May 16, 2011 / Topic Ideas

Should you help homeless people? Why or why not?

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  1. Yes, I would help a homeless person because you would never know one day that maybe you in that situation or similar and you would want someone to help you.

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  2. Well I am not opposed to helping the homeless as long as I know that the $ I give them is actually going to go towards food and not booze or drugs.

    Best thing to do and this is from experience tell them you will take them somewhere to get something to eat, take them and make sure they eat. If they refuse then you know not to give them your hard earned cash.

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    1. What does it matter what a homeless person spends a pittance on. I would certainly need some help to get through another merciless, grinding day were I to ever be in such an unfortunate position. Best wishes.

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  4. This is a loaded question, and not at all fair. Of course you should help homeless people. And no, you should not help homeless people. What I mean is, like has been mentioned already, do help by providing food. You can do this most easily by donating to your food bank. Those homeless people who stand on roadsides with signs, in my opinion, are largely looking for cash handouts and not really looking for help. You can best help them by encouraging them to use social services that can actually help them, not by feeling sorry for them and giving them money, which gets spent on booze, cigarettes and food that provides little nutrition.

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  5. This is one of those situations, I believe, where you just really need the Holy Spirit’s guidance. I agree that it is best to give for the actual need (as in, food as opposed to cash) whenever possible. If a smile is all you have, that won’t hurt an honest person, either! Homeless people are, after all, people. Yes, there are those who are homeless by choice or of their own fault…I believe God is the Judge; my part is to listen to His call. Our family has been homeless before–it can be a trying experience.

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  6. • I think if you are in a position to where you can help someone who is in need then that’s exactly what you should do.

    There are people out there who just can’t help but to be homeless. There are those out there that haven’t lost everything due to drugs consuming all their money. Life is not fair… especially to those that are homeless.

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  7. Yes, resoundingly! people should not have to suffer for the necessaries of life.
    However I NEVER give to a beggar on the side of the road or on a sidewalk, especially if they have a pet. There are plenty of places to find help, if they are not using those places it is generally because they don’t want to follow the rules.

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  8. I was homeless for 3 years and it was a force that took me in so strongly offering me, no responsibility, no bills to pay, no prejudices to cold or hot and the desire to be anywhere anytime. Until, somebody tap me on my shoulders and asked me if I was ok?, that woke my senses to such a reality like if I had been naked all that time, that I decided to get a job and get my life back .

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  9. if we look back to the movie “Pass it Forward”that would give all the answer. It is rewarding to help others, being able to give in a humane way is an emotion we all should be able to experience. To me its better to give than recieve, You get out of life what you put into it, as they say treat others as you would want to be treated also. So yes we should help all and any one in need.

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  10. The word “homeless” brings to the mind of any one whose conscience is alive the need to offer whatever you can in your capacity. However, just like Sheila said, you need to be sensitive sometimes to really know who is truly homeless, and individuals who out of the attitude of “irresponsibility” left their homes just to become parasites on the society. King Solomon said “wisdom is profitable to direct”.

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  11. The question begs for more than a answer.. There are many forms of Help, but a Hand-Out is not one of them! I worked @ the Gospel Mission of St. Paul for over 16+ years, and have seen my share of what we call homeless. The word itself means without a shelter, or proper structure in which we are safe, secure, and comfortable.
    Homelessness is on the rise again, and it is ridiculous we as a Nation even have such a problem. Vagabonds, or rail bums, are totally a different mater and would not consider themselves homeless, but everyday families who have lost everything, because of No Jobs, No Insurance, Foreclosures should not be put into a Labeling situation.
    I can only hope we as a Nation and a people continue to offer assistance through better programs, more understanding, more jobs, and Never Ever a Hand-Out… We have our Pride after all!

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  12. Sometimes yes sometimes no. Use wisdom and caution. You will undoubtedly be fooled at times but there is deception in every part of life. I brought a homeless mam into my home and looked after him for a year. He was a special needs person that no one wanted to help. Through out the years in our small town he had burnt all his bridges so to speak along with burning other buildings down but he was in desperate need (although he wasn’t able to fully comprehend this) of someone to help him out. To make an extremely long and trying story short the end result is he is now in the care of a special needs persons agency living with another support home. He calls my husband and I often, we have him over for Christmas and I get him to play Santa. I think we all have to give greater consideration to people who are less fortunate especially when they are not pleasant to look at or be around. We really need to consider and be thankful if we have been blessed at birth with our mental health and enjoy the luxury of a home and food.

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  13. Yes, but if I was answering this based solely on my experiences with homeless people peddling for money, I’d say no.

    As recently as a week ago, I told myself I wouldn’t hand over anymore spare dollars or change when I saw the woman who said “I’m just so hungry”, stroll right into 7 Eleven for a tall can. And not a can of iced tea. Sorry, I’m not supporting your mission to kill your liver.

    Second example that makes me say this happened a few weeks earlier while I was at a car wash. A dirty man, just a few feet away from his home (a shopping cart) gained my sympathy by telling me how he hadn’t eaten in days.

    I told him “no” to his request for money, but told him to come on over to Wendy’s with me and I’d buy him a meal. He was indignant, scrunched his nose and said “never mind, I don’t like their food”.

    Saying all of this – I’ll help by donating clothes, volunteering my time or grabbing a meal for one, but won’t hand over any money to support what likely, is a habit of some kind.

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  14. This is one of those polemical topics that can get people riled up quickly…
    I see homeless people on the subway and in the city regularly. Most are happy to be acknowledged, offered some food or money. Many have fallen on hard times or are on the street due to mental health issues.
    Some are there because of substance abuse but at the end of the day, all are human and deserving of our generosity of spirit. I believe we can help by not judging them and by offering our compassionate assistance when feasible.
    There but for the grace of God go all of us..!

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  15. Give me a break!! I pay my taxes and I don’t think is MY duty to help homeless people. The problem is not helping them directly but to learn to vote on the rigth politicians who should provide good social assistance for those in need…

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  18. We are all in need of help. That one would have to ASK if the homeless should be helped is something I find distressing. So many of us call ourselves Christians yet live so unlike Christ – who, by the way, would have helped the homeless.
    Morally, yes the homeless should be helped to find and secure shelter, food and medical care. Those of us with homes need help in understanding how fortunate we truly are along with help in acknowledging the need for being ‘thy brother’s keeper.’

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  19. Absolutely. There are many ways to assist those that do not have the advantages that we have. Clothing, food, misc. donations, service work, etc. that everyone is able to do to help.
    On an individual basis, that is a personal call, as some really need the help and other are, for lack of better words, just slackers. So you have to decide on a case by case basis.
    Do something to help your fellow man, something! Anything! Be a caring individual and set a goal to do one thing @ least one time per month for your fellow man!

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  20. Es poco distinguible sobre Ayudar a alguien, que es consecuencia de una desgracia inesperada; que ayudar a alguien en desgracia, a consecuencia de malos hábitos y que aún orientándole sigue en el mismo camino. Ambos lo necesitan pero hay casos en que abusan de la ayuda que se les pueda dar. Las ayudas debieran ser, para que luego se puedan valer por ellos mismos.

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  21. Eu sempre ajudo as pessoas sem teto, principalmente tirando roupas minhas e do meu marido, doamos sempre tudo o que não usamos.
    Eu tenho um ditado que diz, o que não te serve mais para a outra pessoa vale muito.
    Abraços a todos!
    Mina!

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  22. hai friend,
    do you know? in our country, homeless is a very common problem.
    and whether you know, the $ 1/day is the income of thousands of people in Indonesia and possibly other third world in this world. Our government may deny this statement. but this is reality. with $ 1, a father feed his wife and children in a day. I really wanted to help the homeless. although I only have a net income of $ 100/month, but I still try to help them. because my situation is still better than them. and one of the motivations of my life today, trying to become rich, to give as much to someone more needy.

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  23. of course! Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers that you do unto me – Jesus . We are supposedly all brothers and sisters in Christ so ya .

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  24. If you can help feed or put clothes on them I agree but for cash I think labor or there rehabilitation be involved.let me refrase that not cash but a gift card with there name on it.alot of people receiving. Wellfare to other programs could do community service. Why is that so bad. If your working and need help okay.but not working just looking for a handout I don’t agree.

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  27. Hi my name is Najhae Johnson and I go to GEORGE WHORTON PEPPER MIDDLE SCHOOL and I am doing a report on homeless people.Asking people why are they homeless god put houses on earth for us all.So I am trying to say help the homeless.No matter what.I am 11yrs old and I want to make a big difference Thank You if you read this

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  28. Hi Najhae Johnson, What a wonderful subject to do your report on! Thanks for sharing with everyone. Wishing you all the best in life and many blessings!

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  29. I think everyone should help someone in need, if they are able to do so. It is not your duty, of course but I know if I was down and out I would appreciate any help I could get.

    It’s interesting that some people want the government to help the homeless but they don’t want their taxes raised to help them.

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