Back 20 years ago, I was living in the DC area...
I took a woman I was hoping to get to know better,

, out to a show at the Kennedy Center, and dinner after...
As we were exiting the a Kennedy Center, there was literally a fat guy sitting on the machine that lifted the barricade arm leaving the garage, with a sign saying he needed money.
Pretty smart, all these folks dressed to the nines, trying to impress their dates, so as they paid the machine, he's looking right at you, in the eye...nearly everyone in front of us gave money.
I didn't give him anything, and my date was irate...saying I was heartless, etc., ....so, as we drove away, I got sick of her yammering, and did a u-turn & parked....
She had no idea what I was doing...and kept yammering....
Finally, I saw him jump down, and walked across the street...I said "hold on, there's you're friend"...
She kept talking, but slower, and watched him enter a different garage on our side of the street.
2 minutes later, he pulls out of a different garage,
in a Mercedes!
I'm not making this up...
She finally shut up
A year or so later either The Washington Post or local news did a series about this...and there was a big push to give to organizations, instead of individuals...