NO, YOU CAN'T SPARE A LOONIE

Don't give money to panhandlers. As Floyd Perras of the Mustard Seed
points out, money given to panhandlers often goes to feed their addictions.

Instead, it's far better to give that cash to agencies dedicated to
helping panhandlers and the homeless.

Two recent letter writers illustrate the point: The first writer had
given money to a homeless man who said he needed help paying the vet
bill for his dog's leg amputation. The second writer, who had been
approached by the same man, suspected a scam. She phoned the vet
clinic and found out the man's bill had long since been paid.

The Calgary Downtown Association is set to launch a campaign urging
people to donate to agencies instead of to panhandlers themselves. It
is a campaign well worth promoting. There are plenty of agencies and
services available to help the homeless. Panhandlers who have enough
energy and motivation to protest that the CDA's imminent campaign will
cause their income supply to dry up have enough energy to motivate
themselves to seek out help getting their lives back on track.

Donating money to agencies, instead of to individuals who will use it
to perpetuate a self-destructive lifestyle, is the best way to steer
these people in the direction of genuine assistance.