When you say “don’t give cash to homeless people” obviously you’re talking about beggars and street vagrants, not whatever demographic some NGO has decided to formally define as “homeless” in order to game the statistics.
First, I didn't say "don't give cash to homeless people" because I do have a very different interpretation of being homeless. The view you take sounds like you've been privileged enough to have never been homeless yourself. I promise you will think of homelessness in a very different manner if you ever have the misfortune of being homeless. I specifically modified the comment to call out addicts.
I have on multiple occasions helped someone out that was facing some very difficult decisions because of not having a place to stay. People that are not addicts can be put in making choices that they would never even consider in a normal situation, but we faced with sleeping in a car/street/public shelter, those choices suddenly start to look more acceptable. Even more so if you have kids.
> First, I didn't say "don't give cash to homeless people"
Sorry, I meant “you” in the general sense, not you personally.
> The view you take sounds like you've been privileged
Stuff it with the personal comments.
> I have on multiple occasions helped someone out that was facing some very difficult decisions because of not having a place to stay.
I have as well. And in my experience, at least with street people, it’s much better to give them bottled water and food than to give them cash. If it’s a family member or someone you actually know, that’s a completely different situation than what most people (not you, to be clear!) are talking about when they say “don't give cash to homeless people”.
