rachel123 - 10:35 pm on Dec 20, 2009 (gmt 0)

"Oh dear, that sounds terrible. Tell you what, we don't give discounts to individuals based on need but we do make a sizeable donation to the {insert social service here - Toys for Tots, Salvation Army, county social services, community food bank} every year. Here, let me give you their information...if you give them a call I'm sure they can help you out..."

Which is true. We do donate routinely and generously to community services...so I just refer people there.

Of course it's harder over the web since you don't know the local organizations, but usually a quick google search or just refer people to the salvation army website. I've got a generous spirit but listening to the sob stories of people I've never met, the main point of which is sometimes to screw me over, Bah Humbug. :)