DETROIT (July 25) - A homeless man who returned $21,000 worth of saving bonds he found in a trash bin is finding out how much honesty can pay off.

Charles Moore, 59, had been searching for returnable bottles last week when he came across the 31 U.S. savings bonds. He turned them in to a homeless shelter, where a staff member tracked down the family of the man who had owned them.

For his good deed, the bond owner's son gave Moore $100, but residents around Michigan and in other states decided his action merited a more generous reward.

So far, Moore has received over $4,000.

One man sent him eight trash bags full of returnable bottles and a bowl of coins. Three others gave a combined $2,500, and two businessmen from Troy donated $1,200, a shopping spree and a lead on a job.

"I was thankful for it," said Moore, who had lost his roofing job in Ohio and moved back to Michigan but couldn't find work.

Moore said he plans to use the money to find an apartment.

David C. Smith, of Albuquerque, N.M., gave Moore $1,000. Smith said he and his fiancee wouldn't have thought twice about what to do if the bonds had belonged to them.

"We would have given him the whole amount, period," Smith said. "No questions asked."
07/25/06 09:53 EDT
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I absolutely love this story. I could cry over the generous love and gifts that was given to this guy. I would hope that now he can get off his feet and hopefully the whole lead in the job works out-if not then he'll find something. At his age then a good custodial job at a school would be good for him.
Though I would have to admit that I was rather sad and dissapointed that the son of the bonds owner only gave him $100. I mean $100. for returning $21,000?? Come on, the guy could have given more than that. Here are other people that are taking money out of they're pockets and heart-even if it comes from recycable bottles and a bowl of change-still these other people are rewarding him greatly. I hope all goes well with him!!

Yeah, a hundred bucks? I'd use that to get like a single lesson in Hapkido or something so I could break Mr. Scrooge's arm. Or maybe I'd buy a DVD player or something else completely worthless since I'm a homeless man who gave up $21,000.

I like that story too. The owners of the bonds were a bit stingy in only giving the guy $100 dollars, but kudos to the other people that donated much larger amounts. It just goes to show that there is still integrety and kindness in this world. I hope he finds an apartment and gets back on his feet. Hopefully someone will offer him some employment. I wish him all the best of luck for the future.

$100?? I'd have just bought him a bottle of Jack Daniels.

And he would've chugged it, lost his fear, smashed the bottle over your head, and taken the $21,000 back. That's what I would've done anyway.

Maybe the owner of the bonds could not afford to give more. Yeah, right, you all say, with 21 grand? Since the son was handling the money, maybe mom or dad was in some hell hole nursing home and the 21g was like a god send so he could take them out of there into a place where they change the sheets more than once a year.

Okay... just looking from it in another way. How very nice for the homeless man to be getting a second chance on life.

21K in bonds and his parents stuck in a nursing home so he's gonna use it to get them out-even though the bonds are in his fathers name anyways. In the first story of him finding the bonds-it states that his father was passed away. So no, it's called being ungrateful. Maybe the bonds owner will blow thru the money like it was nothing.

the bond owner is probably a lawyer or TV-preacher--lol

the dude that turned in the bonds is lucky he ain't in the jail house . can you see a cop interrogating him now ? -

-"Where did YOU a street person come up with $21,000 in bonds?? ! --tell me the truth ! "whack-whack" with the rubber hose !! a fat cop comes over with a cattleprod!
"
you better fess up ! your funding al-quida aren't you ! cops count the bonds--wait a minute there is only $10,000 worth , no let me count --there is only $5,000 worth --no-no - let me count!! --hell there ain't no bonds--just a empty sack !>

due to lack of evidence were going to let you go--this time --"

LOL

I'd have just pushed him down after he'd downed the JD.

Why are you guys being so hard on the bond owners? It was their money, not the bum's. If they only wanted to give $100, so be it. Karma, man.

^ I believe I have a quick answer for you question-GREED. Plain and simple greed. The homeless man could have kept them but he was kind and generous enough to turn them in. The love he has received because of it shows. The bonds owner could have never received the bonds if it wasn't for the homeless man-so why not be a little more generous and a little less greedy.

But how is it greedy if it's their own money? Maybe they worked hard for it and scrimped and saved every last penny for those bonds? I mean who knows really? They didn't have to give him anything.

Karma works both ways. The homeless man is receiving the benefits of Karma because he turned the bonds in. Maybe the bond owners have damaged their Karma because they only gave the man $100 but the point still is, it's their money.

Gotta agree with you coldethyl about the karma thing.

I'm relatively poor, my car's a piece of ..... If I suddenly was handed $20 grand I didn't know I had..... I'd still give the homeless guy half.

While I put forth the opposing possibility that the guy desperately needed the 20k for something, it really was probably just him wanting his money and perhaps not thinking the homeless guy would do anything worthwhile with it anyway.

Unfortunately that'd be my assumption too. I wouldn't give him half. Maybe I'm just evil. I'd have given him more than $100 but never half.

Foolish fellow for giving the bonds back....in the first place. I find money, I'm bloody well keeping it and that's that!!!

Moral of the story is honesty is the best policy.

Is it rickfury? Why?