I will give a brother/sister a hand. But it is incumbent on them to convince me that they indeed served.
If someone truly served they can show up at the VFW, DAV or American Legion. They will get assistance.
If you can get them to go. Some won’t, no matter how often you try to help them get help.Some already get a little help, but prefer to remain primarily on the streets.
I’ve given cash, food, a jacket,and packs of smokes to a local panhandler I had “vetted”. He was the the only one out of hundreds in the area.
Very few panhandlers are military veterans.
Oddly enough, most panhandlers in Florida aren’t even poor, or homeless.
It’s a well known cottage industry scam, around here.
Particularly in the larger tourist trap areas.
It comes in waves...usually seasonal.