i mean i don't think it's evil to give a homeless person food instead of cash, even if the reason is because you don't want them to spend money on drugs or whatever. the BEST thing you can give a homeless person is whatever they need at that moment, and the second best thing is cold hard cash. but when i'm panhandling i'm never going to say no to a snack and i'm still going to be grateful even if i can't eat what they gave me.
today someone gave me a bag with three meals in it, but they were all frozen. i don't have any way to heat this food up that won't make it taste weird (like putting it on my engine or something), so this stuff is inedible to me. i tried all day, but without a microwave it's just. not gonna be good. i'm still grateful that she tried to give me something useful.
i have three pairs of gloves i got for free, and i took them all because who knows what might happen? i might lose two pairs, or they might get holes in them, or it might end up so cold i need three layers of gloves. i might meet someone else who needs gloves.
it's important to acknowledge that not every homeless person can take the food you want to give them, or might not need food because they can get it through other means. it's important to acknowledge that substance abuse issues are more complex than 'if i can't afford it, i'll quit' and that a homeless person drinking some beer or smoking some cigarettes or weed isn't a moral failure or a lack of priorities on their part. it might not even be at the level of substance abuse. at the same time, i don't think you have to give us cash or nothing. give whatever you're willing and able to give.
like it says on my sign, anything helps. yes, cash helps the most, because cash is the gateway to pretty much anything else i could need. but morale helps a lot too. knowing people are kind and willing to give helps. a free bag of cheetos helps.
