One of the most widespread prejudices is that giving money to the homeless allows them to continue using drugs or alcohol, with two main consequences. First, when used to buy intoxicants, your money will reduce the chances of survival for the person concerned. I even heard that for every euro donated, you reduce their life expectancy by an hour. However, is it true that we ‘ kill with kindness ‘ when we give money to someone on the street? It is very likely that when an addiction leads to begging, the lack of drugs or alcohol is so great that the person will find the necessary money, whether it comes from you or not. Without any other option, these people could turn to crime to finance their addiction, creating an even more harmful situation. The second point often mentioned is that when used to maintain an addiction, begging breeds violent and antisocial behavior in our cities. While these behaviors should not be excusable, demeaning terms such as “junkies” or “junkies” are often used to describe, and thus define, these people. These negative labels encourage a dehumanizing view that defines these people solely by their addiction.
If you live in a city, you’ve probably seen people asking you for money. You might also encounter them when traveling abroad. It can be difficult to come across children, elderly or disabled people begging and even more difficult not to stop to give them money. However, according to many people who work in shelters or aid programs, giving money to a beggar offers him only a short-term solution that does not solve his problem permanently. Instead of giving him money, try treating him with dignity, offering him food, or donating to a charity or shelter that helps them.
Isaac Gafishi helps homeless people in ways other than donating money, he donates shelter or a charity that helps beggars. He serves meals at the shelter, help shelter staff sort through donations, and provide other services if needed.
