Do you feel comfortable giving homeless and hungry people who beg on the streets your money? Why or why not?
The truth is, many people don’t, and the biggest reason I hear is that they don’t want the person spending money on drugs and alcohol instead of food.
There’s a really easy way to avoid this conundrum: Subway gift cards. You could do McDonalds, Wendy’s, Burger King, or whatever too. I like Subway because they have healthy food.
Five or six bucks can buy you a big, satisfying meal at a Subway, and with a gift card, you know where your money is going.
I think I’m going to start carrying a few cards around with me, and when I see someone begging on the street, drop a card into their collection cup. I encourage you to steal this idea if it resonates with you.
This video got me thinking… not necessarily about anything I’ve not thought about before, but the imagery is powerful.
Next time I walk by a homeless man, perhaps rather than looking away, or even giving him money, I should ask, “What is it that you really need?” It could be money. It could be a coat, or a blanket, or a sleeping bag. Maybe is a sandwich. Or maybe it’s just someone to talk to.
Imagine what a big impact on one person’s life you could have if you took just a half hour or hour out of your day to stop and ask someone, “What is it that you really need?” Imagine yourself grabbing a sub at the local sandwich shop and just talking for a short while. Or picture yourself walking into a store to buy someone a new coat. Or giving them the one off your back, because as nice as it is, they need it more. Imagine a world where people genuinely cared about each other.
At the core of almost every religion or philosophy, you’ll find one common message: Be kind to others.
Jesus taught a message of service and charity. Buddha had an epiphany in which he became ashamed of his wealthy roots and pursued a path of poverty. Gandhi is quoted as saying, “My religion is kindness.”
In recent months, I’ve spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out how to make the world a better place. I have a few causes that are particularly important to me: Homelessness, poverty and animal welfare. But all causes are worthwhile and worth pursuing. I’ve struggled to come up with a way to improve the world around me on a large scale, but have come up grasping at straws.