Make no mistake about it. There are still good people in this world. Take for instance, Juanita Vega of New York. She made headlines recently when she paid for the funeral of a homeless man whom she would always see in the neighborhood surrounding the Manhattan bank where she worked. Many mornings, Juanita had to awaken Richard Coleman as he slept in the vestibule of the bank. Richard had been a fixture in the area for nearly 20 years.

One day, after not seeing Richard for weeks, she learned from an online news site that the 62-year-old man had died. Rather than see him buried at the city’s public cemetery, Potter’s Field, Juanita pulled a lot of strings and used her own money to honor Richard one final time with a funeral and burial in a New Jersey cemetery.

Juanita is an example of a person who did something out of the goodness of her heart. Random acts of kindness, like hers, help to shine a light on the plight of the homeless.

You, too, can make a difference in the lives of our nation’s homeless through your local shelter or rescue mission. Donate care packages containing toiletries and other everyday necessities that we often take for granted. Volunteer your time to help serve meals or teach a vocational class. If you have construction or interior design skills, offer to give a facelift to  transitional and permanent housing facilities by painting, renovating or decorating. Make a cash gift to the organization to help with the multitude of expenses associated with caring for the homeless and putting them on a permanent path to success.

In addition, you can have a huge impact on the self-esteem of the homeless by treating them with dignity and respect. Acknowledge their value as human beings. They will appreciate your caring attitude and always remember your kindness.