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Just be careful that they are actually genuinely working towards solving the problem. Unfortunately a lot of organizations are part of the “homeless industrial complex” and are incentivized to not solve the problem and instead by perpetuating it in a slightly different manner so they are well positioned to receive more funding to “tackle” the new developments of the problem
I drove trucks over the road for fifty years, and panhandlers were always just part of it. I am not so naive as to think that they might not take whatever money I give them for food and spend it on getting high. But I always asked myself, what if he IS hungry and I walk on by. I decided years ago that I would give someone enough to get some food, and what they did with it was not on me - that’s between them and their God. I might not make a difference in anyone’s life, but I may have helped a few get through the night. And that’s about as much as I could hope for. >

Hell, even if they do spend it on drugs maybe it's so they can be numb enough to sleep on the streets.
We don't know how other people deal with this hell-ride we call life, and it's not our place to judge. If they need a little help though, it's not shameful to extend a hand >

Youre looking at this the wrong way. Its not that people are homeless, therefore they need drugs to help them deal with the pain. Its the drug abuse and bad decisions that lead them to being homeless and living on the streets.
Yes we can judge because thats the vast majority of the situations. Heavy drug use will put you on a downward spiral that often leads to homelessness. Its up to the user to be strong enough to stop before it gets to that point. So by giving them money, you’re helping them finance their bad decisions. Dont be an enabler. >

Or you might just realize that here they are in a bad spot, and at this point, how they got here really isn’t the bigger issue. Hungry is hungry, and it won’t kill me to give them a meal. I don’t know which person did what with the money, but if you actually give a hungry man a meal… >

If someone asks me for food, I will never deny them a meal. Drug addict, bad decisions, or whatever the reason is. No one deserves to be hungry. Actual cash is another story tho… >

They’re pretty ok where I live. Avoid the screaming/drugged out crazies, but the rest are just regular people. Buy them a burger and chat with them for a bit. You’ll hear some pretty wild stories and have good conversations. >

I don't do that because the homeless in my area get clingy. I gave a guy i saw at the bus stop a few packaged foods a couple of times and then he started getting demanding asking for more and saying i should give him cash too. Stopped giving.
My coworker used to buy a crazy lady breakfast. Then she started coming into our work place randomly to tell coworker she was hungry and wouldn't leave. Called security on that one. >

I rarely go to the same person more than once or twice (what you described does happen very often if you work as an individual, even homeless people who go to my soup kitchen will recognize me and ask me for more stuff on off-hours), but I have a friend who sells cool stuff he found/makes and is a great dude, and camps sort of right below my apartment. Never had an issue with him, he’s got great character, very hardworking and helps the other homeless people around here. Good guy in bad circumstances. >

I mean my parents taught me that a lot of the homeless population was experiencing exactly what you described. I don’t think I can solve homelessness but I don’t see any issues in donating to local organisations or letting them have safe areas in the city