Ethics dilemma: I give to 3 charities each year, yet I ignore a homeless person in my neighborhood.?

Question

I consider myself a humanitarian. I contribute to three charities every year. I feel empathy for the homeless and can see that the problem is increasing nationwide (especially here in Hawaii).

Yet each day I ignore a homeless man who "lives" in a tiny park behind my condo building. When I take my daily walk I pass right by him. He is challenged because he usually talks to himself. Rain or shine that poor man is out there by himself. He must be terribly lonely.

My thing is I don't want to get involved. I am busy and I don't want any obligation. But when I walk past him each day I feel guilty and hypocritical. After all, "charity begins at home".

Any suggestions/comments?

Answer 1

it's really sad to hear this. Our country can spend billions on a war, yet not have sufficient funding to take care of the mentally ill. Most homeless people have an issue with mental illness, whether it be depression, alcoholism, drug addiction or schizophrenia.. I believe that helping a homless person is very meaningful....If you decide to help him here are some suggestion:
1. Don't give cash to a homeless person.
If a person is hungry, give food, coupons or gift certificates to restaurants or grocery stores, or refer him or her to an agency that can provide food and shelter. Our Homeless Currency Card is a useful way to share our services.

2. Talk to them with respect.
Taking time to talk with a homeless person in a friendly, respectful manner gives anyone a sense of dignity.

3. Recognize that homeless people (and their problems) are not all the same.
The person you meet could be a battered woman, an addicted veteran, someone who is lacking job skills, and the list goes on. Encourage the person to get help through a mission. Rescue missions offer immediate food and shelter, and many, like us, offer long-term rehabilitation programs that deal with the

Answer 2

Sounds Like A Lot Of Us...
Almost everyone I know are in such a hurry and are so busy that we can't find the time to do what our conscience is showing us.
Sounds like you have the gift of giving and healing helps. What a wonderful gift. What we don't realize sometimes is that the gift is calling out for improvement or more rightly said...your gift may be calling out for closer development. Think about it... if at work or even dealing with our own project or business. To make anything more productive hands on is paramount, overseeing is dedication to a greater end result.
My friend your gift is simply calling out for closer attention and
relationship. That does not mean that you have to sleep in the park with him and give up your day job. It does mean that a closer relationship is needed in this part of your training and nurturing your gifts. We can keep going around the mountain until we limp or we can move it. Knowledge is not always enough...wisdom, wisdom...Wisdom is knowledge rightly applied. A problem solved.
You have the spirit of the good Samaritan, something that is sorely missing in the neighborhood.
May I share the following with you, from my personal life...
And by the way, I am glad you are there.

Years Later
As I was plunging even racing toward my destiny, I can now see and account for the times that passed me by. Not unnoticed, but selfishly equipped to handle it at the time. You see I had to hurry. Now years later looking back on precious times realizing now there could have been so much more. I miss you, I missed you then, and I can’t have you now. But paradise and eternity is still to come, and awaits our arrival and our loving reunion.
All fear is gone…only perfect love.
Make the most of your present because thats all we have right now!
Be Blest Today.

And That...Is The News...Daniel

Answer 3

You cannot keep walking past this man and ignoring the fact that he needs help---probably not only with daily necessities, but also it sounds like he might need some psychiatric care--If you give to other charities, it shouldnt be any big deal to call a caseworker for the aged if he is older, or just call your local police department and ask them what you could do to help him, they might have an idea of someone or someplace that could help him without getting yourself involved or getting him in trouble....if you are just going to call him in as homeless and complain or just to say that he has problems--dont bother....if you truly have a little time to take out of your life to help someone that really needs help, then do the right thing and help this poor guy out. Maybe he has people who love him that he just cant get to.....other agencies might be able to suggest something--without taking a lot of time or effort you might be able to change this mans life.....i would never pass by him every day without trying to help him---making calls and asking local agencies wont take that much of your time to do--I see that you have thought about how it must feel to be him, so I see that you do have a good heart...put it to use and help out someone that might not ever have anyone else that will take just a little time out their comfortable life to help him--You probably wont get too many pats on the butt for helping him, but the reward that you might get to feel in your heart and the blessing from God that you might get when you need a hand up, just might be worth it all!! Go ahead and do the right thing and you will be happy that you did!!

Answer 4

I have the exact same problem. I pass the same handful of people daily on my way to work in the city, and the most I do is give them the bag of chips from my lunch that I don't want anyway. I'm afraid to get involved. I'm more likely to give to someone that's off my path than to the pople I see all the time because I'm terrified of them asking for more and more and more.

I had it happen with a panhandler who frequents the corner where I used to drive in to work. I started making him an extra peanut butter or cheese sandwich, or a baggie full of the sweets my mother-in-law would give us. At first he was appreciative, but when he started recognizing me he kept asking for money, which would clearly go to support his alcohol problem (I had seen him several times in the liquor store). So I stopped altogether and I'm jaded since then. He still panhandles on that corner and I sometimes wonder if I should bring him a cookie or something, but I feel the need to detach myself from him emotionally.

The fact that you care enough to ask is a big deal. You're compassionate, and that's more than a lot of people can say. At least that's how I rationalize it in my head.

Answer 5

Yours is an experience most of us who are kind-hearted, go through. It is indeed a dilemma.
Maybe there is an organisation in your area which deals with homeless people or people who need psychiatric care. If you could spend a little time to find out and check if such an organisation (that should be a genuine one too) exists, you could contact them and ask them to see if this poor man could be looked after. It also may happen that some of these people don't want to get the help of others and for reasons best known to them, would like to continue to lead this type of life - I have come across cases of this type too.
If an organisation is willing to help this man, you could see if you can give some donation to that organisation to help out this man, to start with. Without getting involved with him, you could try to monitor his progress with that organisation and help him more if you feel like it.
You have enlarged your definition of home to mean your neighbourhood, and this is wonderful. The problem with a lot of people is that 'home' is defined to be our immediate family, and even if the normal needs of the family are met, there are some family members who don't approve of your type of charity to outsiders saying that their additional needs have to be met first!
The spirit of sacrifice that is needed from people to help others in conditions that are far worse than ours, is what truly distinguishes charity from an obligation or duty to the family. A human being cannot be selfish all the time; people need to give up at least a little of what they have, for the welfare of those less fortunate than themselves, without expecting anything in return. That is being 'humane'. The satisfaction that one gets from doing this is priceless, and mentally very stimulating..
I wholeheartedly commend your concern for our poor and unfortunate brethren.

Answer 6

It is understandable that you want to distance yourself from the reality of poverty and misery. However; what would it hurt to help this guy a little, he sounds harmless and has some mental health issues. Sometimes what bothers us when we lie down to sleep is not what we did that particular day but what we did not do.

Answer 7

it's great you give to charities.

maybe someday you can do something to help the homeless man in your neighborhood.

at least you're concerned. i'm homeless have two sisters and they couldn't care less and are not the least bit concerned about me.

Answer 8

You're doing your part. If the homeless man wants help, there are places he can go to get it.