Phoenix tells churches to stop feeding homeless on the street

You see them on street corners asking for a helping hand, but handing out food to the homeless may not be such a great idea. Susan Bellflower, with the First Southern Baptist Church of Phoenix, said that volunteers will often hand out food directly to people living on the street. “I often wish I had more in my car,” said Bellflower.

The City of Phoenix is now asking church groups and community organizations to redirect their generosity and stop feeding people on the street. Riann Balch heads up Phoenix’s Human Resources Department, which just launched a new program called the “Street Feeding Collaborative.” Its mission is to educate faith and community-based groups about why street feeding can do more harm than good. READ MORE