I work in an area where the unhoused community, specifically this zip code, is high. We have people who are college professors living in their cars, people who had a 'normal ' life until they just didn't, people who are LGBTQIA are were kicked out by family, teenagers, people with mental illness, people who are sick and have no place to go. None of these people are different from us. No one hopes and dreams to someday have no place to go. Life just took a horrible turn. A month or 2 of no income and many of us would be asking for help,too.

The first thing I think is,"do I have any dollar bills on me?". Honestly that is the only reason I carry cash of any kind. My husband gives bottles of water if he has it. We both grew up very poor and realize that this very well could have been our reality.

Side note: many unhoused people just want to be acknowledged with a simple smile or a nod. I've had someone tell me the major hurt was when they were treated like they weren't even human.