The Role of Charity Organizations in Helping the Homeless free essay sample

Homelessness Studies show that homeless people easily spend their money because there is no way for them to save the money. Based on my research, beggars can get $600-$1500 a month. That is a lot of money. Furthermore, six out of ten homeless people have a problem with alcohol and drugs. Being addicted to alcohol means they consume it every day. They buy alcohol every day, which means that they don’t spend their money wisely. So, why do we keep giving them money if they use it for something that only makes their condition worse? In this situation, the best option might be to donate your money through charity organizations to help homeless people. has become a serious problem in our society. In my community, I usually see more than 10 beggars on curbs everyday. Not only are they trying to get money by begging from people but also they are sleeping on the street. We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Charity Organizations in Helping the Homeless or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When I see homeless people on the street from my car, I usually give them money in hopes that they can use my money to buy food and drink. After a year has passed, I still see the same people beg on the street, but this time they have a ciggare and alcohol in their hand. Why don’t I see any difference in their life? I think their life should be getting better because I always give them money and I believe they get money from other people too because they are able to buy cigaretes and alcohols. I really want to help them through this hard life and based on my experience the best solution to decrease homelessness is not giving them money but donating your money through charitable institutions. Charitable non-profit organizations are groups organized for public service purposes. Their goals are to eliminate hunger and homelessness in community. Charitable organizations provide food, clothes and shelters. Moreover, many philanthropic organizations help homeless peoples from struggle on poverty through job training. So that they have a chance to make their life better financialy. Also, they provide health program with affordable price for people who need a medical support, especially for people who have disability. In other words, through charitable organization we can diminish poverty in society and also decrease homelessness in our community because their life will gradually be better. We can donate our money to nother job is they giving self from You can either dsonate through private or public philanthropy organizations. Not only can you donate your money but you can also give away you clothes,shoes,socks and blankets. On the other hand, not all of the beggars are addicted to alcohol. Maybe some of them really need money. For instance, many homeless people have jobs but their salary is still not enough to pay their bills and rent. Most people have tendency to help by giving money in order to relieve the poor’s pain but this kind of act is not going to get help the. Moreover, not all charity organizations can always afford all homeless people needs. Maybe they dont have enough clothes to give, or they don’t have enough money to cover their administration. However, the charity organizations can definitely do more in order to help homeless people, In conclusion, it is better to give contributions to homeless people through charity organization. Despite the fact that we will give cash money to beggars, they will spend it unwisely. Charity organizations help us to collect things we want to donate and also it makes easier to homeless people because they know where they should go if they need helps. http://www. theatlantic. com/business/archive/2011/03/should-you-give-money-to-homeless-people/72820/ Should You Give Money to Homeless People? DEREK THOMPSON MAR 22 2011, 9:37 AM ET The short answer is no. The long answer is yes, but only if you work for an organization that can ensure the money is spent wisely. * Giving money to the homeless is an economic crisis of the heart, a tug-of-war between the instinct to alleviate suffering and the knowledge that a donation might encourage, rather than relieve, the anguish of the poor. Were all familiar with our mothers reasons not to empty our pockets for beggars. The best help is a shelter not a dollar, shes told us, and Theyll only use it on [something bad] anyway! ATLANTIC ARCHIVES: JANE ADDAMS ON CHARITY, 1899: The Subtle Problems of Charity The studies seem to back up mom, to a degree. One report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development found that six out of ten homeless respondents admitted problems with alcohol or drugs. Given the likelihood of self-reported bias, the actual number could be even higher. Studies on homeless income find that the typical career panhandler who dedicates his time overwhelmingly to begging can make between $600 and $1,500 a month. But since panhandlers often have no way to save their money, theyre incentivized to spend most of their days earnings quickly. This creates a tendency to spend on short-term relief, rather than long-term needs, which can feed this dependency on alcoholic relief. THE CASE FOR GIVING What do economists say about the instinct to help the homeless? (For these purposes, Im ignoring the altruism factor, the idea that if giving 50 cents makes us feel good then its an inherently justifiable donation. ) Some argue that giving cash to cash-needy people is the most efficient way to spend it. Indeed, the Congressional Budget Office has stated explicitly that the most efficient government stimulus targets the poorest Americans. And whos more indigent than a panhandler? Whats more, if you donate to a charity, there are administrative costs and time-lags. If you put your money in the hands of a beggar, however, its fast, easy, and guaranteed to be spent immediately. But the fact that beggars are likely to spend their money quickly is also the problem. Food stamps are considered highly effective government spending, but theyre earmarked for food. Unemployment benefits can go a long way, but recipients have to prove that theyre looking for work. A dollar from your hand to a homeless persons carries no such strings attached. But what would happen if we provided both money and strings? Good magazine found a British non-profit that identified 15 long-term homeless people (rough sleepers, as theyre known across the pond), asked what they needed to change their lives, and just bought it for them. Some asked for items as simple as shoes, or cash to repay a loan. One asked for a camper van. Another wanted a TV to make his hostel more livable. All were accommodated with 3,000 pounds and a broker to help them manage their budget. Of the 13 who agreed to take part, 11 were off the street within a year, and several entered treatment for addiction. The upshot: The homeless often need something more than money. They need money and direction. For most homeless people, direction means a job and a roof. A 1999 study from HUD polled homeless people about what they needed most: 42% said help finding a job; 38% said finding housing; 30% said paying rent or utilities; 13% said training or medical care. BUT WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? Organizations can obviously do more for the needy than we can with the change in our back pocket. But does that mean we shouldnt give, ever? The consistently entertaining economist Tyler Cowen worries that giving to beggars induces bad long-term incentives. If you travel to a poor city, for example, youll find swarms of beggars by touristy locations. If the tourists become more generous, the local beggars dont get richer, they only multiply. Generous pedestrians attract more beggars. Cowen writes: The more you give to beggars, the harder beggars will try. This leads to what economists call rent exhaustion, which again limits the net gain to beggars If you are going to give, pick the poor person who is expecting it least. Im certain that there are some cases where donations to an especially needy beggar are justified. But the ultimate danger in panhandling is that we dont give to every beggar. Theres not enough change in our purses. We choose to donate money based on the level of perceived need. Beggars known this, so there is an incentive on their part to exaggerate their need, by either lying about their circumstances or letting their appearance visibly deteriorate rather than seek help. If we drop change in a beggars hand without donating to a charity, were acting to relieve our guilt rather than underlying crisis of poverty. The same calculus applies to the beggar who relies on panhandling for a booze hit. In short, both sides fail each other by being lured into fleeting sense of relief rather than a lasting solution to the structural problem of homelessness. _______? * Academic research, journalism articles and everyday conversation often use the word homeless, beggar and panhandler to describe the same group. But if were being precise, not all homeless people are beggars, and not all beggars are homeless. More here.