Can you spare some change?

I'm often caught in an internal dilemma to "do the right thing". One of the things I've gotten used to is passing people on the street asking you for money. And lately, it has been the announcements/pleas on the subway for some spare change.

Can you spare some change?

Here I am working to eventually fight for those who have been systematically neglected and I sit there averting my eyes away from imploring eyes. I am not one to point the finger (I mean, who is really at fault? we could go on for days playing "devil's advocate" hah), but here is a quick story:

I'm sitting in the station. Waiting. The usual story for taking the train on the weekends. A family comes by and the father yells "sit down!". The mother pushing a stroller sits down and rolls her eyes. A young girl follows behind about 7 years old, and giggles to herself. The father yells "sit down!". She just laughs playfully and as a result really upsets her father. He starts asking her what she's laughing about, telling her he'll wipe that smile right off of her face, etc. All this yelling is getting to me and I'm just wishing for the train to pull up any minute so I can get lost in the crowd again.

Meanwhile, I'm looking down, reading something (or trying). The train arrives and the father starts demanding them to get into the train. He takes the baby boy out of the stroller and holds him. The moment he steps into the train he's hugging and kissing this baby completely different from the aggressive and hurtful yelling I just witnessed 30 seconds ago. They get in, and lo and behold I hear the same old spiel: "Ladies and gentlemen, can we have one moment of your time..." I can't but see this as twisted use of human capital.

So here comes the "choose your own ending" part of the novel: Do I give to this family and provide temporary relief while encouraging this unhealthy family dynamic to continue? or do I avert my eyes while telling myself that continuing to work for a greater net good in the world is more valuable than giving my one dollar?