Actually that's exactly my policy too. I give a lot of money to established charities I trust. Established enough to give me a receipt for a tax write off too.

Why bother with handouts and door to door "buy magazines from me so I can go to underprivalaged kid camp"? How do I know they aren't a scam? Who cares. If you really need it, there are established charities that help.

I donate to organizations that have shelters and soup kitchens. So why give money to a bum? Tell the bum to go the shelter if he really needs it. (BTW, gift certificates don't even work... and prick of a bum took my gift certificate and let it blow away in the wind. Asshole... that was my lunch.)