This is a serious, and tough, question. Many Mormons refer to this counsel in the Book of Mormon, given by King Benjamin around 120 B.C.:

"And again, I say to the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give. And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received." (Mosiah 4:24-25)

I think that says it pretty clear-- that we have an obligation to care for the needy.

However, perhaps to play a "devil's advocate", I'm not sure the method we use to care for the needy should be the same as it was 2000 years ago. One of the primary rules for interpreting scripture is to examine the historical context. Is it likely that the poor in King Benjamin's day had soup kitchens and homeless shelters, such as the people in Berkeley? Is it likely that they had governmental organizations set up to specifically aid the less fortunate? Is it likely they had non-governmental charitable institutions set up specifically to aid the poor? Is it likely that they had international organizations available, to which they could contribute, for helping the poor in other, distant communities? Is it even likely that people in King Benjamin's day assisted the poor by giving them *money* (as opposed to other goods/services)?

Only by examining these issues can one understand how to apply King Benjamin's counsel in our own lives.

I would submit that there are many other ways of assisting the poor than just giving them money, and most of those ways may be more appropriate.

John