Depending on how they approach me I usually offer to buy them some food, but I will also give them money sometimes.
I think the problem of homlessness is one of the most misunderstood issues we have. People say they should get a job, but they don't appreciate how hard it is to break the vicoius circle.
To get a job you need a residence
To get a residence you need two months rent + damage deposit
To come up w/ that amount of money you need a job.
A lot of homeless people do have jobs, however can't make enough money to get off the street.
This is to say nothing of the number of homeless people that are suffering from serious mental illness, or addiction.
So sometimes even though I know the guy is going to just use my change to buy another bottle of booze so be it. When its -25 degree outside, and the alcohol helps this guy escape from the voices in his head for the night than how wrong can that be?
Long-term am I helping him? Not at all. But for a lot of these people there is no such thing as long-term. They are just trying to get through one day.
End of rant.
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