I don't expect someone to become self-sufficient off of a few cans of food. When I give money to the person holding up a sign on the highway, I don't expect them to use the money for anything in particular. BUT are you really saying that people should be totally cool with giving money, time, food, etc. to people who just say hell, I don't want to be self-sufficient? Wow. Let's fund college tuition for young adults who just don't *feel like working when they graduate, and then let's give them food and pay for their shelter and their medical expenses for the next 50 years too. If you are speaking of people who are too sick, disabled, too old and infirm to do anything else but rely on others for help, I am with you. Let us help them. But if those people are physically and mentally able - and there seems to be a huge discrepancy on what you and I consider mentally able - then yes, it is better to try to help them to help themselves then to help them rely on people to provide for their basic needs for the rest of their lives. Who WANTS that?