Yesterday, a young man knocked on my door offering to rake the leaves in my yard. I was a bit surprised, as my yard was already mostly clear of fallen leaves. I politely informed him that his services were not needed at this time.

When he asked for food, I initially hesitated, as I generally avoid giving money to panhandlers. However, he did not seem to be begging outright, so I decided to offer him a five-dollar bill, which may not have gone far in today’s economy, but could still provide him with sustenance for a day or two.

The reason I avoid giving money to beggars is that it can become habit-forming and a way of life. It is better that I encourage people to earn their living; it is better for them than for me. The worst thing to do for someone is to teach them to beg.

Unfortunately, some individuals have resorted to begging as a means of survival. The pleas they make, while varied, often follow a similar pattern, such as requesting assistance with transportation costs to return home. It appears that even the smallest denominations of currency have become insufficient due to the effects of inflation on their circumstances.

Besides learning bad habits, it also creates problems for those who truly need help, those who are genuinely hungry, though they have made real attempts. To be sure, I say no to those in true need because of the fakes.

I noticed just a while ago on TV, they pointed out the starvation in Africa. It both angers me and pulls at my heartstrings. The reason those people are going hungry has nothing to do with the lack of generosity of Americans. It has rather been caused by the greed of some individuals, mostly dems, who have diverted the aid to themselves.

Unfortunately, it has been repeatedly proven that our government is the least effective and efficient way of distributing groceries. Indeed, much of the food and supplies never reach their intended destinations.

This has been proven again with the audits of USAID. However, it didn’t start there. Remember the aid sent to Puerto Rico. It happens every time. We send three times the aid they need, and they receive only two-thirds of what they need.

It would be great to send food to those hungry people, if it would reach them. The problem is that thieves tend to pilfer the supplies along the way.