- Oct 2, 2011
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I live in Toronto. I have a lot of personal experiences with the homeless. I am writing about my real-life close encounters with them.
Homelessness is a complex issue due to the many varieties of reasons people become homeless: jobless, mental, drug, addiction, abuse, etc. None of us is competent to deal with all these complex issues. However, here are some guiding principles from the Scriptures:
Proverbs 19:
The Canadian government provides financial assistance for basic necessities. Local non-profit organizations provide further support.
Giving money to local food banks is better than giving food yourself to a homeless person because the food banks have purchasing and bargaining power. They can buy groceries and food for less than half the price you would pay. In 2023, Second Harvest in Toronto claimed that every dollar they raised provided three meals for needy people. You can also be involved in their preparation and distribution of food.
From my experience, I can tell you that their #1 need is Jesus. Homeless or not, we are all sinners. Be kind and volunteer to help out in shelters and tell them about the good news gently and lovingly.
If you want to be efficient about it, there is no need to go alone. Give your money to an organization and get involved with the homeless.
Homelessness is a complex issue due to the many varieties of reasons people become homeless: jobless, mental, drug, addiction, abuse, etc. None of us is competent to deal with all these complex issues. However, here are some guiding principles from the Scriptures:
Proverbs 19:
Mat 25:
Most of today's homeless people are not the same kind of poor people described in the Bible. If you want to maximize the effectiveness of your time, money, and other resources on the homeless, I recommend working with some professional organizations or with your home church instead of going it by yourself.
The Canadian government provides financial assistance for basic necessities. Local non-profit organizations provide further support.
Giving money to local food banks is better than giving food yourself to a homeless person because the food banks have purchasing and bargaining power. They can buy groceries and food for less than half the price you would pay. In 2023, Second Harvest in Toronto claimed that every dollar they raised provided three meals for needy people. You can also be involved in their preparation and distribution of food.
From my experience, I can tell you that their #1 need is Jesus. Homeless or not, we are all sinners. Be kind and volunteer to help out in shelters and tell them about the good news gently and lovingly.
If you want to be efficient about it, there is no need to go alone. Give your money to an organization and get involved with the homeless.
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