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This post is part of the “The Spectrum of Personal Finance”. In this one-day event, comic-book nerd Brian from My Next Buck, will discuss eight different emotions (taken from the Green Lantern comics) and relate them to personal finance. Here at GRS, Brian looks at Compassion.
One of the most rewarding parts of personal finance is being able to give back. Giving is powerful, and it’s contagious. But maybe this year times are too tight for you to give in ways you’ve done before. That doesn’t mean you should disregard the needy this year. Let’s talk about some alternative ways to give.
Here are some ways to give back without having to dig deep in your wallet:
- Donate clothing. Goodwill is a great place to make donations, but also look for local clothing drives that give items directly to the homeless. Don’t forget things like hats, scarves, and gloves; it is nearly winter after all.
- Keep small bills in your pocket. If you live in a city, you likely pass by homeless people on your commute to work each day. Carry ten $1 bills, and pass them out until they’re gone.
- Host others for Thanksgiving. Have a neighbor who is out of work? Open your door to share Thanksgiving with her family. This is the sort of act of kindness you usually only see in movies, but it’s easy to do.
- Clean out your cupboards. Sort through all of those canned goods that haven’t been eaten for months, or that your children decided they didn’t like after one sitting. Donate them to a food bank.
- Make room in your budget to donate $25 or $50 to charity this season. Then, when you’re asked to donate an extra $1 for a cause at the grocery store, or asked by girl scouts to buy cookies, you can say yes.
Even when times are tight, there are always opportunities to give back that don’t cost you a cent. Here are some free ways to help you give to those in need this holiday season:
- Volunteer at a local soup kitchen. There are scores of ways to volunteer, but soup kitchens always need a lot of help, especially during the holidays. I volunteered at a soup kitchen with my family one Thanksgiving; it’s probably the most memorable turkey day I have had.
- Become a Big Brother or Big Sister. I’ve wanted to do this for a while now, but my life just doesn’t allow for it yet. It’d be awesome to be able to mentor (and hang out with) a little buddy, and to help them grow.
- Start a food or clothing drive. Maybe you don’t have spare food or extra clothing to donate. Others might. Maybe they just need an easy outlet to donate them through. Starting a food or clothing drive at your church, synagogue, or local school can be easy and rewarding.
- Donate your body. Donate blood, bone marrow stem cells, and plasma. This type of giving can make a huge difference in people’s lives and costs you nothing that can’t be replenished.
Are you still giving despite the down economy? What other ways do you contribute to charity or community that make an impact without draining your budget?
For further reading of the Spectrum of Personal Finance Event, please see:
- Fear at Bargaineering
- Hope at Budgets are Sexy
- Avarice at Consumerism Commentary
- Willpower at Debt-Free Adventure
- Death at Free Money Finance
- Compassion at Get Rich Slowly
- Love at Mrs. Micah
- Rage at Poorer Than You
To view a recap of the event, check out the Spectrum Roundup at My Next Buck.
This article is about Giving Tuesday, 24th November 2009 (by J.D. Roth)
November 24th, 2009 at 5:27 am
I’m not a big fan of handing out money to people on the street, having worked in mental health I know that most of that money goes for drugs or alcohol. I’d rather give to an agency that feeds the homeless.
We give of time, I’m on the board of directors for a small charity. We also give money and agree that it is something we budget for in our yearly spending plan. I also space out our giving by setting up an automatic payment each month just like I do with the rest of my “bills.” So we gift our charitable commitment during the year. We also put aside some money so we can buy girl scout cookies and to support fundraising by the other kids we know.
But I don’t donate the dollar in the check out lane or to the kids I don’t know who ask at the grocery store. My giving is purposeful and planned so I don’t feel guilt when others ask.
For the holidays, we donated money to provide Thanksgiving meals to the families at our favorite charity and we’ll also adopt a family from that same charity.
November 24th, 2009 at 5:37 am
I also think it’s a bad idea to pass out cash to homeless people on the streets. Too many of them have substance abuse issues. Just think–what if you end up funding a fatal OD?
Contribute instead to a reputable charity or food bank where your dollar will do some good.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:10 am
Good list
I like the frugal ways to give. I just put an extra jacket in my car this morning to drop off to Goodwill on my home today.
It’s not much but I give clothes and food as much as I can.
I hope to be able to give more in the future once my debt is gone.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:14 am
If you have spare used books that you no longer read (or have not read in years) that are cluttering up your space; you can donate them to others:
See this page for various organizations that accept used books from individuals:
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/library/libraryfactsheet/alalibraryfactsheet12.cfm
November 24th, 2009 at 6:18 am
I knit scarves. The scarves are offered to men and women who are homeless and shelted by local religious congregations during the winter months. I use quality (but machine-washable!) yarns in a variety of colors and use different patterns. Everyone should have something new once a year. It’s not a big thing, but I think to think it helps.
I also am treasurer for a non-profit which allocates donated funds to small organizations with low overhead which address critical needs in communities. Every little bit helps.
Great post!
November 24th, 2009 at 6:30 am
My creative solution has purchasing the free with rebate items at CVS, Rite Aid, etc. and donating those items.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:37 am
I live in the downtown core of a big city and pass by the same homeless people every day. Your dollar will end up going to a bottle of alcohol or their next drug score. If you want to help, your local drug and addiction center or homeless shelter is a much better way to spend your money.
Also, I don’t know what the tax laws are like in the States, but here in Canada, you get a percentage of your registered charitable donations back at tax time if you donate more than $20 at a time. I would not recommend donating a dollar at a time, and at your grocery store at that. Pick a charity you relate to, and donate directly. You will get the tax benefit (not your grocery store), and your gift will be given directly and therefore subject to less administrative costs.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:39 am
One of my best charitable acts was to donate my wedding dress to a local charity. It was worn by several women at their wedding who could not afford to buy a wedding gown.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:42 am
Thank you for bringing this sensitive subject up.
I think people want to give to others, but they are worried about the expense. You explained how to do it affordably and easily.
John DeFlumeri Jr.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Your time is one of the most valuable things you can give (and doesn’t cost you a penny). It’s also the most rewarding. Think about the skills you have that a charity could use - you needn’t be on the “front line” if you don’t want to be - there is always a need for people answering emails, doing accounts, writing letters, and other “back room” activities.
November 24th, 2009 at 7:02 am
We’re the beneficiary of one your suggestions this year. A friend invited us to join her family for Thanksgiving (since we can’t afford to travel and join ours this year). We’re very much looking forward to it (and bringing along a couple of dishes to share, with her permission).
I’ve also begun volunteering this year since our financial position doesn’t allow us to donate cash - instead we’re giving of our time.
November 24th, 2009 at 7:17 am
I do a lot of my volunteering through my church or my workplace–I find it easier to get started if I already know some of the people involved, and of course it’s a good way to meet new people, too.
Charitable giving is in my monthly budget, over and above the amount I give through payroll deduction at work, and this month I plan to do it on Thanksgiving. I find that giving makes me feel better off, and it’s a good antidote to holiday loneliness.
November 24th, 2009 at 7:27 am
While we give money to charity, I feel like our biggest impact comes when we spend time personally helping others. And this is obviously free, other than the opportunity cost.
I have become active in the Knights of Columbus, and charity is now simply part of who I am. I regularly give time in service to the community. On December 12th, we are sponsoring a needy child shopping day at the local Wal-Mart. Using money our members have given, I’ll be one of 15-20 guys (along with my wife) that takes a needy child around the store to shop for gifts for their family. We’ll then spend time with them wrapping the gifts and sharing some cookies.
I think this is the purest and most rewarding form of giving. And it is certainly no financial burden.
November 24th, 2009 at 7:36 am
I have to agree with the “don’t pass out money to the people on the street” contingent. A homeless shelter can do a lot more with that $1 than a single person will do - even if they do spend it on food and not drugs or drink.
I, too, plan my giving to get the most out of every dollar. My company has a matching program for food kitchens, but only during the holiday season - so I budget my charitable giving all year but wait to make the actual donation until my company will match. In addition, my state provides a direct tax credit for half of your donation (up to $200 per person in 3 different categories)to specific charities. This means that for $100 of my money and my charity gets $400. This isn’t all of my giving, but this is an example of how I use every avenue I’m aware of to make the most of my dollars.
In my area of the country, it seems that charitable organizations are asking for $$ not time. My department tried to find an organization to give time to and they all said “Thanks but we have plenty of hands, we need money.”
November 24th, 2009 at 7:40 am
This is a great list of kind things to do. I Especially like the idea of volunteering in a Soup Kitchen, this is inexpensive and really helpful to others.
thanks for the post!
November 24th, 2009 at 7:44 am
I take issue with giving homeless people money. Even a buck. The problem is, at least in our area, most (certainly not all) of the homeless population *that you see* are homeless because they choose to be. Most of the money they get from well-wishing passers by is used for booze or drugs. Instead, consider giving them your boxed leftovers from the lunch or dinner you just had, or something like a gift card to a grocery store or fast food restaurant.
In Denver, there’s an organization called “Step 13″ (step13.org) that prints coupon books, for a donation. You hand out the coupon, and its good for a full, hot meal, a warm bed, a shower and shave, and a good breakfast, no questions asked, no obligation. The hope is that they can get people to see what they’re missing, and get themselves into a treatment program, get clean, and become a contributing member of society.
November 24th, 2009 at 7:47 am
If you don’t feel comfortable giving money to folks on the street, you could offer to buy them a cup of coffee. I love Morah Mary’s idea of making something handmade as a gift. I’ve done that in the past with knitted hats for cancer patients undergoing chemo.
My plan for this season is to “adopt” a few older gentlemen that live nearby in a retirement home and don’t have family nearby or at all. I see the same three men each afternoon on the park bench when I walk my dog. They seem to really perk up when I say hello to them by name and stop to chat and they enjoy petting my dog. My plan is to make some homemade baked goods and bring them some small gifts for the holidays. Not necessarily “charity” in the financial sense, but definitely spreading good will and neighborliness to some folks that I think are lonely.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:00 am
Forgive my unabashed enthusiasm here, but holy cow this is a GREAT POST! Thank you for bringing up this topic and showing that there are so many ways to give outside of the traditional fork over cash method.
So many are debating the pros and cons of giving to the homeless, but that misses the mark in my mind. The point is to have compassion on others. Go with your gut and give accordingly.
I personally have a small budget for giving to several charities and I also volunteer at a local place that helps families grieve the loss of loved ones. Honestly, facilitating the groups is an amazing experience, much more edifying than sending a little cash to a charity - and it costs me nothing more than time.
Again - thank you for posting on this topic just in time for the biggest ‘giving’ season of the year! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the articles you’ve placed around the web.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:06 am
Great inclusion of blood and marrow donation! Keep in mind that the Red Cross is not always the local provider of blood; in many areas other non-profit blood centers are the local provider. You can find the local provider for your area in the US and Canada here: http://www.americasblood.org/
November 24th, 2009 at 8:06 am
Like the others here, I strongly disagree with handing out cash to people on the street without knowing their background etc. I do recall some cities/agencies have cards you can pass out that list various soup kitchens and shelters and their locations.
I have recently begun clipping coupons and doing the Grocery Game/Coupon Mom shopping. I always buy items every week that charities will take - I set them aside to stockpile and donate quarterly. It’s nice to use frugality skills to feed my family AND support charitable giving.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:14 am
I don’t hand out money to “bums” or homeless people. The money oftentimes goes to drugs or alcohol. I will however give them my lunch or a pack of crackers or water if I have it on me or in my car. If I see a homeless person with dog and I can run home I’ll get the dog a ziploc full of dog food.
When I lived in Memphis the local news did several stories on the “bums” and “homeless”. Money usually went for alcohol or drugs. In one angering case the guy panhandled fr one hour making over $100 (tax free mind you) and then the news people followed him to his modest home. He wasn’t homeless at all - he had a helluva racket going on though.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:16 am
Again weighting in on giving cash to the homeless. I highly discourage this practice. When you give them cash directly, you are encouraging them to NOT go to the homeless shelters and charities that are available to help them. Their problem is not that they don’t have money, it’s that they can’t handle reality. They need serious help far beyond what a few stray dollar bills will give them.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Donating your professional services to a non-profit or charitable organization is another way to give. I do several pro-bono jobs per year for small non-profits that I believe in that need the service I can provide. I keep track of the time I put into each job, and make sure that I send a receipt to the organization. That way I can get credit for a gift-in-kind for my donated professional services for tax purposes.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:17 am
The best ways I’ve found to continue to give in these tough economic times is to donate all unwanted items of mine, including clothing, and to donate my TIME.
Obviously, donating your time is free, and can be done in a vairety of useful ways.
Homeless shelters, churches, etc are always looking for people with time to give.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:21 am
I know of some people who carry a stash of $5 McDonald’s gift cards in their wallet to give to homeless people on the streets. That way you know what your money is going to be used for. Or you can give out business cards listing area shelters and agencies where homeless people can get help.
I live in a metropolitan area and our newspaper did a story a few months ago about how much money people standing at intersections make. Sometimes it’s more than what we would make in a day.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Also, please don’t forget that service opportunities exist all year round, not just at the holiday times when most people are more willing to volunteer. Sometimes, nonprofits need the most help in the summer when no one is thinking of having a food drive!
November 24th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Hi JD!
I’m sure that you can find an hour a week to give to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Once you start, it’s easy to find the time!
My goal with my little sister is to have a good time without spending any money. It’s pretty easy to do too. We go to the public library, play board games and work on homework together.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:45 am
Just want to chime in on BB/BS, I was a big sister for years. It was a great experience, I know my local BB/BS also matches couples to a little, so if both you and your wife wanted to participate you can and you can share the commitment and share time together with the little.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:00 am
Some great ideas here! One of the crazy things is how much stuff some people have, that they want to get rid of… (nice condition stuff) and how far that can go as a donation. Makes a great incentive to clean the house when you realize simplifying your life can be bettering someone else’s.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:06 am
I am glad to hear a couple people mention that they participated in BB/BS. That may be something i try to do before i hit 30.
In the regards to giving money directly to the homeless, i understand the debate. Who is to say who is really needy vs. someone looking to score cash for drugs, etc.?
In my area, the homeless tend to be veterans, and those are the ones that make me hurt to see in their condition.
I like the idea of carrying around mcdonald’s gift cards to give to homeless people, as well as using “free with rebate” deals to find items to donate. Those are likely to be on my lists of things to do this holiday season.
JD, thanks for allowing me to post this article and participating in today’s event.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:12 am
I made a conscious effort to increase giving this year. The easiest thing was contributing to causes my co-workers supported throughout the year. They were all good causes in which my co-workers were personally involved, and in some cases there was a company match. Next, I put on my calendar a weekly volunteer opportunity that I’ve been wanting to do but rarely manage. Having it there reminds me every week, so when I finally have some free time on that day I can go, even at the last minute. (I went this weekend and helped disassemble old bikes for re-use and recycling.) Finally, this week I became a monthly contributor to Mercy Corps. I’ve been wanting to make a regular contribution to some worthy organization, and I just stumbled across their website for the first time and was awed by the scope of their work.
Part of getting “rich” is giving. Some folks have a habit of it from their youth, whether tithing to a church or as a family practice. The rest of us have to work at it.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Sometimes it’s difficult to give money when you lack funds yourself, but I know every bit helps. Maybe giving more in donations like old clothes is something I will try to do this year.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Agree on the panhandlers, NEVER GIVE CASH. I did give them some of my wedding favors and have given a handful of berries fresh from my mom’s garden.
Even though most have substance abuse problems, they are still people. You can’t tell me it wasn’t joyful to get a handful of chocolates from a bride on her wedding day. I’m sure it made them feel a little more human…and maybe for a second it made them think of something other than their addiction.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Thanks for this list. Yes, sparing a thought for the less fortunate is something lacking in today’s society. Keep up the good work.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:31 am
How about taking stuff to consignment stores and give the money you make to charities….
November 24th, 2009 at 9:33 am
When I haven’t had money, I’ve given away my DINNER to the homeless. You know what? Turned out the people who were begging for FOOD really wanted MONEY - turned out my dinner wasn’t good enough for them. OK, it wasn’t much - but it was what I had. And when one of the beggars was someone I’d run into before, he was quick to turn down what I had to offer. That’s pretty much taken care of my donations to people on the street - if I have food I can offer (wrapped, untouched), and it’s gratefully received, I’m good with that. If it’s not good enough for the person begging? Nothing gets offered in the future.
People who have time to donate can also consider visiting folks in nursing homes, and the men and women in veterans’ hospitals - your company and interest may be all they want or need.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:37 am
@ Alexandra - donating a wedding dress - what a great idea! Women love to hold onto them but they just sit in a box in the attic.
I give back by working with families of the mentally ill. It is one of the greatest things I do and I get more out of it than I put into it.
At the holidays, I spend a great deal of time thinking about what each person would really appreciate. When a gift comes from the heart and truly fits the other person’s passions, the dollar value really isn’t important. For instance, I pick out just the right book or DVD for my Dad. For my sister I give a gift certificate to a salon. For my best friend I buy a little thing that is luxurious - one year it was a towel warmer. I rarely spend over $50 on any one person.
November 24th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I lived in Chicago for a while - and I had a friend that had some work that needed to be done (something easy for just about anyone to do - I can’t remember what it was exactly) and he went and told a “homeless” person that he would pay them $15 an hour to come help him for 3-4 hours. The homeless person refused because “it was during the lunch hour rush” and they could make more money getting it from people walking by.
I stopped giving money to people on the street. If they really need help, they can go to a shelter.
November 24th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Our Church has a monthly fast. You are supposed to skip two meals, and donate the money you would have spent on food.
Two meals won’t kill you, and might help you appreciate how hungry the poor might be every day.
At church the donated money is used to run a food pantry, provide shelter and other welfare services — you could donate to whatever/whoever you wanted of course.
Pros: Almost anyone who buys food can skip a meal or two and donate their money.
Cons: You get hungry. Not an option if you’re pregnant/nursing/diabetic/etc.
November 24th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Great post!
But I do echo what others have said: In this day and age, giving money to beggars on the street is a bad idea. Sadly, many of them are scammers, and many others have severe drug and alcohol addictions, and like one person pointed out, you may just be funding their Death.
Best thing to do is offer to buy them a hot meal. You’ll know pretty quickly if they’re really homeless or not.. the scammers will usually turn the meal down.
A sad story: A person in one of the online communities I belong to relayed this story not too long ago - They were at a Gas Station, and noticed a person holding a red gas can and begging money off people; saying he was stranded, and had a wife and kid, and needed money to get gas for his car to get to the next city. Most people just gave the guy a few bucks. One person offered to fill the guy’s gas can, which he obliged. After the beggar saw that the Good Samaritan had left, he looked this way and that, and thinking no one was watching, he walked down to the ravine behind the gas station, and dumped the gas out…and came back and started his spiel all over again.
Stories like this are just one example of why cash gifts to beggars are often a bad idea. Instead, perhaps carry business cards to the local homeless shelter and give them in lieu of cash.
But all the other suggestions on this post are wonderful!
November 24th, 2009 at 10:55 am
A word of caution: This year a lot of food items donated to our church Thanksgiving drive was expired. Just be certain to check that the dates on the items from your cupboards are not expired.
Instead of giving money I used to keep a box of granola bars (or something similar) in my car and give those out to people who “walk the intersection” when there is a red light. Haven’t been turned down yet. Thanks for the reminder as I need to start doing this again.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:20 am
The NYTimes “City Critic” tried to find a “soup kitchen” or similar place that would let her volunteer and found that there weren’t a lot (any) openings [it's in the Nov 20th edition of the paper and there's also a video posted on line] for new volunteers. Between students looking for resume lines, the unemployed looking for a free way to be charitable, and the regular goodness of people, there seems to be an overabundance of those kind of holiday volunteers, at least in that city — but other skills are really needed, so it probably is a good idea to think about what special skills you can offer, and there is ALWAYS a need for blood and platelets etc.
Instead of giving to street people, we give to the salvation army, whose record of using the funds they get is really good. When in doubt about a non-local group seeking funds, I consult the American Institute for Philanthropy’s Guide (see http://www.charitywatch.org/)
November 24th, 2009 at 11:24 am
From someone who used to work at a food pantry, I’d add this: Make a donation of time or money to your favorite organization– and then do it again in January. Don’t let this get lost in the holiday chaos. Really try out volunteering– don’t just try and find a place to help for Thanksgiving or Christmas. And whatever you do, do NOT call a place this week about volunteering for Thanksgiving. Nonprofits plan their holiday activities weeks and months in advance– they are not waiting for people to call on the day or week of. So if you want to help in December, call on Monday. But if you want to make a real difference, call in January. Or better yet, in July. That’s when most nonprofits see the least amount of money come in, and when places like food pantries and soup kitchens often need the most help.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:30 am
I choose to give food to the homeless vs cash. I bought a few tacos at Dell Taco the other day and passed a homeless man and passed hima few out the window. It may not have been a full meal, but it cost me less than $1 and gave the guy a little something to eat.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:37 am
I love the ideas of granola bars and McD’s gift cards! Will stock up on them. We donate time/meals to a local shelter every month. One of the items they especially ask for this time of year is tube socks. The old fashioned kind without heels knit it. Not only are they used for socks, but also for gloves - and a few other creative uses. Tubes socks are cheap and I’m sure would be gratefully accepted by the ‘crosswalk walkers’ as well.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:39 am
In addition to Big Brothers/Sisters, the YMCA runs a program called “Y-mentors” that has similar goals of providing a adult mentor for an at-risk youth.
In my town, the YMCA works with local government social workers to identify the children in need and to monitor the mentor situation.
You can also donate to the program so the mentor can get some help taking their mentee to the movies, out for ice cream, etc.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:58 am
I think donating clothes, books, etc. is a great point. It’s nice to see a contrast to the “sell everything you possibly can” advice on many PF blogs.
@ Suzanne and Alexandra — Thanks for the nudge to get rid of the bridesmaid’s dress I have hanging in the closet. I felt fantastic wearing it, but now it’s time to share the feeling!
November 24th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
@ Karen #23
If you’re a lawyer in the U.S., your pro bono professional services are not deductible as a charitable donation. I just did a quick Google search to confirm and there are many sources. I do lots of pro bono work every year as well and would love to get a deduction, but the tax laws don’t allow it. Expenses and mileage incurred as part of pro bono work can be deducted, however.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Yes, be carefule who you give to. One organization in New York who solicited money on sidewalks, The United Homeless Organization, was supposedly a nonprofit group set up to help feed and house the homeless, but actially was actually an elaborate fraud. NY Times has an article about them and a complaint filed by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/homeless-organization-called-fraud/?hp
I stopped giving to street people years ago because some of them had belligerent and obnoxious behavior, like blocking your path, saying nasty things. In DC where I am, many of them are mentally ill and interactions with them are not always pleasant. Plus I am tired of hearing the sob stories which may or may not be true.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
“This year a lot of food items donated to our church Thanksgiving drive was expired.”
I guess my question is - how expired? There’s a big difference between mac and cheese that is one month expired and canned chef boyardee that is a year expired. I would eat the former but not the latter. I was wondering what grocery stores do with expired non-perishables. I hope they donate recently expired cans or otherwise to a food pantry. Really, does it automatically go bad right after the expiration? I highly doubt it. I wonder if there is a legal issue that shelters can’t distribute expired food. If so, that’s too bad, because some food is still good if it is recently expired. I bought bulk mac and cheese once at Sam’s (bad idea for a single person) and didn’t eat it all before expiration. I ended up advertising it free on Craigslist and there were a ton of people who wanted it.
Having said that, I never donate anything that is expired or close to expired, precisely because I would hate for it to be disposed of and not used. I’ll probably just eat it myself if it is recently expired.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
JD,
I am a Big Brother volunteer, and believe me, you do have the time for it. It only requires 2 times a month for an hour or more. I would think, even in your busy schedule, that you could schedule 2 hours a month to be a Big Brother. I know where I live here in Indianapolis, there is a long waiting list for little brothers waiting for their big. It is a really great thing to do and you’d be a great big brother. I hope that you consider it!
November 24th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
To all you people who give things to homeless people: If I’m going to give something away, it certainly won’t be to some lazy, thieving, lying, worthless drug addict. It’ll be to someone who is honest and hardworking, and who will really appreciate the help. You’re at best enablers, and at worst circumventing natural selection. It’s not even about “giving them food so they can’t use it to buy drugs,” it’s a matter of “why would you do anything nice for someone who is such a bad person?” Why not help NICE people, instead?
That said, my “giving” comes in the form of taxes. If the government already confiscates a third of my paycheck for programs and infrastructure, why would I voluntarily give away even MORE? This site is still about “Getting Rich,” right? Don’t get me wrong - when kids come to my door selling chocolate bars, I always buy. But it’s only so they won’t egg my house at Halloween. And, I like chocolate.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Our family works every 6 weeks in a soup kitchen. My husand goes in early to start cooking and I bring the kids after school to help set tables, serve, bus tables, wash dishes. It’s only a few hours every 6 weeks, but it’s one of the best ways to help out and get the boys (ages 10, 11, 12) started early on making charitable work a part of their lives.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
One thought: I donate old books to the library rather than Goodwill. The ones that don’t make it to the stacks are sold by ‘Friends of the Library’ in an annual fundraiser, and they are more likely to be appreciated and make it into the hands of bibliophiles.
Another thing I do is shop bikes in summer. A couple years ago we found 20″ bikes for $20 each! We bought six of them and donated them to Toys for Tots at the end of the year.
The Walmart near our house has a perpetual problem with people asking for money. About every other time I went there I was accosted (I think they cracked down because I haven’t been approached recently). Sometimes if the person seemed sincere I would offer to buy them something. But I agree that giving cash is a big no-no for multiple reasons. But ultimately even addicts need to eat.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
I always save up change, turn it into dollar bills and give some of it to charity at the end of the year.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
@Kevin
I admit that your post made me laugh. You obviously have strong feelings but said that you buy chocolate from kids. I only buy things when kids are raising money if I can’t get it elsewhere. I buy girl scout cookies every year because those girls have a great racket going on. But why would I pay $2 for a Hershey bar? If you want $2 ask me for $2. Don’t pretend to ’sell’ me something. Besides I believe at that point I can’t write it off on my taxes since I ‘bought’ instead of ‘donated’. And THEN if you read the guidance it pretty much tells the parents to do all of the selling because it’s dangerous for the kids to do it!
And as far as taxes, spiritually I take partial credit for ‘tithing’ when the government is ‘thirding’ on my behalf. But I also think the government does a piss poor job of covering my priorities. On top of that studies have shown that giving is good for the giver. It makes you feel good, makes you think of how thankful you are to be the giver instead of the receiver, and makes you feel more prosperous. After all you have enough to share, so that must be MORE than enough.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I also am hesitant to give to beggars, especially those that stand at an intersection. I don’t want to encourage something that is dangerous. I remember once when I lived in New York and was stopping to get a bagel. There was a beggar outside, so I asked him what kind of bagel he liked. He said, “No, I just want money for my bus fare.” Considering he spent all day every day at that exact corner, I’m guessing he didn’t want the money for a bus fare. It’s really sad, because such experiences really sour you towards giving. I’ve also had beggars yell at me for not giving enough.
Having said that, I have had homeless people who are grateful for restaurant leftovers. I was visiting Chicago and went to a pizza place. Since I really had no place to re-heat the leftovers, it just made sense to give it away. I think, actually, that some homeless people sit near restaurants in touristy areas for that reason. I have no problem with that. They weren’t begging - just sitting. If I do give money directly to the homeless, I prefer to give it to those who aren’t actually begging. One night in winter there was a guy sitting right by a vent to stay warm. I felt really bad, since it was so cold, so I asked my boyfriend on his way home to hand him some money. But that’s unusual. I usually give to an organization.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
There’s a lot of judgment toward the homeless and beggars on here today. Honestly, that makes me rather sad. I’m not going to judge someone whose circumstances are obviously not as privileged as my own. Personally, if I choose to give someone on the street cash, I don’t care how they spend it. I’m not going to be so patronizing to think it’s my place to tell them how to spend their money (because, after I give it to them, it is their money).
November 24th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Another way to give food is to contact your local elementary school, and see if they have an early morning drop off program. In our community, those kids normally come to school without breakfast. Breakfast bars and juice boxes would be a great start to a kids day.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
@Gerty - Thank you for your comments. I feel the exact same way. When i wrote this article i was not anticipating the backlash of giving money to the homeless. However, i think the most important takeaway is that everyone seems to give, or want to give, just in their own way and how they feel most comfortable. Is there anything else we can ask around a holiday in which we are supposed to be giving thanks for what we do have?
November 24th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
When the grocery store has buy 1, get 1 or sometimes buy 1 get 2, I can get a few bags to the local soup kitchen in our town without breaking the budget. Also every quarter I send a check to the food bank. My $25.00 or even $10.00 goes a long way because they can buy in bulk or get discounted goods from distributors.
November 24th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
@Jane
All food banks and food pantries should have access to information about expiration dates. I used to work at a food pantry, and our regional food bank gave us a list of everything. Basically, dairy can last about two weeks in the fridge, longer if frozen. Canned things low in acid can last 5 years. Canned things high in acid can last 2 years. Mac & Cheese and stuff like that can last several years. If you have concerns about donating food, the best thing is to call up your local food pantry (http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx) and ask what their policies are.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Bookmark http://www.goodsearch.com as your homepage or preferred search engine because it gives a small donation to the charity of your choice every time you do a simple web search … it definitely adds up and I feel like I’m making a small difference … but telling other people about it, and if they actually start to use it and spread the word, that will collectively make a big difference.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
We give to our local food shelf every month - they can stretch cash farther than we can. Plus they never send me junk mail. I try to balance local giving and international giving - so we’ve been supporting Heifer International and Floresta equally with the food bank.
Another place to donate time, since all of you can obviously read and use a computer - public libraries are often centers for job seekers, literacy students (adult, youth, or ESL), people needing basic computer skills, etc. Our public library is looking for helpers for their homework center right now, and in the past i’ve assisted with their computer classes.
Personally, my finances haven’t really been affected by the downturn yet, because we’re very lucky and because we’ve been doing the frugality thing all along. If we could get everybody out of debt and they would donate what they’re currently paying in interest, this would be a better world all around.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
My sister and her husband (both in their mid 20s) signed up to be a big brother/sister last year! I couldn’t believe it, they both work full time, both are in graduate school full time going for their MBAs, and still they find time (ask actually) to come up and see my son and daughter play their sports.
I’m still baffled on how they are able to do all these things… Oh, and on top of all that, my sister is pregnant.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that they both said that being a big brother/sister is very rewarding.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
@Gerty
I don’t think it’s patronizing to have some degree of expectation that the money you give to a homeless person should be used for something non-destructive and preferably something that will help them. When they use it to nurture an addiction that put them there in the first place, you are in no way helping them by giving them your spare change. If anything, you are harming them even more.
When I was younger, I used to say, “I don’t care if the homeless guy uses the money to buy booze. After all, if I were homeless, I would want to drink too.” But that’s really a shortsighted view of poverty and homelessness. The reality is that these people need more than spare change. They need organizations and infrastructures that can help them get out of poverty and off the street. And it makes more sense to fund these groups rather than hand out money directly to the homeless.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
If you’re going to give by “cleaning out your cupboards,” please remember to check the expiration dates on the goods before donating them. I work in a foodbank, and one thing sure to frustrate any foodbank worker is to have to throw away your donation because the food has expired. If it isn’t safe for your family to eat, it isn’t safe for anyone to eat.
The same goes for clothing donations–if you wouldn’t wear it because it’s stained or torn, please don’t assume that someone less fortunate will wear it. People are looking for quality clothing that they can possibly wear to job interviews or even just around town. Please keep people’s dignity in mind when giving this holiday season.
And finally, @Kevin– I think you would be surprised how many homeless people are not drug addicts. There will always be a few bad apples, but quite a few homeless people are responsible adults with kids who can’t pay all of their bills after being laid off. I know several homeless families who have jobs but the wage just isn’t enough to keep up. Think twice before you judge people in a situation you have obviously never experienced.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
@Jane
I don’t disagree with your second paragraph at all. Giving money to a person on the street is only treating the symptoms of a much larger social disease and doesn’t solve any problems.
However, you’re making a lot of assumptions about the homeless in your first paragraph. You’re assuming an addiction and you’re assuming its the cause of their homelessness. I think it’s the very definition of patronizing to expect that charity given to an autonomous adult, a complete stranger whose circumstances you have no knowledge of, be used in a way your deem appropriate and worthy. You’re judging someone else’s entire life for the cost of your pocket change.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
re: giving to the homeless
there are an awful lot of homeless who aren’t standing on those street corners, including working moms living out of cars or in shelters with their children… don’t forget them either
If you just want to give money away to autonomous adults, why focus only on people on streetcorners? You don’t know the circumstances of anybody that you don’t know, perhaps not even those of many people that you do know. Why not just randomly give out money to people? (There’s precedent.)
If your focus is on homelessness itself, then it makes sense to focus on organizations that reach out to a greater number of homeless than just those asking for money on the street.
(Me, I spend my money given out on the street on buskers when they provide a service I enjoy.)
November 25th, 2009 at 1:48 am
I’m definitely not judging anyone, or making assumptions. However, I simply will not give my charitable dollars to people who approach me on the street.
I worked at a major medical center in Chicago for 5 years, and was accosted (yes, many people, homeless or not, will accost you) too many times to count. I’m a big hearted person, and donate to many charities and individuals when I feel touched to do so. However, if I had given a dollar to every person who approached me while walking to another building in the medical complex, walking to lunch, walking to the bus stop, shopping at the grocery store, sitting in a park, or even just walking in the city on a date, I would be BROKE! It is ridiculous. People who have not experienced this harrassment day in and day out, many times per day, do not understand the firm stance against this practice some of us take.
I also don’t purchase anything from children at my door anymore. Two years ago I ordered two boxes of chocolates from two different children, and wrote a check to the school upon ordering. One child delivered, one child didn’t. Sorry, but that ruined it for me. Now had the child simply requested a donation for the school, then I probably would have helped. However, to “sell” me somthing, take my money, and not deliver? Never again.
I believe using children in this manner is inappropriate anyway. When my son is at that age, I will write a check to the school directly, in lieu of him selling door to door.
I am not a scrooge though.
My charitable budget is fairly large, but I am very discriminating as to where those dollars go.
November 25th, 2009 at 5:02 am
No, don’t give the homeless money. Save your money for organizations that help people off the streets. Otherwise, you’re more than likely funding and enabling their addictions.
Nobody needs to go hungry. There are places to eat free in every city, and even in our little town of less than 5,000 (there are four that I know of!). When you give a person on the street money, you’re contributing to their problem.
As far as kids door-to-door (who lets their kids do this? dangerous!), I always ask the child if it’s for a public school. It usually is. Thanks, but no thanks, I give to them every month without getting anything in return. Some are stunned enough to stand there for a few minutes and get a civics lesson ;-).
November 25th, 2009 at 6:52 am
Everyone in my family is at a place in life where we really don’t NEED more stuff. So I try and encourage charitable donations instead of Christmas gifts.
November 25th, 2009 at 10:16 am
@Shara, you can deduct the amount above what you’d pay for a chocolate bar in the store. If you paid $2 for the chocolate bar, and that size of chocolate bar is only $1 in the store, then you can deduct $1. Be sure and get a receipt, however. If you volunteer at an organization, you can deduct the mileage from your house to the organization and back. If you’re over 55, you can sign up with RSVP, and that organization will reimburse your mileage.
Our foodbank has a backpack program for kids that the school has identified as not having enough food on the weekends. For $250 a year, they get a backpack worth of food every Friday. It’s a great program, IMHO, and I believe it may be nationwide (U.S.).
One of the things I do every week is read to the kids at our local Boys & Girls Club and help with homework. It’s an hour commitment once a week.
November 25th, 2009 at 10:19 am
FWIW, the link for “Rage at Poorer Than You” does not seem to be working; I’d love to take a look at it, if it’s fixable.
November 26th, 2009 at 9:07 am
@Jane:
Those infrastructures already exist. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. Addiction is a very powerful force. If the best efforts of trained counselors and an addict’s family members aren’t enough, then certainly no amount of government bureaucracy is either. You can’t fix someone who doesn’t want to be fixed. All you can do is offer them food, shelter, affordable housing, job counseling, and clothing, which as I said, already exist out there in surplus. There are plenty of places a homeless individual can go for food and shelter. And since counseling is ineffective, I’m not sure what additional “infrastructure” you think would make a difference. When someone repeatedly chooses to get high rather than help themselves, there’s nothing more you can do. The ones crying for more “infrastructure” are just government bureaucrats seeking to justify their jobs, expand their budgets, and tax us further. We don’t need more “infrastructure.” We need fewer addicts. And one way to accomplish that is to stop enabling them with your handouts. Another is to beef up the laws and enforcement and jail them.
I would willingly see my taxes raised $1000 to build more prisons before I’d consent to raising them $10 for more homeless shelters. Homeless shelters are NOT helping these people. They’re NOT getting better in these shelters. They’re just enabling them. Jails, on the other hand, would sober them up in a hurry and keep them from robbing us in the meantime.
I don’t think people really understand just how pervasive the drug problem is. It’s amazing how many crimes can be traced back to drugs. People don’t rob liquor stores for rent money. They don’t smash your car window and steal your CDs because they really like Bon Jovi. They don’t break into your house at night for grocery money. Gangs aren’t funded by selling cookies. It’s drugs! They all want the money to buy drugs. It really is as simple as that. You get the addicts and sellers into jail, and your crime rate plummets. Gangs disappear, property crime drops, your streets are safer and cleaner. We’ve waited for “infrastructure” to solve the problem, and it hasn’t worked. It just keeps getting worse and worse. Lock these people up, FORCE them to get clean (it’s pretty hard to score drugs in prison, although admittedly not impossible), and society becomes safer.
@Kaitlyn:
I used to think like you: that maybe a good percentage of homeless people really are just honest, hardworking folks a little down on their luck. But after going on a few police ride-alongs and watching countless episodes of “Intervention,” I now realize the reality. Of course some homeless people are honest, hardworking people who are just down on their luck. But they’re not the ones you see panhandling on the corner, marinating in their own urine and vomit. The honest ones are at the shelter, eating a hot meal (the guy on the corner who claims he wants money for food is lying - he wants it for drugs. Food is freely available to him at the shelter). Or they’re at the counseling center, working on their resume. Or they’re cleaning themselves up for an interview, to try and drag themselves out of homeless poverty and back into productive society. But the bum on the corner doesn’t care about any of that. He’s lying to you to get your money. And if he doesn’t get enough to score a hit of heroin by the end of the day, he’s just going to smash the window of a local store (or some poor individual’s home) and steal what he needs to afford his next hit. I’ve seen it countless times.
And don’t give me the line about what percentage of homeless people have mental disorders. That’s a shameless mischaracterization of cause-and-effect. They HAVE mental illnesses BECAUSE they do drugs. Chronic drug abuse is widely known to cause various mental disorders, so it’s not like some poor schitzophrenic guy couldn’t hold a job and fell into drugs. He WAS a fully-functioning person who discovered huffing spray paint from a gym sock made the pain of unemployment go away, and now he’s messed up his brain. If he’s unable to turn his life around, then how much are YOU willing to pay to provide care for an individual who brought his problems on through his own poor choices? Personally, I’m not willing to spend one dime. But if he’s not able to at least play by the rules and not steal, I AM willing to pay for lifetime accomodations at a barbed-wire federal institution.
I’m not a cold-hearted person, but I have absolutely no tolerance for someone willing to steal from others to satisfy their own selfish desires, regardless of what “problems” the poor, poor soul has had. We shouldn’t be coddling society’s weak. That’s not how you strengthen the herd.
November 26th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Reading these comments has really hit home with me and my husband. However, we are experiencing kind of an opposite situation. We have given and given and have become exhausted. This isn’t a brag, however, for the past few years we have both been cub scout den and pack leaders, Sunday school teachers, church deacons, and PTA parents. We also volunteer one week during the summer at a church camp. All of these volunteer opportunities require loads of time planning and doing and since I am “crafty” I spend loads of money at Dollar Trees on little things here and there for the scouts and kids at church. Since October we have given to our church roof fund, stuffed stockings for troops with the scouts, made bird feeders, donated canned foods and money to the turkey fund at church and school, donated to and shopped for coats for children in need, worked the turkey dinner, decorated at church, . . the list goes on and on. . and we also constantly use a ton of paper and printer ink on Sunday School lessons and scout lessons. Honestly, we have become tired and bitter . . we have become burdened by “to whom much is given much is required” . . . all of December revolves around us giving our time and attention to others . . teaching at church, organizing food baskets for families in need, packing shoe boxes for Haiti, doing the scout Christmas party for 53 kids . . and all those little trips to the Dollar Tree for gift bags, poster board and whatever else we need for scouts, etc. is really adding up. We have learned recently the importance of knowing when the well has run dry. It’s great to give but important to stop to put on our own oxygen masks every once and awhile. There is no way for us to continue giving unless we take a break to recharge. I always felt that was selfish but now I’m realizing it’s the only way we can continue to be givers . . . balance.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Wow, Kevin #75. You may not be cold hearted, but that is a cynical, cynical perspective you’ve got there. I don’t know what horrible experiences you had that put such a dark spin on the human condition, but I know a lot of people who are dark and cynical, and your discussion was a little shocking even in comparison.
I work in a city emergency department, so I see plenty of the homeless folks and other people who are un- or underemployed and in need of help, people who can’t afford medical care and so forth. I think you’ve forgotten about a third group of people out there. There are the hardworking and honest who are having hard luck, and there are the drug-addicted criminals, yes. I’ve seen and taken care of many from both of those contingents. But there is also a third group of mentally ill homeless people who simply don’t have the skills to get jobs and function, but we don’t have much in the way of psychiatric help for people anymore so they just hang out on the streets. Some of them even seem happy to be there and are generally good natured and harmless individuals who don’t try to hurt and steal from people, they just don’t have jobs or houses or money. These are the folks who we hand a sandwich and a warm blanket to in the emergency department for a little while before sending them on their way. It’s cold up north here in the winter, and I don’t want these people to starve or die in the snow. They’re human beings even though they don’t live their lives the same way the rest of us do. A lot of them have PTSD or crippling other mental problems that have developed, not from using drugs, but from undergoing unbelievable abuse, sexual assaults, or other traumatic events at the hands of others. If you sit down and hear their stories, you’d be horrified at what these people have gone through. Being beaten with all sorts of things, burned, raped, seeing family members tortured, or even serving in the military and watching many people die. These things haunt and handicap people and make it very difficult for them to get through the rest of their lives in a normal way. I don’t know that I could hold up after being through what they’ve been though.
I still don’t give money to people who ask for it on the street, because as many have said, it makes more sense to give to charities that help those who live on the street. But I believe your characterization of all homeless as either drug addicts hell bent on criminal lifestyles who need to be locked in jail forever, or people who are normal folks who just need to get a job and buy a home, is very inaccurate.
I’ve also seen plenty of people recover from drug and alcohol problems through rehab, and I think your idea that the only way to cure addiction is by sending people to jail is completely misplaced and basically, just cruel. A lot of these people are not necessary hurting others, just ruining their own lives. They may have fallen into drugs because of some of the reasons I’ve stated above (abuse, torture, terrible trauma during childhood or adolescence). I think the less cold hearted approach is to admit that jail is not therapy, and that it is not part of a just and fair society to lock people away for life due to minor infractions of the law.
Thanks to all of those who help the less fortunate. It really does make a difference in the world.
November 27th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
If you don’t want to give money, then give something. Food and drink - muesli bars, a juice carton, hot coffee on a cold day. Or, echoing Morah Mary, give gloves or socks (homeless people wear their few clothes hard, and don’t have great drying facilities). Give sanitary supplies (if people won’t give money, how are homeless women to pay for them). Or old books (sometimes homeless people are bored into alcoholism).
Or just a cigarette. Smoking’s bad for the health, sure, but being outcast is worse. The damage done by one cigarette is more than offset by the good of a little _ordinary_ kindness. The kindness is the most important thing: $10 is way too much, for the reasons stated, but $1 is most likely better than giving nothing, if all you have to give is money.
Talk to a damned homeless person. Some have really interesting stories to tell. Some will leave you awed by their ability to take a terrible life lightly. Some are pains in the bum, but a few minutes with a lonely pain in the bum isn’t that big a cost. Like someone said, if God appeared right now, and all he wanted was 10 minutes of your time, you’d ask “is that all?”. (NB: what Amy @76 says is important. Too many 10 minutes add up to burnout. Not enough add up to constipation of the soul.)
Other ways to give, besides conventional volunteering:
Teach a child, any child, to carve, cook, sew, garden, dance.
Make someone laugh.
Send a postcard to a sick or lonely friend.
Walk a sick neighbour’s dog. Pick up their prescription at the chemist.
Bake a cake for a Macmillan coffee morning.
Send a campaigning letter or email for a cause you support. Send a greetings card to a prisoner of conscience. (In the UK, Amnesty International has a greetings campaign over the holiday season.)
Donate spare craft supplies, lino offcuts, picture calendars, stationery to a pre-school.
Knit for premature babies - give to any special care baby unit -, or for an animal shelter.
Take your neighbour’s bin out when you take your own.
Give someone a lift.
Give your seat up on the bus.
Put a poster for a fund-raiser in your window.
In the UK, give left over paint to http://www.communityrepaint.org.uk, give old tools to http://www.workaid.org/
November 27th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
‘Tis the season to think of others. Your post is timely, J.D. But no harm in benefiting yourself, too, by taking advantage of tax deductions that might be available to you through your charitable donations. I recently summarized a few ways to reduce your tax bill:
http://www.scienceandmoney.com/2009/11/23/giving-thanks-and-a-little-bit-more/
And StorchMoney (#48) got it right. You cannot deduct the value of your donated services. I hope Karen (#23) continues to do the pro bono work — the gift of your time, energy, experience, and enthusiasm is the greatest gift of all.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:02 am
Oy, Kevin #75, when you spend too much time on TV and organizations that singularly focus on crime, drugs and drug abusers, that is the worldview that will become your truth. But it is not in sync with reality. Come to New York and learn a little about homelessness.
Here, you’ll learn how, with average rent near the $2000-range and job losses at an all-time high (with the financial sector based here, perhaps the highest in the nation), it is incredibly easy to become homeless. Physicians, teachers, professions of all stripes, are finding it difficult to keep or find jobs while keeping a roof over their heads. Many choose to avoid shelters due to the culture at some of the shelters.
The majority of people facing homelessness do so because of family breakdown or violence at home, eviction or financial difficulty, including job loss.
In order to be truly charitable, one must keep one-sided judgment in check, while exercising common sense. Maybe spend a few weekends in a soup kitchen….that will shed some light on your theories about homelessness. I also suggest reading the incredibly inspiring stories of the CNN heroes.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Great post and interesting comments. I will disagree slightly with the food bank volunteering - many food banks in my area need folks YEAR ROUND and in fact are swamped with more volunteers than they can handle at the holidays.
If being a mentor is too much commitment for you, you can find other volunteer opportunities at http://www.volunteermatch.org/
I really do encourage everyone who can possibly manage to squeeze even an extra $10/month for a local charity. Many small organizations are struggling and cash (even in small amounts) is so helpful. Trust me you will feel GREAT.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Also - GREAT comment! Living in an apartment, I do NOT need more stuff so my friends and family have developed various traditions of charitable giving instead of more clutter!
Slackerjo Says:
November 25th, 2009 at 6:52 am
Everyone in my family is at a place in life where we really don’t NEED more stuff. So I try and encourage charitable donations instead of Christmas gifts.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:12 am
How about writing to a soldier overseas? This is one site that helps, but I am sure there are many more. Doesn’t cost money, but helps.
http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html
November 28th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Lots of posters here have remarked that homeless people are basically to blame for their situation. Please, realize that the US has an atrocious system for “dealing with” people who have serious mental illnesses and addictions. We simply do not take care of the people who really, genuinely need help. Acting like that is THEIR fault is counterproductive. I’m not sure if giving them money will really help their situation, but I do know that blaming all homeless people for their plight is simply wrong.
November 28th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Kevin, I wonder if your perspective would change if you met a homeless vet.
Vets routinely get screwed out of their health care, monetary benefits for disabilities they incurred while fighting wars the taxpayers backed, and suffer much more from PTSD and other really debilitating problems compared to the population at large. I’m sorry you think so badly of these people…please open your eyes and realize that there are lots of people who didn’t start out trying to mooch off the government, but still ended up homeless. I hope you realize this soon.
November 28th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
http://www.ted.com/talks/becky_blanton_the_year_i_was_homeless.html
I admit to being a TED addict, and am including a link to a talk by Becky Blanton that she presented at TEDGlobal this year. While she may not fit the stereotype of “homeless” for some (she lived with her dog out of her van for a year), she has terrific insight into the psychology of homelessness.
There are some interesting reader comments, as well, where Becky states: “The mentally ill, the addicts, their chances of getting off the street are almost non-existent. Those who are working, struggling, wanting to get off the street, willing to do what it takes - need help. That was my point. That there are many homeless who want off the street and are willing and able to get off the street if they don’t give up hope and if they can meet those who can give them hope. My message is - offer hope if you have it to give.”
November 29th, 2009 at 6:49 am
Another way to give when times are tough is to become a foster parent. Not only will you be meeting a need in your community, you can get paid for it too.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
I always try to give away a healthy smile and a genuine compliment or thanks both to those who deserve it and those who need some cheers in their day.
November 30th, 2009 at 3:14 am
midwest bird: I truly hope that anyone who considers becoming a foster parent doesn’t do it to “get paid”. I’m sure you realize that many foster children have various issues, and some have experienced downright horrifying situations. A prospective foster parent needs to do it for the right reasons, and getting paid isn’t one of them. What a tactless suggestion!
December 1st, 2009 at 3:57 pm
We also got ripped off by a fake homeless person. We were going to take out-of-town guests on a Christmas carriage ride, and my husband gave money to a man panhandling nearby. He proceeded to chat up my husband, telling him how he has an apartment nearby and makes enough begging at the holidays to not have to work the rest of the year.
December 17th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Meals on Wheels, which is often the only thing that keeps an infirm individual out of a nursing home, could also always use volunteers, if your schedule allows it. The time commitment is very low (typically 1 hr a week), but they have a hard time getting enough packers/drivers because they do their delivery in the late morning. Great for grad students and freelancers. And in a bad economy, programs for seniors are often the first things to get cut, because there are few regulations that require them.