No, cajun - faith based charities do an amazing amount of good without all of the red tape. Dr Phil had a pastor on today whose mission feeds 30,00 people a WEEK.

As individuals we should be helping those in need around us. Sharing our wealth in a way that is meaningful to us and directly helps another human being in trouble.

Meanwhile my MIL who is on a stringent fixed income and relies on us for part of her rent, can't get heating assistance even though her landlord renegged on his promise to reduce her rent once he had new heaters put in his building ( he used to pay the heat; now each tenent pays their own). She makes about 100.00 a year too much to qualify. That's one hunderd dollars - the price of two tanks of gas. Her fuel bills are running almost 200.00 a month. Where is her help from the government?

She is working on a e-book on painting, hoping to be able to raise a little money for herself. She can't work because of her health. She has one painting student and would love to work if only her health would let her.

Seniors and the disabled DO deserve help, but this is not where the money goes. Too many times it goes to single mothers with three kids who just never bothered to get married or get an education before reproducing or doing much of anything but have sex.