good samaritan or bad samaritan? (Homelessness and street begging)

Name: freud

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Product:	Homelessness and street begging
Date:	30/06/08 (44 review reads)
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i feel so bad when I see homeless people begging in the street - what do I do? give eye-contact and smile but walk past and not give anything? (eye-contact's difficult though when you are depressed isn't it?) or do I give them something even though sometimes there's a dog(how can you feed an animal as well as yourself when you are homeless?)or sometimes you see a bottle of plonk half-hidden - am i really helping this person?
I always think 'there for the grace of god go I....... and although we don't have much money now I do try to give something for a seemingly genuine case - some seem so be so desperate and I am so lucky
you hear about professional people who've lost their jobs - then suffer repossession,divorce etc & they end up on the streets..it could happen to anyone.
i met all sorts of homeless people when I helped at a sally army soup kitchen and there were several ex-sevicemen & a surprising numer of women
oviously the government should be responsible but I do give sometimes or offer cigs if I have any on me - what else can I do my friends??

Summary: to help or not to help orhow to help?!