Many years ago (10 or so) I had a young man who was helping me with errands and things I could not physically do. He was dirt poor (very intelloigent and polite however) and lived at a local shelter which was also a soup kitchen where he helped out. But he was kind enough to help me, and for this I let him stay at my place if he wanted, shower there, eat my food, watch TV, use the telephone, etc. He preferred those things to me paying him money for helping. A year or so after meeting him, he said he had decided to hitch hike to the West coast (I am in the midwest, so it was going to be a very long trip for him). He had about $30. cash on him, one spare pair of clothes and some small personal stuff in his backpack-duffel bag he carried. I went out and bought him $200 in MacDonalds gift certificates -- not sure if they still have them -- so he would have enough food for the trip (he was used to only 1 REAL meal a day) and gave him $100. cash. He cried, and almost refused to take the stuff from me. I told him he had done much more for me than I was doing for him, and I wished him the very best, and told him to have a safe journey. He sent me a postcard 1 month or so later from Colorado, and said he was still going to California, but due to being able to afford to eat daily and get a cheap room in some places, he was taking his time so he could enjoy seeing the country. He said he had shared some of his food vouchers with a few homeless people also. I felt good hearing from him. I haven't heard from him since. I guess this is a good example of "Pay it forward." ?