What’s up with all the handouts these days? It seems charities have forgotten we have public assistance programs for the needy, and people still donate to food pantries and holiday food programs. If these people are truly needy they would get food stamps right? What’s more, we are now donating toys and school supplies to children. Are we trying to teach our young that handouts should be expected for a lifetime? Even poor families have TVs, DVD players, computers, cell phones and other modern conveniences. I fear that providing additional assistance to these families only frees up family monies for not so basic needs or even worse - drugs and alcohol. I think it’s fair to say that if “needy” families were unable to afford their cable, internet, video games, and other creature comforts, many of them would work harder and provide for their families like most of us. If more effort was put into getting able bodied people off these programs, many would become productive tax paying citizens.