DITTO!!!

If only this type of thing could catch on.............we can wish.

That was very kind of your brother-in-law Wiz, very kind indeed. It gives one a great feeling of satisfaction when they give to the less fortunate like that.

Did something similar to this some years ago. Was in New York for the day and stopped at a light...looked to my left and saw a homeless guy sitting against the wall with no shoes and one sock on...and it was pretty cold out that day as well. I took off my kinda new sneakers and held them out the window gesturing to the guy...he came over looking very surprised and I guess wondering if it was a joke...but as soon as he had the sneakers in his hand his face lit up and it made his day. Then I went and bought some new sneakers...lol

I pretty much help anyone I can...when I can.

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Inspiring and heart warming real life heroes each one. 

Yeah, the homeless get to me too Giz, I always hand them some cash to help out. I can't imagine living under a bridge in a cardboard box, breaks your heart. [e digicons]:'([/e]

A friend in need always get to me too, you can never not help out a friend!

Should never ever happen with the wealth [more billionaires than than all of Europe combined... includes UK and Russia] and resources of the USA.

Shit like that makes me so angry, the rich getting shitloads richer while the number of homeless people swells year in, year out... and that Donald Trump... would have to be the tightest bastard on 2 legs.

     That used to be me. Sitting on a bench all night...wrapped up in more layers than I can count. I do what I do because it was done for me. I got my own place now after too long without one and I'll be damned if I'll let it be that way for those close to me. I'm a surrogate dad now, the lady who asked me to give her away at her wedding sort of adopted me. I can't really have anyone living with me as that would violate my lease but.......I can provide a place where she and her hubby can grab a quick shower, get something to eat, have coffee, stay warm and dry before going to work and a place for them to crash after work. My weekends are open to them and three nights out of seven they stay here. She's a good girl who has had her ups and downs, more down than up, she works hard, does all that she needs to do and I'm in a position, finally, where I can make a difference. Her name is Jessica, stands at 5' 8", doesn't remember her original hair color, it was auburn, and has a heart of gold. Before I got this place she was stressed to the max trying to keep her job, keep her appointments and all that and now......what a difference. Her stress level is down to almost zero and the smile on her face...priceless. 

     Technically I'm not violating my lease, I'm allowed guests, but this is something I have to do. When I was still on that bench she, her hubby and their best friend, would come to me in the early morning, buy me coffee and something to eat, spending money on me when they didn't have to. At that time they barely knew me but it made no difference. It did for me though. The point being is that I'm a firm believer in paying it forward. Scores of people during my three years on that bench dipped into their wallets and did for me so now I'm trying to give back. I may not have much but I will share what I do have. The man upstairs put me on this earth for a reason and I believe this is part of it. I'll do what I can when I can and who don't like it.......screw 'em. I know I'm doing the right thing.

You are a good man Ross, and yes, you are doing the right thing.

Yes Ross, you are. I too was in dire straits for about 3 years. I was lucky enough to find an abandoned house to squat in (for about a year, until someone bought it and forced us out), with a pregnant wife and no job, no car, no nothing.

I got no help from anyone, which was sad since I had 6 siblings living in the next town over. The wife and I would go to the local restaurants and beg food, since she was pregnant, we got helped some. Also, there was a mission that would feed us occaisionally. I went on to lose that wife, and 2 children. (Not dead, just gone from me.)

Needless to say, we were forced to resort to things I won't say here, just to survive.

I was as low as anyone I had ever known. My spirit was broken, I simply did not care.

Now, not to go into religion here, but The Lord saw me through all that, and the urge to kill my wife and the "best friend" that had run off with her.

I am so very thankful to have gotten through all that and I try to pay it forward every chance I get.

Good on you, Ross.

Ya know, Ross, you and I and a lot of ordinary folk think this way.  We are the least able, financlally speaking, yet we try to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves.  Even when we don't have a lot, we still try. 

Sadly, though, too many of those in the best position, financially speaking, that is, do not pay it forward... not to the grunts who man their factories with blood, sweat and tears, not to the poor sods who have fallen on hard times through no fault of their own. Worse still, the hard times many Americans find themseves enduring these days were in fact created by these wealthy bastards who do the least to give anything back.

Nope, they don't have this kind of humanity or humility, seeking only to amass greater wealth at the expense of whoever... anyone and everyone. I recently read on Yahoo 7 that the wealth amassed by billionaires in the US had more than doubled since the GFC and the subsequent recession.  So obviously they are just sitting on their wealth [rather than reinvest to get the economy going again] and waiting for government and the hard work of working grunts to get the country going forward again.

The should learn: "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.", Jesus.

Sad state of the world today, tho. I have had several instances where I had offered help to someone and they didn't trust me, a stranger, to help them.

Example, one day, in the pouring rain, I saw an old man, 60-70 yrs old, walking down the road, carrying all he could carry in groceries. I offered him a ride, he looked at me, and in a gruff tone, he said, "I don't need your ride, I don't know you!"

I was very disheartened the rest of the day.

Sign of the times Jim. People are mistrustful of others, some more than most, because they're afraid of the so-called 'what's in it for me' syndrome. Altruism isn't completely dead......yet.

It's also for what they have to lose... the fear of what little they have being taken from them.  Sadly, some 'good samaritans' only do it for what they can get, and if nothing is offered they'll take it and then some.  Yeah, trust can sometimes be hard to gain because somebody betrayed it in the past.