numbers at the police station for homeless shelters to find their locations. I paid for her bus fare so she could get to one.

I really felt like I had to help her, because I can't imagine being that age and having nowhere to go.

I myself give food, not money. Those few coins make them buy rugby (hell says here in our country), it's for the benefit of them anyways. According to my dear beloved country, they use money to buy drugs, and we all know what drugs can do, it makes people feel in heaven. And there is this Chinese Proverb that keeps poking my mind, if we teach these people how to live life and take jobs, we helped them for lifetime.

Everytime we pass the slums I certainly never missed a day to see those who have no homes, as they try to look for food in the garbage, some of them sell flowers by knocking on everyone's cars, and some of them being treated as slaves of the others. It's really a pity to see them that we all want to help, but I think the best way to help them is to pray for their lives. ^_^

Oh, and there's this really one nasty experience I had, my friend and I were eating our ice creams in a parlor shop, and a really mischievious kid we were watching through the windows went inside the ice cream parlor and guess what?! It took my ice cream and I only ate a spoonful or two!!! Well, I can't blame them, maybe he hasn't eaten for days, but I would've given my ice cream anyway if he just asked!!! <_<

I also subscribe to giving food whenever possible- I hand over my softdrink or meal, or fruit over if someone asks for it. The thing is, I feel very uncomfortable when you give all your change away to a kid asking for it and then all these kids suddenly swarm around you and block your way (non threateningly) also asking for change. It makes me feel angry at them at first, and then very guilty and angry at myself for feeling that way about them.

True, I feel in these cases, just don't give. It'll be hard and you'll want to help that poor child, but you'll end up being swarmed and it'll be extremely difficult to extract yourself from the crowd after that.

My great-grandfather once went to China, and the village he visited was dirt poor at the time (not that he was even rich to begin with, but certainly better off compared to them). When he gave something to one of the villagers, suddenly a whole throng of "long lost relatives" swarmed him for stuff. And times being what they were back then, it was impossible to determine who were your true relatives. He felt sorry for all of them, and ended up returning to Malaysia with just the clothes on his back.

I don't hate these people, they're only trying to survive. But I think to save yourself from the (misplaced, IMO) guilt of not helping everyone who approaches you, just hold back in this case. Find some other way to help them, but avoid giving stuff out to one person in these situations unless you're prepared to handle the masses that'll follow.