Walking past someone sleeping on a sidewalk or holding a cardboard sign triggers an instinctive moral dilemma—should you give money, or does that enable harmful habits? The question divides even the most well-intentioned people, revealing deeper questions about effective compassion and personal responsibility.
Michael Shvartsman, a philanthropist from New York who has supported homeless outreach programs, offers a nuanced perspective: “Giving cash directly can provide immediate relief but often misses the root causes of homelessness. Lasting solutions require addressing systemic issues while preserving human dignity.”
The Case for Cash: Autonomy and Immediate Need.
Advocates argue that giving money respects an individual’s autonomy to decide their most pressing needs—whether food, medicine, or shelter. Small donations can provide temporary relief when bureaucratic systems fail to deliver timely help.
Michael Shvartsman notes: “Withholding aid based on assumptions about how someone ‘should’ spend money reflects our biases, not their reality. A few dollars might mean a night indoors or a meal that keeps someone going.”
However, he cautions: “While spontaneous giving feels personally satisfying, it’s not a substitute for structured support systems that tackle addiction, mental health, and housing instability.”
The Risks of Well-Intentioned Gifts.
Critics highlight that cash donations sometimes feed addiction cycles or sustain exploitative situations. In areas with concentrated homelessness, unstructured giving can inadvertently discourage people from seeking professional help.
“I’ve seen outreach workers struggle when well-meaning donors undermine rehabilitation efforts,” Michael Shvartsman shares. “The man who uses your $20 for alcohol might have otherwise entered a detox program that afternoon.”
Alternative Approaches That Make an Impact.
For those wanting to help without handing over cash, several options create meaningful change:
- Support Local Shelters and Outreach Programs.
Donations to organizations providing meals, job training, or addiction counseling multiply in effectiveness. - Carry Care Kits.
Backpacks with socks, hygiene products, and gift cards to grocery stores meet practical needs. - Advocate for Policy Changes.
Housing-first initiatives and mental health reforms address systemic drivers of homelessness.
Michael Shvartsman emphasizes: “The most effective help often happens behind the scenes—funding rehab beds, supporting transitional housing, or creating job opportunities. These solutions lack the immediacy of handing someone a bill, but their impact lasts.”
The Psychological Dimension of Giving.
How we choose to help (or not) reflects our own beliefs about poverty, personal agency, and social responsibility. Some give to alleviate guilt; others withhold cash to avoid feeling manipulated.
“Examine your motives,” Michael Shvartsman advises. “Are you giving to truly help someone, or to make yourself feel better? Conversely, are you refusing aid based on stereotypes? Honest self-reflection improves how we engage with homelessness.”
A Balanced Perspective.
The debate shouldn’t frame giving as purely good or bad. Context matters—the same $5 could buy lifesaving medication or feed a destructive habit.
Michael Shvartsman’s approach: “I carry both cash and resource cards for local shelters. If someone asks for help, I offer a conversation first. Sometimes money is appropriate; other times, information about nearby services proves more valuable.”
The Bigger Picture.
Individual acts of charity, while meaningful, cannot replace systemic solutions to homelessness. Lasting progress requires affordable housing, accessible healthcare, and economic opportunities.
“Homelessness isn’t solved dollar by dollar on street corners,” Michael Shvartsman concludes. “It’s solved through policy, prevention programs, and communities investing in long-term solutions. Personal generosity matters, but it’s most powerful when paired with structural change.” For those grappling with whether to give, the answer may lie in doing both—meeting immediate needs when prudent while supporting organizations that create pathways out of homelessness. True compassion balances the urgency of now with the foresight to build a future where fewer people need to ask for spare change at all.