Charitable acts need focus on developing skills, identifying resources

Several residents of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., gather in a public park to serve food to some hungry homeless individuals. Would this be considered an act of charity or a crime?

Three of those residents — Arnold Abbott, and two south Florida ministers — are being charged with up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine in violation of a recent ordinance, according to the Associated Press article, “Feeding the homeless: Act of charity or a crime?” This Florida ordinance restricts public feeding of homeless people and was put into effect to help keep public places open to everyone.

According to the article...