I don’t think that most people think about homeless people very frequently. That is, unless you live in a city where you encounter them frequently. But, for the most part, a beggar on the street is dismissed from your mind as soon as another conversation starts. Those beggars don’t have that privilege. Also, there are a lot of misconceptions with homeless people so that when you do see them, you don’t have sympathy. The last time you probably saw a homeless man on the street, there is a good chance that you made some assumptions. Perhaps “drug addict” or “alcoholic” came to mind, maybe “criminal” or “felon,” even “crazy.”

Those feeling aren’t unjustified, and I don’t think you’ll meet a single person who disagrees with you; a lot of the time, they have a drug or alcohol problem, and they’ve probably been to jail. A local homeless shelter near me reports that up to 90% of their residents have a drug or alcohol condition. About half have been through the criminal justice system. Many have mental illness, diagnosed or not. And all of these things are enhanced when on the street. However, approximately 33% of homeless males In the United States are veterans. One third of the people begging for food and money have put their life on the line for their country- your country. Maybe that doesn’t shake you very much, but it shakes me a little bit.

Most homeless people have also been sexually, physically, or emotionally abused. It isn’t uncommon for a homeless woman to have been a prostitute because her entire life, she has been told she wasn’t worth anything. And while these statistics may feel presumptuous, the reality is that you don’t understand them. Without asking them, you can’t understand what they’ve experienced in their life. Giving them a hundred dollar bill isn’t necessarily the solution, but a blanket, coat, or a fast food burger might be. Maybe for you, walking away is the solution. But remember one thing: no one chooses to be without a home.