Tunnel Road dilemma

I'm on a business trip this week in Asheville, NC. My favorite hotel (primarily due to location) was full, so I stayed at the Hampton Inn on Tunnel Road instead. I ran from the hotel, through the tunnel and beyond, and then returned back to the hotel this morning. Running thru the tunnel was COOL! but the neighborhood is a little sketchy. I started gaining on a young man walking on the sidewalk in front of me as an older couple were coming towards us. The old man was pushing an old woman in a wheel chair and they asked the young guy that was walking in the opposite direction, passing them, for money. The young guy started yelling at the old man: "GET A FUCKING JOB AND SUPPORT YOUR WIFE!!!" and the old man yelled back and then the young guy pulled off his backpack and said it was full of bricks and if the old man didn't leave him alone he would beat him. I veered off the sidewalk into the adjacent parking lot while this was taking place and then ran faster without paying any attention to heart rate like I normally would. But it made me think... When asked for money from homeless, I either decline or give them whatever fresh fruit that I happen to have with me. The reaction of the young man today was something that I've often thought, but never proclaimed. What would you do?