The Homeless.

In the U.S., there are two honest charities that I know provide a great deal of help to the homeless: Volunteers of America and the Salvation Army.

I used to volunteer with homeless teens, and there are also many community-based organizations that would appreciate money or time.

I am not sure about organizations in other countries.

I was homeless with my kids after a fire before. Red Cross helped us out. Put us up in a hotel for 3 days and got some cash to buy clothes and baby things. They also gave us things like soaps and toothbrushes. It was a BIG help.

Maybe look locally? I volunteer every Thanksgiving and Christmas at different locations that serve free hot meals to those in need. Neither are large organizations but, rather small, locally-run non-profits.

Maybe look locally? I volunteer every Thanksgiving and Christmas at different locations that serve free hot meals to those in need. Neither are large organizations but, rather small, locally-run non-profits.

Good idea. Xmas time, many places have trees you can pick a card with a kid's name and gift they'd like. I love that idea and I'm going to do that this year.

Where I live, there is a shelter for homeless teenagers and youth that is very good and helpful, it is called Covenant House. But, there are lots of other resources and ways to get involved. You can give money, volunteer, and provide services based on your training and skills that you have to offer. There are so many ways to help. Offering dance classes, for example, helps more than you might think. Having creative outlets and community events are very valuable. You just have to be sure you have the proper training to work with a community that has mental health issues.

A good organization in New York is GEMS. http://www.gems-girls.org/

Google local charities (I did and see a handful of food banks in your area) and give them a call. Find out about volunteering and what kind of donations they need/prefer.

You can also donate to domestic violence shelters. They need all kinds of stuff for the adults, babies, and children.

If there somehow is not something in your town, you can check the closest city.

Research for a local food bank, they provide food to people with no questions asked. Many churches have one, or donate to "Catholic Charities" if you are so inclined. They do a lot in the New York area.

I like this idea. But in a small town ? not aware of homeless people might stay.
Donate at Christmas to Salvation Army but just that I can"t donate to one certain family, which I would like to do.
With their needs/wants.
Just give the basic...canned goods, pasta, cereal.
Would sure like to donate something more special than those things.

You have to do some research. As I said, when I google your city and "food bank" or "homeless shelter" several local charities pop up. They all have phone numbers that you can call. I can see that your heart is in the right place and I am in now way trying to discourage your generosity, but I have worked in non-profit development for a number of years, finding a local charity and asking their specific needs is the absolute best way to help.

As to helping a specific family, in the area that I live, places like Walmart usually allow local organization do an angel tree, where low income children or elderly have their specific wants/needs on a paper angel with instructions with where to take purchases.

I worked at a non-profit Agency called Baldwin Center as a Clothing Director for 17 years. It gives away clothing and houseware, and personal hygiene. We also help fire victims and have a soup kitchen, AA meetings, and a homeless prevention program. It's located in Pontiac, MI if your interested. Check us out! Everything is absolutely free of charge.

I would look locally. The best place to start is to ask someone in need about their experiences. Get personal. I volunteer and donate to P:ear, a resource center for homeless youth which grants them use of their supplies and studio to make and sell art. They also do job training and run a barista school, help encourage and support transient youths struggling with identity and security, help provide homing solutions and job references or internships, supply scholarship applications and informations, host workshops, and host events.

I never would have found this place if I hadn't talked to homeless street kids around Portland. They also told me about a few more underground resources and local businesses who do what they can to make resources available. A few grocery places leave day-old bread, etc out on carts near the dumpsters. They can't legally serve it, but they know people will dumpster dive in desperation anyways, so offerings like this happen, and the more fortunate of us who know about it will bring used backpacks or blankets and things occassionally because someone will scavange and make use of what would otherwise be garbage.

Within reason, assuming the person isn't a danger to approach, most people don't mind conversation.

Before you give, you do want to look into the charity fully.

A good place to get info for what is needed is the schools. A local girls group talked to the counselors, found out kids were coming to school hungry and had a granola bar drive. Kids got fed and no names were used so no one had to worry about privacy issues.