Get Food to Homeless

Regarding “Studio City Association Complains About the Homeless.”

Are they homeless and needing help or is it a sham?

All of us have seen the pitiful men and women holding signs that say, “I Will Work for Food.” Sometimes they are even holding small children.

I want to help, but I wonder where my precious few charity dollars really go.

Does it matter where the money goes? To me it does. I want the money that I can afford to give to do some good, as it does when I give to an organized charity.

Would it be possible for the large food market chains to sponsor a food coupon gift certificate program? Shoppers could buy coupons at the check-out counter in denominations of $1 and $5. They probably should be printed on difficult-to-counterfeit paper and be redeemable at all participating markets so that the recipient would not have to travel too far. (Present market gift certificates are inadequate, in that they are in large amounts only and need to be purchased from the manager, if he can locate them.)

If I hand out the coupons in place of money, at least I would know that my money went for food for someone, or to running the program. I know some individuals might still barter the coupons for liquor or drugs, but I bet the majority would be used for food.

GLENN MAHAN

Studio City