This time of year people see them everywhere; posters upon posters asking for something. Maybe they just ignored them and moved on having seen it too many times before. Maybe they’ve seen the same thing said over and over again and it all just fades away. Then they see a really creative one, point it out, take a picture and move on. The person is just left there to live their life confused, and you know-homeless. Were you expecting a different “h” word there? I’m sorry to disappoint, but this isn’t a homecoming story. It’s a homeless one.

Now this story may not be what you think. I’m not here to convince you to give all you can to the homeless, but rather to tell you what you should give. One of the first things  people tend to give the homeless is food, which is great. Don’t get me wrong, a warm cup of soup is sure to brighten any homeless person’s day. However, food is most likely not the greatest problem that person is facing. Most cities in the U.S. have numerous ways for the homeless to get food whether it be from charities, restaurants or food others have thrown away. Some of their biggest problems are not having warm clothes, transportation or a way to get out of their situation. These are all problems food cannot solve, when money can.

Money helps more in the long run than food ever could. For example, let’s say one man is given a full meal and one is given the $10 used to buy the meal. The first man is full and doesn’t have to go out searching for food, however the second man could buy some clothes and a razor to freshen up for a job interview. The first man goes on afterwards satisfied for the time being, but remains homeless while the second has a shot at finding a way out of his situation.

Some people may say they don’t give homeless people money because the homeless are just going to spend it on things like alcohol. It’s impossible for me to tell you  they won’t do that. In the end, it all comes down to trust. Trust in the fact that this person will do what  is best for them, and put your money towards a brighter future. Trust is a hard thing to give but sometimes just that tiny bit of trust can help save those who need it the most.