I live in Cebu, Philippines and I see many homeless old people and children on the street. I sometimes give them coins but then all the other children would rush to me as ask for spare too...

And then the next day, the same people ask, so i stopped giving just to make the endless system of giving and asking stop.

Am i doing the right thing? I heard that many people have alerted government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development but nothing seems to have happened.

There are many misconceptions about homelessness, mainly that homeless people are lazy, or deserve to be where they are because of their personal shortcomings.

In reality, there are many other influences - substance abuse, illness, and physical and mental disablilities often contribute to the problem.

Truthfully, none of us really knows the combination of circumstances that happened to each one - sometimes it was something preventable, and sometimes just bad luck or misfortune. People get sick, lose jobs, lose family members and friends that are supporting them... it could happen to any of us.

There are some who are simply trying to take advantage of people's kindness, but I can't imagine anyone choosing that lifestyle just for convenience. As others have said, we should be kind and thoughtful, but not enable people to continue the lifestyle that is keeping them in the streets.

Well I think that once people are homeless or poor they have a very hard time getting jobs because they don't have money to buy nice clothes or print out a nice resume or anything like that. When I see a homeless person, I automatically want to help.

Shannon, my heart goes out to you. You're story is inspirational and heart warming that you are now on your own feet as a counselor trying to help people you know and similar to the people you met. It's amazing. I don't know where'd I be without my family and I can't imagine being without them. You have an angel over you or else you're just extremely bright and have the spirit of an old wise man, well, woman. Come to think of it, you should be speaking at schools sharing your story and advising kids to help out. GOOD LUCK AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!!!!!!!!

I was homeless for eight months when I was 17. This helps me to have empathy for homeless people, but it also makes me hold them to a higher standard than many people do. While there are many reasons for being homeless, there are also many programs designed to help people get back on their feet. I found my way by staying at a church shelter while working and saving money until I could afford to rent a room and then an apartment. For many people, particularly those with drug and alcohol problems, it's not that easy. Today, I work in my community as a Substance Abuse Counselor, and one of our biggest challenges is helping people who have lost everything to their addiction regain their confidence and feeling of self-worth by working to regain what they have lost. The best thing that you can do for a homeless person is point them in the direction of a shelter, food pantry or other charitable organization. If the individual's situation is the cause of substance abuse, domestic violence or physical problem (disability or illness) these places offer services to identify, treat and assist with specific problems. I realize that it doesn't sound nice, but very often, giving money to a homeless person or trying to help him out on your own is counterproductive. In the worst case, you may be funding an alcohol or drug habit but, at very least, you are keeping that person on the streets for one more night. I lived both ways - scraping along and begging, and then living in the care and safety of a shelter earning my way - and I know of folks who lived each way, and I assure you that the latter is far more successful.

I have had a lot of experiences with homeless people, I mean in my native Country, because there is a lot of homeless people if trust me if there was someting that i could do for them i woulkd do it with out thinking it twice, but unfortunely i can only help 10 at a time like I'm doing know that im' a menber of a foundation call profamily, that helps family to become beetter person in their life. but there is something we can do" always try to do our best to help them" and it would work .]

On the way to work one day, I passed a homeless man asking for money. I had five bucks in my pocket, because I was going to buy a milkshake after my shift. He was standing right next to a stop sign, so I naturally stopped right beside him. I rolled down my window and handed him the five bucks and gave him the good ol' "God Bless." I thought to myself: "Is that all I can do?" It was the right thing to give him the money, but if money is all we give, what are we really doing. We need to give our hearts and our time. Just food for thought.

JDN

When I see a homeless person, my heart automatically goes out to them. I think What is that were me or someine else i knew???