What is better to give to street children? Money or Food?

There are lots of syndicate using street children to get money from us so it is better to give food instead of money. Even the government is encouraging us not to give money to the street children. These children are unfortunate in having irresponsible parents. Bless you for having a kind heart to street children.

It is better to give food to the street children rather than money. You will know know what they will do with the money. At least if it's food, you are sure that they will have something to eat. I had a moment with some street children before. One time, I was strolling on a street while eating. I was really hungry because I haven't eat for the whole day. There were a group of street children who approached me and asked for my food. I could not give it because I was so hungry without any money. But they grabbed my food and ran.

better to look after their immediate need. often times it is food.

While shopping in Progreso Mexico,- which is a small border town across the Rio Grande River from Texas USA- I noticed a sign in a store window which read, " Please do not give the Children Money! If you do they will not attend School!"

it's better to give the street children food. In that way, we would be sure that what we have given them will really be of benefit to them. It is true that some street children just use the money for 'little forms' of gambling.

Persons ought to exercise care when offering street children food or money. These children may continue to demand gifts or may physically abuse the person who gave them these items.

Well food but sometimes they don't want food. But in general I really don't give anything to beggers because they will just get used to it.

I think food would be much better than giving money. Some of the street chldren are being used by syndicate so you are not helping them at all.

For me, I would try to give them food if possible. I once went to eat in a coffee shop and there was this beggar begging for money but he was so well-dressed, with what seemed like new polo tees and slippers that was very proper. Many of the patrons thus denied giving him money. there was one kind soul who decided to help him order some food for him to eat since he mentioned that he have not eaten for many days. Guess what? this beggar actually left the coffee shop immediately. I felt that this beggar is not genuine because if he was really wanted money for food, he would have been very grateful to this kind soul, but he was not. You are right to buy for the children should they beg you for money, because we never know what they do with the money we give them.

There are many street children those make people fool. Begging is their hobby and they all know very well how to make money. smart beggars can make very good income per day than the people who work hard in the field for their daily bread. One day a poor child came to me and asked me for money because he told that his mother had been admitted to the hospital. He asked money to buy a bottle of blood for his loving mother who was in critical stage. I felt pity over the child and gave Rs.200 to him. One week after he came again and asked me for money to buy another bottle of blood. Seeing this, my husband got angry because he understood that the boy was acting to get money. So he told the boy that he was also coming to the hospital to see his mother. So he went inside to change his dress. After a few seconds the boy run away from there by jumping the wall around our home. How is this story? Some are innocent but not everybody. We can't recognize innocents only by seeing their face.

if you ask me.. none at all. but if you MUST give, it would be much better to give them food. because if you give them money, most of the time they would spend it either on solvent (sort of addicting for them when inhaled), or in gambling. like you, i once encountered a street kid who says he is hungry. i gave him food but he didn't accept it. instead, he said he prefers that i give him cash. talk about being choosy. that's why from then on, i reluctantly give, or never at all give alms to any panhandler (except for a few, but that's a different story).

Hi RR, It is sad to know that the kids gambled with the money you gave them. Once when i was coming back to home from school, two street children came to me and started pulling me from both hands and asked for money. I don't like giving money, so i tried to ignore them and move on but they didn't let me go. I had only $2coin, so i asked them to share it and gave the boy that coin. After that both of them started fighting in front of my eyes for that coin. They literally hit each other to get that money. I feel so sad seeing so many street kids getting into such activities and having a very dark future. I wish i could do something for them but my hands are bound. If i had choice between money and food, i'd rather give them food because money can lead them to several bad directions!

No need to give anything to street children if they are physically well. Yes giving food stuff or clothes are much better than giving money. No doubt they will surely misuse the money like smoking or some other bad habits. We shouldn't encourage it. Can give money to the people who really disabled & also no source for living, eating, no proper clothes to wear. It is very easy to identify the attitude of the person who misuse the money and who are not. Please don't help to the young aged street children if they are physically good. Because if we encourage them, then they won't try to go to job or anything. They will become addicted for begging. If everyone started to neglect to help them. Then really they will realize and will start to work. We think that we are helping to them. But indirectly we are spoiling them. We should help aged people & disabled people who don't have family or any other support. Have a great day :)

Mostly, i give food and listen to their murmurs.... majority of them got mad faces when food is given to them, they always complain that something is missing, a softdrinks.... and sometimes if food is given, they also complain that the food that i gave to them are not enough to feed their hungry stomach.... and the most accurate reasons is the one who collects money for those beggars when closing time gets angry because those syndicates doesn't need for food and money is all that the syndicate wants, and they are using beggars as preys.....

definitely give them the food...they are too likely to waste the money

I really do think that giving food is better because that way you know the money is going toward feeding the child rather than going to booze or gambling. I know when I was in China, when a beggar would come up to me asking for money, I just bought a bowl of noodles (this was one particular day). He seemed really appreciative when the food server put the noodles in his bowl and he ate them all up. I felt a lot better giving the old man food because you could tell he was hungry and many times if you give money they will either buy booze or someone is controlling them and making them give all the money to them. Either way, it doesn't do the person any good to give them money since they are not allowed to use it.

Kids like that are probably recruited by syndicates to ask money from others... I don't always give money to kids though, since I also know that they just use it to buy rugby or gamble it.. They don't want food at all..

Kinda opposite happened to me, a girl rode on the bus I was in and she truly appear to need the money but I failed to give her any amount. I have lots of baggage that I couldn't use my hand to give the money. Jesus advice must be good to follow. If your hand causes you to do bad things, cut it off!

hello rrbterania, I don't give money to a street children or a beggar because I know most of them will not use that money to buy a food sadly most of them use it to buy rugby or like what you saw they use it to gamble. So what i did is give food to them if i have one sometimes i am thinking if i am helping them or tolerating them. have a nice day!

I had an experience when i was buying donut,donut is my favourite food,as i ate the food,a street children approached me and he was begging for my food.then i told him to choose wat flavor he wants to eat for me to buy for him..He looked not interested to my offer,To my surprise,he demanded for a shomai and gulaman next to donut stand.I smiled at him thinking wat a kid! hehehe. then right away i bought him an order of siomai with a drink gulaman. :)