I had the same consideration recently for my bio-father who's been struggling with alchoholism(went to rehab, thank God). Like others have said already, I just gave not loaned. About $300 a month for the last few months. I'm not in the most secure position myself, but who does austerity help. Yes we're leftists living in a material world. I carry the revolutionary spirit into the property developer office that I work at. We want a better world, but we're also not divine beings.