Giving to the poor

[Chrissy3818]

Okay so I am dedicating 10% of each of my earning to giving to charity (so basically as much as I give in tithing I give in charity).

But I don't know where to give the money. I want to make sure it goes to someone who really needs it. I'd rather have it go to someone who is living on the streets than to someone who has a house, but is barely able to get food (this sounds selfish, I know). But honestly I don't care where it goes as long as I am helping people who really need it. Who do I give it too? Is there something on the tithing slips I can put it under? (I'd rather give it to the church and let them hand it out because I trust them). Or just hand it out to people on the streets who I feel for.

[pam]

Why not donate it to the humanitarian fund for the church. Then you know it's going to help people that really need it. There is an option for "humanitarian aid" on the tithing slips.

[skippy740]

Add it to your fast offering?

[Chrissy3818]

Add it to your fast offering?

I have never done fast offerings since I don't pay for my own food. But I get I could even though I don't pay that much for food. Doesn't fast offerings go to people who don't have enough for food

[pam]

Fast offerings are used to provide food, shelter, clothing and other things that might be needed by someone.

[NeuroTypical]

My wife and I split funds evenly between the church's Humanitarian Aid fund, and the Perpetual Education Fund.

One helps folks in need recover from disasters, the other helps folks stuck in intergenerational poverty break the cycle through their own efforts.

[JosephP]

Your desire to be charitable is laudable, and I can't add much to the good ideas already offered. I would like to add a word of caution about handing out money to people on the street. Sometimes one will follow you in hopes of stealing more money that you may have.

If you go that route, use caution. Certainly not all homeless people are thieves, but it is a very dangerous, crime infested area.

[Backroads]

I sometimes feel that I'm not generous enough with the fast offering box--I pay my fast offering and often think more about the humanitarian fund for that dash of extra. But the fast offerings really do a quite a lot, as this thread graciously reminded me.

There's also the option of just finding charities you like and trust on your own.

Edited October 29, 2012 by Backroads

[RMGuy]

There are a lot of good charities out there. What is important to you? Use your money to support those things. For example, after tithing and fast offerings we support our local soup kitchen and work there regularly. My daughter enjoys volunteering at Pregnancy Services in our town for under-privileged mothers. Find your passion and support that.

-RM

[Echo2002]

I wouldn't just give money to someone on the street, a lot of times they just use it to buy alcohol or drugs or they want more money. Maybe buy a homeless person a coat or ask them what size shoes they wear and buy them a pair of shoes. I know someone who just bought food and gave it to them.

There's got to be local food banks and shelters in your area that you could give too. The Church humanitarian fund is also a good option.