tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12249734.post111725917937389052..comments2007-05-21T09:00:44.306-07:00Chiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509734740570392546noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12249734.post-1121460099496708772005-07-15T13:41:00.000-07:002005-07-15T13:41:00.000-07:00I stopped handing out cash years ago. I was at college, in a friend's car driving through a nearby neighborhood. Some guy comes up and asks for a buck. Why not? So I give to him and drive off.<BR/><BR/>In my rear-view mirror, I saw him walk right into the state liquor store.<BR/><BR/>That was the last time that I gave somebody money. Today, I give to charities instead. In particular, I've been donating to <A HREF="http://www.openhand.org/" REL="nofollow">Project Open Hand</A> in San Francisco for the past couple of years, and have contributed my time and some food to <A HREF="http://www.2ndharvest.net/" REL="nofollow">Second Harvest</A> in the past. Both of these are ways to get people food rather than liquor or drug money.<BR/><BR/>I'd prefer to see people become part of society instead of subsisting on the fringe. And that means getting them fed, cleaned, and self-sustaining. Providing them with the means to avoid that is counter-productive, IMO.Greg Steinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13219354121450847311noreply@blogger.com