I’d rather be swindled by someone that doesn’t need it than to pass by someone that does.

My daughter and I were pulling out of Walmart and saw a man with a sign asking for money. My daughter asked why I didn’t stop to help. I told her I didn’t have any cash. I started telling her about a 20/20 report I saw one time where a reporter followed a woman that was panhandling back to her brand new Escalade and she admitted to making more money begging than working.

I told it as a cautionary tale but my daughter heard something else. She said that she would rather be swindled out of $20 by someone that didn’t need it than to pass by someone that did and that hit me hard.

So, while I was grocery shopping a few weeks ago, a woman was asking for help with food outside of the store. Again I didn’t have any cash but I asked her what she needed. She asked for some oil for cooking and some potatoes. I went back in and bought a few days worth of meals. When I came out with the bags, she was so grateful. I saw her bring the food to her camper and a small child, maybe 4 years old, grabbed an apple and started eating right away.

It didn’t take much, and maybe they didn’t need it, but like my daughter says, I’d rather be swindled out of money by someone that doesn’t need it than to pass by someone that does. – Jen