What a cool story!

[TomH]

The mindset of the person giving the shoes isn't an issue one way or the other.
Simple facts though will suggest that the people who can afford Nikes are also savvy enough to know the advantages of donating them (write offs) over simply throwing those K-Mart specials away.

This simple fact which most people don't think about, is that most of the shelters carry a LOT of used top shelf items. Such as Nike.

Being perplexed because a homeless guy turns down a pair of sneakers with what seems to be a snooty "only if they're Nike" attitude, shouldn't be seen as anything but an odd mindset of the homeless. ( if they weren't a little odd, they probably wouldn't be homeless.)
If you have a pair of shoes for the needy, the best bet is to donate them to a shelter.
A homeless man who is barefoot is probably barefoot by choice. If indeed, he felt he was in need of shoes, a quick stop at the shelter will get him a good pair of Nikes.

If indeed, you want to be involved in helping the homeless, there's many ways of doing it. A few obvious ones are volunteering at soup kitchens, food pantries, even the shelters will take on volunteers to sort, launder, fold, and distribute the clothing.

A woman here in town who died recently would spend all summer collecting blankets, gloves, socks, watch caps, scarves.
Any cold weather items.

When cold weather set in, she and her husband would visit the homeless camps in the evening. With a huge pot of coffee and hot soup, they would sit by the fires and talk to the homeless, find out what they needed and make sure that each of them were going to make it through the night.
There's only two things a homeless man will NEVER turn down. Folding money and pocket change.

The two things you should NEVER offer to the homeless.

If you simply want to feel warm and fuzzy about yourself, give the homeless guy a buck.

He'll most likely take that buck and buy himself a liquid refreshment so, he too, can feel warm and fuzzy.

Want to help? Sit down with them over a cup of coffee.

[Liquid Tension]

A couple of stories we've had personally that has helped our kids.

Way back when our kids were in high school and junior high, we had that age old problem with the kids and brand names. Their clothes just HAD to come from Old Navy, or Abercrombe. High end clothing so they could fit in with the"in" crowd.

After much discussion (and complaining) it was decided that they would gather all their clothes together that they either outgrew or just didn't like. With the idea that THEY would have to take the clothes to the local homeless shelter to donate. Up to that time, their mother or I would just drop them off. As far as our kids were concerned up to that time, their old stuff simply went away.

As lick would have it, we got to the shelter about the same time the clothing room opened for the homeless. There was a small crowd of homeless gathered at the door.

My daughter walked up with one (of several) bags of clothes, and one of the women stopped her and said,"Can I have those shoes?" my daughter said she looked down and the woman was barefoot.
My son was standing with my daughter and was able to share the experience.

Going into the shelter, one of the guys held the door for us. Everyone of the homeless thanked the kids for their kindness. A pleasant experience all around.

When we got home my daughter was practically in tears. My son was deep in thought. (unusual for him)
The clothes they thought of as old and worn out was precious to someone.

That one woman asking for shoes changed their lives. From then on, whenever they got new clothes, it was important to them to take care of and appreciate it, so the next person could also enjoy it.

To this day, my daughter won't let any of her friends throw anything away.
In our neighborhood, there are "Canners" that travel the alleys, picking through the trash for scrap. My daughter, who is living with us now, will always take her old "stuff" and rather than throw it with the rest of the trash, will take it out and sit it either on top of, or next to the dumpster, making it easy to find.

Which leads me to the next story.

After the shelter incident, which was late spring, we were talking of getting summer clothing. V drug the kids to the second hand store. I believe it may have been Salvation Army. We told them there wasn't a reason for us to buy brand new clothes for them to tear around in during summer break, and their mother and I could use some clothes for yard and housework and I could use a few work shirts.

Begrudgingly, they went along. We went into the store and told them to just look around and see if there was anything they might like.
After half an hour, each kid had a shopping cart full of clothes.

Shirts for 50 cents to a dollar. Pants for a buck fifty!!!

Of course a few of their items went back on the rack. Told them, you know, we can always come back again.
After the "no shoes" incident at the shelter, clothes took on a whole new meaning to them.

But the important thing about the visit to the second hand store is this.

For every item you buy for yourself, you have to purchase an item of equal or greater value to donate to the homeless shelter.

If this is something you'd like to try with your kids. (or just yourself) here's a suggestion. Before you go shopping at the thrift store, call the shelter you're planning on donating to. They normally have a surplus of some things and a desperate need for others. Then you will have a better idea of what to buy for you and what to buy for them.

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Wow!! That's the heart of God right here!!

Dang! Need to spread more reps around.

[Warrior4God]

If you simply want to feel warm and fuzzy about yourself, give the homeless guy a buck.

He'll most likely take that buck and buy himself a liquid refreshment so, he too, can feel warm and fuzzy.

Want to help? Sit down with them over a cup of coffee.

Yeah, I often see people on the side of the road in my town, with more and more frequency, with signs saying something to the effect of, "Will work for food" or "Homeless vet. Anything will help. God bless." I feel torn about it because I don't know who's really in need and who's scamming, because, believe it or not, some people have been found to be scammers. Even in the case of somebody really being homeless, I don't want to give money in case they'll use it to buy booze. I'm willing to help a person eat. I'm not willing to support their addiction.

[Vhayes]

Yeah, I often see people on the side of the road in my town, with more and more frequency, with signs saying something to the effect of, "Will work for food" or "Homeless vet. Anything will help. God bless." I feel torn about it because I don't know who's really in need and who's scamming, because, believe it or not, some people have been found to be scammers. Even in the case of somebody really being homeless, I don't want to give money in case they'll use it to buy booze. I'm willing to help a person eat. I'm not willing to support their addiction.

I stop and tell them I have a big lawn and if I send my husband back to pick then up, I'll give them 20 to 30 bucks for cutting the grass.

It weeds out the scammers really quickly. Pun intended.

I'm odd in that I have no problem giving a buck to a wino. Really I don't, especially if I ask them if they want the money for food or are they gonna go buy a bottle of Mad Dog and they look me in the eye and kind of sheepishly say Mad Dog. Hey - they're at least honest about it. And who knows what demons they try to chase away? They're chasing them with the wrong thing, mind you, but if being unconscious for a few hours is what it takes to get them through the night, why should I care?

Tom and I disagree on this aspect. I's none of my business what they do with the money. I gave it freely. What they do with it is on them. If I have time, I buy them a sandwich and a cup of coffee - if I don't, I give them change and let them spend it how they will.