The money collected by "those annoying beggars" served to help a LOT of people in the wake of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. And they did it in one of the most financially efficient methods of any 501(c)3 charitable organization operating in this country.
But don't feel guilty or anything like that when you walk past them.
They do attempt to make people feel guilty for walking past them.
It annoys me and everyone else that prefers charities that help people without strings attached.