Excuse me Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Homelessness....just what exactly does that word mean to you? Are you affected by the intensity of the problem here in America, or do you simply not care?
I ask these questions because the homeless problem isn't getting any better or going away, it's getting worse! More and more of our brothers and sisters are on the streets, and more and more of them need that loose change to just get by on....

But here is an interesting thought: Everyday during my lunchbreak, I spend time with the homeless men and women that I have had the opportunity to meet, and it is simply amazing the amount of stares from onlookers I receive, along with the taunts from my fellow co-workers. "They are only using the system..." is a statement I am hearing daily from people who instead of trying to help eliminate the problem only exascerbate the problem by their ignorance and judgements. Sure there are some that may be bilking the system just to get another hit, or add more cash into their ever increasing bank accounts - and to them, that is their karma that they will have to deal with. It is the others, who are genuinely caught between the webs of the system and the streets, that are trying to survive. Those are the ones that sit with that intense hunger in their bellies and dirty clothes on their backs that may approach you on the street for some loose change, only to be chastized and criticized with stares and glares. "Excuse me brother....can you spare a dime?" "Get a job you damn freeloader!"

Yeah I was told that the other day from someone that told me I was wasting my time....I spent innumerous hours trying to get through the "helpline" just to see when someone's food stamps will be available, only to be given the runaround, and around and around....all this man wants to do is eat....but it may take up to thirty or forty-five days, depends on how much someone really wants to help and feel generous enough to push the "enter" key on the keyboard to approve his application....yeah the very same application that was approved before for his food stamps, but somehow, the whole thing got lost in the system, ..."and sir we need you to fill out another application, please remember this may take another thrity to forty-five days (blah, blah, blah)"....and all the man wants to do is eat....Something simple as that...food in his belly!
Unfortunately there is a campaign around town that states, "giving only increases the problem, give to a charity so that the funds can be dispersed to help the homeless..." My question? After everyone has gotten their cuts off of the funds (you know this charity and that charity....) how much is really left to help the homeless?

What gets me the most is systems that are supposedly in place to help get the homeless off the streets seem to be really designed to keep them on the streets...and we still continue to walk by them and ignore their pleas....we still continue to taunt them and scream at them and abuse them...(because we CHOOSE to ignore the cries from our brothers and sisters)
"So why are you even wasting your time trying to help these people? All they are doing is bilking the system..." Let me ask you a question....how much time does it take to say hello? How much times does it take to be nice and caring and compassionate? How much do you think you'd lose buying someone a meal? What is more important...time.....or a life?

So my question for everyone that chooses to question why I am "wasting" my time helping my fellow brothers and sisters: Why aren't you helping?

Disclaimer: I am angry at the fact that there are those that CHOOSE to ignore the homeless problem and focus on "problems" that really aren't newsworthy. I could care less about Paris Hilton, when Bob, Tom, Harry, Alice, Susan and Joe are out there on the streets hungry, and lonely and tired and confused. Who are in dire need medical care....clothes on their backs, or maybe just a friend to listen to them. Wake up America...this situation is real....and the numbers are growing and growing and growing! You can continue to CHOOSE to ignore the problem, or you can DO something about it! The choice is yours...just remember one day it may be you with tattered and dirty clothes, no roof over your head, hungry, tired and hopeless asking for loose change...(Karma has an interesting way of right wrongs) Your brothers and sisters on the streets need YOU!