Giving Money to Those who Need?

The back story to yesterdays Question goes like this:

Maybe I shouldn't have asked if you give money to Pan handlers because that's not really what the woman i saw was.

There have been times where i went to pay for something and didn't have enough money.  At least twice its happened at Walgreens, where I walked out all red faced and wished I was the recipient of a person wanting to give out good gestures and pay for my children's diapers.  Any time this has happened, I've said to God out loud, "God, please, if there ever is a person in front of me who is embarrassed like that, please let me have enough money to pay their tab. 

Its never happened......Then yesterday, I ran to walgreens to get diapers of course.  I counted my cash and was pleasantly surprised at how much money I had from painting, I thought maybe I'd buy myself a present for being awesome, maybe some makeup. 

I get to the door and see a woman in her 50's or early 60's smoking a cigarette and shaking, she looked like she had been through the mill.    People are ignoring her and walking away.  She comes up to me and says "Miss, my car is out of gas over in the villas, i just need to get home can I have a few dollars I can........"  Before she finished I blindly reached in my wallet and handed her enough money to get her a half tank in a small car I'm sure....I said, "just take it" and walked away. 

IT was only after that I started thinking maybe she was a career panhandler, with some sob story that wasn't true.  I'm over it now, I rather believe she had no gas and here is why.

This past year was SUPER Shitty for us.  My husband lost 2 jobs and then the Third filed for Bankrupcy protection....all while our paychecks were bouncing all over the place.  I had started my own second business (my first is Thirty-One)  Painting Furniture to make money for things like Pre-school.  Then the company going bankrupt let go half their staff...... Here I was in November, with $124 in the bank with no Christmas gifts for anyone and barley enough money to purchase food since I have a kid with a fancy allergy to Wheat.

I busted my rear painting but was stuck in the predicament of not having the $ to buy the supplies, but not having the portfolio or experience to be demanding large deposits.  SO, I Internet panhandled.

I said a prayer and set up an Indegogo.  I want to add I did not ask family for $ at this point, I don't want people to think they wouldn't help (because they actually did!) but I'm too prideful to ask them to help AGAIN.  My request was for people to help me start my business.  I didn't want people to blindly give me money and think I was going to go wild with it.  I in all honesty wanted to be able to buy supplies so I could work.  You know that whole "if you teach a man to fish " thing.....that  was my idea.

After 25 days, I had three donations....all three from wonderful bloggers who saw a woman in need....not a mooch.  There are a few blogs where people are constantly asking for money, I'm not talking a donate button, i mean True asking constantly.  They become professional pan handlers of the Internet, just like the ones you see in the city.

Here I was, a mom, asking humbly for help and I was ignored because of how people were burned by professional pan handlers.

Like me, I didn't know if this woman was a pro or really out of gas.  What if i just ignored her because I had been scammed before?  So I blindly gave, because people blindly trusted and gave to me.

Its been a few months but, Thank you P, B, &M.  Your help, even if you thought it was small, really cheered a sister up and gave me a little boost.  In The Park is doing amazing and I have you to thank :)