Here's a news flash: When you hand street corner beggars money -- you're not helping them. Why do we have homeless shelters? Why do we have organizations like the Red Cross and the YMCA, etc? To help those unfortunates who are seeking help. The bums (yes, I said "bums") on the corner fit into one of two categories:
   • Truly need help and should seek it via a community, state or federal program
          or
   • Are making so much money that they don't need yours.

Now, obviously, if you feel a beggar falls into the second category, you wouldn't give them money, would you? You have your own rent or house note, car payment, credit card debt and kids to raise. These folks need to get a "legitimate" job and work for their money just like the rest of us. You didn't take them to raise!

If you feel that they fall into the "truly needy" category, stop and think for a moment. Do they have a drug or alcohol problem that may have led to their homelessness or financial demise? If so...guess where your "donation" is going to be spent. Perhaps their homelessness is caused by plain ol' laziness. Is your money going to be spent on a new suit to provide a better appearance for that next job interview? Uh, no. Check out the guy at the corner of Oak Lawn and Stemmons here in Dallas. His sign says "Why lie? I need a beer." Thanks for the honesty, but don't buy his beer!

Sure, you're thinking, "Mr. Will here can identify the problem, but what about a solution?" It's simple. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS. It is their sole purpose to provide community support and most of these programs are severly underfunded in most cases.

You know what to do now. (And it's not hand your money to bums.) It's a bad practice and it simply perpetuates the "homeless" population crowding our street corners.

- Will Belden, Feb. 21, 2002