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What to do about that roadside beggar

Some time ago I had blogged about the headache of what to do with roadside beggars.  Do I give something to them or not? ( children-makes-my-head-hurt ) In the end we found something that works for us.


A friend of ours is involved in charity work and suggested we prepare some gallon bags of stuff that might be useful for a homeless person and then give those out in lieu of money.  It worked great! I got my little helpers involved and got quite a few bags ready, so my husband and I each  have a couple of bags in the car that we can hand out at anytime.  The items have to have a long shelf life and should be able to withstand the temperatures of your environment.

Here's what we put:

2 nutrigrain or granola bars
2 bags of cookies
2 bags of Chips
2 juice boxes
1 pair of socks

You can change it up and put raisins, individual boxed cereals, pop tarts, crispy treats, etc. Some folks also include a small gift card redeemable only at the grocery (<$10).  In the end, it works out to more than the $1 you may have handed them, but this is so much more satisfying.

Take a look at our baggies.


If you think this is good idea, please share with your friends!
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Comments

Tira said…
I also usually give food and drink to beggars.
23 March 2010 at 14:11
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