The vexing problem on the Las Vegas homeless

After reading your recent editorial “Charity and compassion should never be out of season,” I can’t help but think about both the positive and negative regarding your ideas.

For instance, though it will never be known what your money is going toward, I feel it’s the thought that humanizes us. Yes, giving the homeless blankets and such might encourage them to stay in their predicament. But the gesture is not one of harm. Instead it is, as you stated, helping that person survive.

I believe that when we decide to help the homeless, we should be investing much more time and dedication in terms of how we donate. To do this, we could volunteer in shelters whenever we have the time, or even donate clothing to be distributed. This sets up a small but effective system by making sure that those who arrive at the shelter are those truly seeking help. This way, you aren’t simply giving money directly and then worrying whether your help is for better or worse in regard to how it’s spent.

I do feel the issue of homelessness must be resolved, but an act of charity is an act worth doing.