I got a story to tell...

In my young years, I remember a winter (near Christmas time I think) when all of us went out to go shopping, and we went to a Burger King to grab some lunch. Well, there was this old homeless man sitting on the corner, shivering from the cold, and looked very hungry. We all ordered, got our food, and sat down. We ate, finished pretty quickly, and was about to go on our merry way, when dad saw the guy again. My dad, without hesitation, got back up and went back in line to order another meal...a Whopper w/cheese to go. Upgraded to large coffee too. We got in the car, and dad walked over to the man, handed him his hot coffee and fresh meal, smiled, and said "Merry Christmas Sir". I could tell it really made the guys day.

Dad gets into the car, starts it up, and we head out. I look over to where the man was, and he was gone...not a trace of him. I asked dad why he did what he did, and he said "Well, you never know who it is you are helping out. It could be a guy down on his luck, lost his job and house...or it could be angel, or God himself. Who knows...one day that could be YOU, or ME. Wouldn't you want someone to shed some good fotune your way?"

Edit - second part of story. After my breakup with a girl back in '02, I WAS homeless. I lived in my SUV, took showers at the local college gymnasium, and ate very little. Luckily, I got to go back to school through the VA, and now here I am...good career path, a home of my own, and cars I own outright (except for the Malibu). And I always "pass it on" when I can....

How good does a cup of coffee smell if you havent had one in a while, its not changing the world thats the goal but making a person smile. Last time i was in Cali ( well last time i was int he US for that matter I was able to do something similar... On my way to pick up Donuts (we dont have good ones in Germany) i saw a woman who was setting up for a day of standing with her sign, I somehow missed the young child with her. I bought an extra Coffee, threw some sugar and cream in the bag and 4 extra donuts ( figured it was a real nice breakfast then lol) and as I drove back towards home gave them to her, she moved that blanket off the kid and i about cried ( no wonder I felt 4 was the right number!) I handed her the coffee and then heard the car behind me asking the woman if the little girl needed a warm drink, at the next light the car pulled up next to me, he had seen me buy the food and coffee ut had also noticed the kid and grabbed a hot chocolate as well.

I saw the woman again the next week, she smiled and waved this time I was grabbing Taco Bell... grabbed some for them too, she seemed so touched, said it was so much better than some change becasue apparently someone was stealing her change everynight... therefore the kid didnt usually get breakfast.

Long story I know but we can all do little things that make lasting impressions on someones hearts! Plus its fun making people smile, brightens your day too

Well, I didn't want to get too Biblical. as I try no t o use this Forum as my personal pulpit. But since you brought up that excellent story, I'd thought I'd share a few applicable verses.
Matthew 25:35-40 KJV
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Okay, I'll drop the Biblical references now, as I don't want this to spin out of control, but you get my point.

Great story. It is stuff like this that helps restore my faith in humanity, at least for a short while.

I have a different persective on this. I give money either way If I have some on me. I have never gave food. But I would if I had some. Here is something to look at:

4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink,(A)

5Lest they drink and forget the law and what it decrees, and pervert the justice due any of the afflicted.

6Give strong drink [as medicine] to him who is ready to pass away, and wine to him in bitter distress of heart.

7Let him drink and forget his poverty and [seriously] remember his want and misery no more.

Proverbs 31.

So what I am getting at is People that are hurting need to get saved or if they refuse keep drinking. Yea I brought Christianty into this but thats what I live by.

Or give them Money and they can go buy some bad drugs and wind up going crazy and hurting or killing someone

Yes, Ryan, that can and does happen occasionally. :?
Form my viewpoint, and I know others will agree, that is called "free will"
It has caused problems since the very beginning, and we have to live with the consequences.
In no way am I intending to start a religious debate here.
Simply, think of it this way...
it'* like parenting. you can raise a child into it'* teens, and try your best to educate and enlighten them as how to be a mature, responsible adult, but you can not guarantee they will never make a poor choice.

But whether you help with food, a kind smile, money, what ever, like I have said, I just hope that we can be a positive difference if just for a short while.

The way i look at it is.

1: this person is out on the street with no home or food.
2: What does this person really need? Food or Money?

The person cant do anything with money but either A. buy food or B. Buy Drugs or Booze.

They really need the food because they have no money to pay for Food, So i say Skip the step and just give them the food witch is what they really need.

“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime"

It means that if you simply give food to a poor, needy man, it is the least you can do for him. He will not be hungry today, However, he will get hungry tomorrow again. If you teach a man to get food by himself or, in other words, to earn money to get food and other things he needs, it means a real, full-scale help to him for his lifetime.

Very good point. But at least Ryan is willing to do something
Much better than just walking by and continuing on with our lives as if we are too good or too busy to care.

I have always thought that if I ever came in to a large sum of money, I would love to start a back to work program for the homeless.
You can argue what you will about how they ended up in their condition, but no matter what, no one should be living on the streets. There is far too much abundance in our Country for that.
If you think about it, how does a homeless person get a job??
They don't exactly have an address and phone number to put on an application.
NO matter how skilled someone is, that doesn't mean it is easy to just get a job.
Sure, some people may choose to go jobless because they are too proud to take a lesser job, and that is their choice. You can not help everyone, but that does not mean we shouldn't try.
I would love to have an apartment type complex, and allow people to stay there in exchange for employment in a business that I would own, whether it is a fast food chain or whatever. ( I got this idea when I worked at a McDonalds in the city where we saw our fair share of this)
If they wanted to work then they would have a roof over their heads.
I would also encourage growth in the way of education, rehabilitation, or on the job training so they may move on to bigger and better things.
I guess it is pretty much what the Salvation Army already does, but they do not have the resources to help everyone who needs it.