Retiree Gives $10 Bills To Skid Row Homeless In LA

December 23, 2010 3:58 PM

(credit: CBS)

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Skid Row’s own Santa Claus has made his annual visit — handing out $10 bills to thousands of destitute people who queued up for several hours to receive the gift.

The 69-year-old retired lawyer, who wishes to remain anonymous, said Thursday he’s been giving away $20,000 of his own money every year over the past 30 years at the Midnight Mission.

Dressed in red, the benefactor says he’s always moved by the appreciation and gratitude that homeless people show. He estimates about 3,000 people receive $10 bills every Yuletide.

The donor is one of several who hand out money on Skid Row on certain days of the year. Critics say the homeless would be better served if donations were made to one of the many area charities.

Retiree Gives $10 Bills To Skid Row Homeless In LA

MGraves

If more of the weathly would take a lesson from this person maybe the families with children wouldn’t be on the street in the cold. The Critics alway think they know whats best but, how many of them as done the same thing! God bless who ever that person is.

Taro

If more liberals would take a lesson from real Americans that punishing people for succeeding is wrong, more wealthy would feel generous toward the poor. Still, you can’t expect a man who is being robbed by the government on behalf of the poor to feel compassion for the poor. It’s just not the way the human heart works.

Roger Fishwife

Thank you for saying it, Taro.
Retired

Amen.
Dane

As someone dedicated to serving others (and someone with progressive ideals), I’ve got to agree with Taro on this one.
fred

apparently not taro. Seems this “wealthy” person is quite fine feeling generous. True compassion needs nothing…but a heart.
jhenderson

dittos to that!
Matthew 19:21

It’s too bad that US ‘conservatives’ have forsaken the New Testament, to vent their selfish, hatriot anger.

“Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.’”
yoleta

What a beautiful story! Give and you shall receive. It is a spiritual law like sowing and reaping. Thank you sir for thinking of the poor and sharing the love of the Lord.You may be the only bible they read.

PROFESSOR CARROL QUIGLEY

Christmas is about Jesus’ sacrifice for our sinful behavior, loving Mammon instead of truth.

GOOGLE:
WHO WOULD JESUS TAX

Make Caesar obey the law, no other Gods.
PROFESSOR

Wow, well done.

We all learn something from Jesus.

GOOGLE:
WHO WOULD JESUS TAX
Dave

For 45 years the USA has conducted the so-called “THE WAR ON POVERTY”. We have spent trillions upon trillions of dollars. We have built housing for the poor and provided everything from food stamps and welfare checks and free medical care. Yet the poor remain with us. the answer is not $$. The answer is the change of one’s heart and lifestyle. Jesus said “the poor you will have with you always.” That is not a cynical statement. Because of the fall it is a fact of life. Our reaction should be to help the poor. But the answer is NOT by trying to spread the wealth. The “Rich” provide all the tax money to fund the War on Poverty. The poorest of the poor in America are envied by 80% of the world. The poorest of the poor in America have running water, at least one TV, cell phones and do not have to go to bed hungry unless they are determined to make the same daily choices that got them there in the first place.

Salient

well said
Retired

Agree.
Kimberly Patton Borgeson

Agreed! Very well put!
MAKE MY DAY

That about sums-it-up!!….It is – what IT IS!!! The welfare “Mindset” has to be changed completely – if ANY progress is going to be made – but, we all know that “Mindset” change just will NOT work with a % of people!!! Human nature!!

KevinC

I give to charity, even after the government helps themselves to half of my life.
Which is more sinful? The man who works hard to earn his living and becomes wealthy, or the corrupt government who takes half of what he earns under threat of imprisonment?
xerakis

If more of u stupid libs would work and live within your means you would have money to take care of your kids … f-ing idiots. At any rate this man is a good sould and is doing more for his fellow citizens than the lousy stinking govt. ever can……
Stephen

Or they could stop having kids.
Eileen Pressler

Hmm, a well-off person being generous seems to tick off this gentlemen. To be accurate $10 isn’t going to keep any families with children of the street. I am not taking away anything from this dear man’s kindness but, this repler isn’t thinking. Many, many wealthy people give a great deal to help others all year around, They just don’t want to press and the problems that come with being found out. Besides, it really is true that you don’t change or really help a person’s life by giving him a “fish” you need to teach him to “fish” for himself otherwise the money supply will run out & he will be no better off than he was before. Give the wealthy a break they do contribute much we just don’t know of it.

yoleta

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Gabriel Rivera

Yeah why don’t you just give it to charities so they can keep some of it, what would they do different?. They would give them food and I’m pretty sure the homeless are gonna use it for that purpose regardless. Critics are stupid.

Other

You’re pretty sure they’re going to use it for food anyway??????? Well yeah, that or booze, or crack……….Many of these folks are homeless because they have dependency problems. This will just help feed their addictions.
Keith

Gabriel–sadly, alot of the money he is giving away will be used for drugs and alcohol. I’ve worked with the homeless before and the vast majority of the time, they would call for help and try to scam our organization. The best thing is to give it to the local mission or shelter. The majority of the money you give (probably 85%+) goes directly to help the homeless. The people working forthese charities are not there to make a lot of money; they’re there to help the homeless and are willing to sacrifice they’re own desire to make money.

Eileen Pressler

Very true, God bless this gentlemen for his kindness but, it would be better if he bought them a meal or organized something that would give them something they need. At this point many of these people are so low and hopeless that they will indeed, use that money for a bottle of booze or something to blot out their misery but won’t improve anything for them

WC Fields

Giving it direct thay can buy booze, give to a charity no booze. A very Merry intoxicated Christmas to all!

Jeff Smith

You know, man, if that’s what they need to get through christmas, then more power to them. I’m ready for a drink, too, and I’m not homeless.
stinkfoot

Right on Jeff!

Patricia Langford

Langford
It”s not money that makes a man rich.This guy knows the true meaning.
Ro Diaz

The Crack dealers are jumping for joy ! ! !

Forest

You hit it on the head.
P Broussard

don’t forget the drunks and illegals.
Anonymous

you cant buy much crack for $10

Craig Brockman

$10 worth of crack is a lot more than $0 worth of crack – with that said for a junkie, $10 is a lot of crack!

LEON FRANKLIN

GOD BLESSES A CHEERFUL GIVER, A GOOD SAMARITAN, SHARING HIS WEALTH GET’S HIS BLESSING, FROM GOD.

rm

he won’t get any blessing for this PR STUNT if this was truly about helping would he not do it more often and not just when news people are there to tell about it and who calls the news about this sure as hell aint the homeless so this is for sure just a PR stunt

Duncan

He does it anonymously, and has done so for many years. If that’s a publicity stunt, he needs to hire a new PR firm.

Why don’t you go find someone who needs a little help and actually DO SOMETHING for them? I know it’s much easier to sit around in your underwear glued to a computer screen with your free hand in a bag of Cheetos, criticizing a guy who *is* trying to make a difference.
rm

duncan the fact the story says hes done this yearly for 30 years and that the press was there to see it means its not anonymously he clearly calls the press or someone tied to him does. as for me helping others if i had this mans money i would not play big shot and had them token 10 bucks which is not helping them at all it will barely get them one meal. id use the 20g per year to EMPLOY one of them and get that ONE person of the streets THAT WOULD BE DOING SOMETHING HELPFUL
Johnathan

It’s his money, he can do with it as he chooses. It’s admirable he chooses to give it away in person, it appears he enjoys the experience of seeing happiness.

RWall

Are Buffet, Gates, Bloomberg, Turner and other wealthy Americans doing anything to help the destitute here in the USA? You hear about the Gates’ charities but is help going to millions in the USA who need help? Many of us are unemployed and apply for jobs, getting no response. Many of us are destitute. Where is our help until more jobs surface? Thank God there are people like this man in the world. Bless him!

Lyle

You seem to have a lot of time to read random internet stories and criticize others’ spending habits. You don’t know the people you mentioned. You don’t have the right to criticize them.

Initiative, self reliance, and personal responsibility is what made our country great. Focus on your job search.

Oh, and I’ve been where you are so please don’t counter with that nonsense.
Fairchild

This might be the dumbest comment of them all. Congratulations, you should be proud. Just wondering, have you pledged 80% of your worth like Buffett, Gates and the rest have. Probably not. So maybe you should keep you uneducated opinion to yourself.

Yoleta

I agree. Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

does antone wonder why the rich keep getting richer? It is because they are generous.

wobbles

What are they doing to help themselves? There was a time in this country not so long ago when people knew how to help themsleves instead of demanding someone else come to their rescue and give them their “fair share” without them having to put in any work. More people are sitting with their hands out these days while simultaneously doing nothing to better their situation than at any time in our history.
WTSHAFFER

If you have time to read this post, write a reply you aren’t looking hard enough for a job.
Lilith Whyte

Its none of your business what Buffet, Gates, Bloomberg and Turner do with their money.

And as for God blessing this man for handing out money, well, the Bible says that charity should be done in SECRET. It clearly states that the only reward one receives for doing ‘works’ in public, is in the temporal world. Not in heaven.

OhRatts

ROFL… “Critics say the homeless would be better served if donations were made to one of the many area charities.” Right… so that way most of his $20,000 donation would go toward salaries of the people working at the charity and “management” of the charity and “marketing” to ask other people to give to the charity and so on and so forth…

sistaelle

God forbid that a man be treated with dignity and allowed spend $10 as he sees fit.

CBusey

When a gift is given to a homeless individual, it can buy a hot meal, it can show that someone cares. And it can put a smile on someone’s face, when given in the genuine spirit of the season. Each person has a choice, what they will do with the gift they receive. What will you do? God has given us the gift of his Son. What will you do with the greatest gift ever given?

Rick Daniels

The only problem with your thought is, that same $10 can go for another bottle or another snort up the nose, etc.
The charities can make more hot meals for them and provide a warm place to sleep.
Over the years I have given out tens of thousands to the homeless. When I first started I too, handed out cash. When I began paying attention I saw MANY of them going to the liquor store.

Aunt Bee

Think of all the useless 100K a year jobs held in organizations that eat up much of the donations that they receive that could be gotten rid of for good.

Direct donation and no middleman.

http://911essentials.com
jeff

Critics are people who work for non-profits….just because the organization says “non-profit” doesn’t mean the people who run it are doing it for free….critics should quiet down and let this man do what he wants with his money….

Elle

Amen.

wobbles

This guy just bought about 20,000 dollars worth of crack and booze. Wasted money that could have been spent on better deserving people who wouldn’t drink or smoke it. Hey, but I’m sure it makes him sleep better at night.

Jones

2010 years later, the Inn keeper is still with us.

stu gots

Im sure the local liquor stores all stoved up in anticipation of this
joe

While I agree that charities will often use a percentage of donations for overhead, you 3e naïve if you thing that most of the “homeless will buy a meal” with it. Many of them are alcoholics or addicts which is why they are homeless to begin with. They will be using the money on their habits. If the money is given to a shelter 10 dollars could provide a hot meal for an entire FAMILY. So the critics really do have a point.
Steve

MGraves, do you seriously think that people are homeless because rich people don’t give them enough money? Naive soul. Major causes of homelessness are drug use, alcoholism and mental illness. Do some reading.
trudy

each according to his means
indie

So, the “critics” think it should go to charities? Which ones? Tthe ones whose CEOs make 6 figure salries?
Forest

That’s just plain stupid. Give it to charities that look for a cure for children with cancer or something good. Giving it to these losers who expect handouts is really,really dumb. And if he thinks these people will like him for it, he’s still has alot to learn.

Ronomundo

Prof Quigley hit the nail directly on the head! Great question! The kind of wise professor that is rare for sure.

Deborah

Critics meaning the people who receive a percentage of donated monies…parasites.
Jake S

What they’re talking about, saying he should donate it to charity, is that you don’t know what they’ll spend the money on. For he knows, the person he handed that $10 to could go and just spend it on booze or drugs (not saying that all homeless are alcoholic bums but I’m sure some genius will read between the lines and accuse me of that). So yes, it probably would have legitimately helped more if he’d given that money to charity.
Ken Inman

Whoo Hoo, cigs and booze for the holidaze. (not a mispelling)
Dino Lazarus

Hmmmmm. Should I buys 1 big $10 rock, or should I buys 2 small $5 rocks?
Chaz

Even if the destitute spend the money on a bottle of thunderbird or a hit of crack, it’ll still make their pitiful lives a little better.

Bravo to the charitable no matter who you are and Merry Christmas!

tom

WOW Chaz..
Are you really so stupid as to believe that another “hit” makes these people’s lives better?

Hope the next time you shoot up it will be your last time

yoleta

How sad to think that way. Did you ever think that just a smile with a kind heart along with that ten dollars is a way of showing Love? I think that the rich retiree was being kind.

jona

IT WIN’T HAVE AN EFFECT AT ALL.
Being Honest

You’re all whiny babies.
Rick Simm

It was just reported that cigarette and liquor sales jumped over 200% after the $20,000 was handed out. Drug dealers were running low on product also.