It looks like God has called me to serve the poor, and help get them back on their feet

[JohnB445]

I am not here to serve the rich, but the poor. I am living comfortably and have enough money. Sometimes hungry homeless people walk by me and ask me to help them with food.

What is the best way I can help? I have bought a homeless person some Mcdonalds fries before, the worker at Mcdonalds asked me to stop doing that because I will attract more homeless people to their location. So I'm not 100% sure, should I just give them a address to a soup kitchen?

 

[High Fidelity]

If you want to use some of your additional wealth to help the poor then there are lots of ways you can help. Buying food for food banks is a good way to help.

 

[RamiC]

Where I am, on-the-streets homeless people usually really appreciate someone stopping for a chat. Ask their name, get to know them like they are a person. Do not do this if it is not safe, I don't know if you are encountering people who might be carrying a weapon, or out of their minds on a drug. Just saying, if it is not dangerous, befriending them might help. Also, don't let MaCD's see you buying food, I just take food from my home, or church, or work (the latter two seem to produce more than they need fairly often). I have cardboard takeaway boxes ready to hand it out.

Find out who they are.

(Ignore me if this post missed your point.)

 

[PloverWing]

You might consider looking for a local organization and working with them. In my area, opportunities include:

- A program based at one of our local Episcopal churches that gives out groceries once a month to individuals and families in need. The families come to the church to pick up groceries. Some of the food comes from a food bank, and some from individual donations. Volunteers pack the grocery bags and carry them out to the families' cars. Note that the volunteers don't have to be church members; they just have to be willing to carry grocery bags.

- A similar program at our local university that distributes fresh fruits and vegetables to the community, with the help of volunteers.

- An organization called Family Promise, which houses a handful of homeless families at a time, providing them with food and personal supplies for a few months while they work towards finding more permanent housing.

- Habitat for Humanity, which builds houses for people who lack housing.

These programs help hundreds of families in our county every month.

You live in a different state, but there might be programs like this in your area that you can volunteer with. Family Promise and Habitat for Humanity are national organizations, so they might have branches near you. The food distribution programs are local to our area, but there might be similar programs near you.

I think it's wonderful that you want to do this work. It's one of the things Jesus calls us to do.

 

[linux.poet]

should I just give them a address to a soup kitchen?

Depends on how close the soup kitchen is, and whether they serve food regularly. If I’m a homeless person and I’m hungry, I don’t want to walk further to a soup kitchen that may be closed. It’s actually better to connect them with organizations that offer showers and mailboxes, because that’s how they get out of that situation and get a job, but they may not be able to accept that gift if they are starving.

The best option is probably just to get some fresh fruit and vegetables and hand them out, like tomatoes or citrus fruit, and maybe some dried fruit or granola to take with them. You want to avoid food that they could be allergic to, like bread or peanuts. Bottles of water and cups of ice are also things they frequently need.

If you manage to get to know someone, Costco chickens are inexpensive and the food court is outside, which can be helpful. Taking them down to their local EBT office could help, if they are safe to ride in the car with you, because that will allow them to buy food regularly and not be dependent on your handouts forever. But you need to get to know them first, and giving some high-calorie vegetables and fruit is a good place to start.

 

[Richard T]

I worked for a social service agency and the biggest issue that was taught in giving out their monies was finding those with bona fide needs, especially needs that are beyond their control. Other suggest it is better to teach someone how to fish rather than just provide a meal. My point is that no one has unlimited resources. If you are going beyond just being casual, you will have to learn who to help and who to turn down. I would also add that I think it is important to let all recipients know that it is Christian charity from God. Otherwise, it might just be a good work, rather than a Christian service.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I am not here to serve the rich, but the poor. I am living comfortably and have enough money. Sometimes hungry homeless people walk by me and ask me to help them with food.

What is the best way I can help? I have bought a homeless person some Mcdonalds fries before, the worker at Mcdonalds asked me to stop doing that because I will attract more homeless people to their location. So I'm not 100% sure, should I just give them a address to a soup kitchen?

There used to be a homeless person who was near where I worked once and my husband and I bought him coffee and a breakfast sandwich every morning he was around.

However, we knew him and his actual history, and looking out for him was a community thing.

If you feel led to help others, you would be best served with helping donate some time or extra funds to soup kitchens or shelters where the homeless go, or food pantries and the like.

That is where the money and time does the most good, it's when we pool together for helping others in the best and most efficient ways.

 

[com7fy8]

There are muffin and coffee shops, burger places, donut places, convenience stores with food. I would think you can find where you can sit and share with someone while treating him or her to something. Otherwise, buy it and maybe find a place to picnic, which is in some nice fresh air, possibly. There is nothing wrong with eating in the fresh air.

Each homeless person is different. And my general impression is a homeless person needs to be able to do the things to get off the street . . . while you are a friend but not taking responsibility for getting the person housed and keeping someone there.

And get to know Christians and see who is mature and good for you, and see what those people are doing and you can join with them.

However, make sure you know what you are doing, with leaders and church members, also. Church culture people can have major issues, right while they can seem very active in helping the homeless.

And there are Christians who are working in homeless and recovery services. You can get to know them so you know who is ready to help a homeless person . . . who is ready.

And if you can find a genuine minister who is a native of where he or she, or the couple, is ministering and helping people, you can send a regular check to help that. I mean, a native missionary can be good, who has grown up in the area of ministry and knows the language. I have a couple like this. It's fun.

And you could be the one to start something. Like, where I was for a while, I think on Thursdays a van would just show up at a park in the evening and meet with homeless and give out sandwiches and blankets and clothes. And we would talk and have a good time. They weren't rescuing anyone, but they fit in fine at that time on Thursday evenings.

And a guy would minister and give handouts, out of his car trunk. He would just park by the street in pretty much the same area, whenever he came. I don't remember if he had a schedule or just came whenever. It does not take much to find a few blankets and clothes and make some sandwiches and include some fruit, maybe.

 

[eleos1954]

I am not here to serve the rich, but the poor. I am living comfortably and have enough money. Sometimes hungry homeless people walk by me and ask me to help them with food.

What is the best way I can help? I have bought a homeless person some Mcdonalds fries before, the worker at Mcdonalds asked me to stop doing that because I will attract more homeless people to their location. So I'm not 100% sure, should I just give them a address to a soup kitchen?

You could donate to food banks.

 

[timewerx]

I am not here to serve the rich, but the poor. I am living comfortably and have enough money. Sometimes hungry homeless people walk by me and ask me to help them with food.

What is the best way I can help? I have bought a homeless person some Mcdonalds fries before, the worker at Mcdonalds asked me to stop doing that because I will attract more homeless people to their location. So I'm not 100% sure, should I just give them a address to a soup kitchen?

You're doing great. Perhaps, find a more discreet way of giving food to the homeless.

Another thing you can do in addition to helping the homeless with their needs is to talk to them. Find out what they're good at. Things they love to do. Perhaps, you can help them turn it into an income-generating opportunity like helping them get a job with someone you know.

If they lack the required skills or requirements for a job, you can sponsor them to acquire the required skills.

Keep in mind that quality might be more important than quantity when it comes to helping people. You can either help many or help fewer but actually be able to get someone out of poverty permanently who can in-turn return the favor to other homeless people.

Turn a homeless person into someone like you, a person who turns the life around of other homeless people,