Ep 17. Charity Begins at Home

In season 1 episode 17 of Growing Pains, titled "Charity Begins at Home," the Seaver family is preparing for Christmas when they receive a visit from Ed Malone, a homeless man who asks for a place to stay for the night. Jason Seaver, the father, agrees to let Ed stay in the basement for the night.

Throughout the episode, the Seaver family deals with their own holiday stress, including Carol Seaver's difficulty deciding on what to buy each of her family members and Jason's work dilemma of whether to donate money to charity or invest it in his business. Meanwhile, Ed becomes a member of the family and tries to help each person in his own way.

When Maggie Seaver realizes that Ed has been in and out of shelters his entire life, she takes it upon herself to help him with job applications and try to get him on his feet. However, the rest of the family is hesitant to put too much trust in Ed, and they struggle with their own feelings of guilt for not doing more to help him.

As Christmas Eve approaches, the Seavers come to understand the true meaning of charity, and each family member tries to do what they can to help others, including donating money to various organizations and taking part in a Christmas caroling event to raise money for the homeless shelter.

In the end, the family learns that charity starts at home and that it's important to look out for one another, especially during the holidays. Ed leaves the Seavers with a newfound appreciation for the kindness and warmth of a loving family, and the Seavers feel happy knowing they could make a difference in someone's life.