Instead of Mittens, How About a Job?

It’s that time of year again when we are collecting up things to give to people who are homeless. Gloves, mittens, hats, scarves, sleeping bags.

Here. Doing a little urban camping right now? Here’s a nice blanket. I sound cynical. I’m not really, I’m just questioning this approach.

The other day, someone tied new scarves around lamp posts in a downtown park with a card inviting people who needed a scarf to take one. I love that. I love all charity. I love giving things to people who need them, no questions asked. I do two donation drives myself. One is called Time of the Month Club. Conducted in the fall, I, along with a network of other women, collect a ton of feminine hygiene products for distribution to women in shelters. Sox Rox is what it sounds like, a sock drive for men, women and children who are homeless…