Homeless in America

I have been traveling in Arizona and California for the past 6 weeks in areas that are affluent.  Laguna Beach, New Port Beach and a few other wealthy beach towns make up the list.  In these towns I have noticed a few homeless people trying to survive.  My wife and I sat down with one man outside a health food store and actually talked to him after noticing the wealthy population walking by him as though he were invisible.  He was a Vietnam vet who lived in the town shelter and was suffering from an infection on his foot.  He was helped by his son who lived near by and checked on him everyday with a phone call.  I suspect he wanted to live on his own and chose to get help from those in town.  After leaving him some $ and having a talk, he thanked us for taking the time to say hi and acknowledge he was a human in need.  Sometimes these people go through days without anyone even saying hi to them.  This is an educational moment.  You may not want to give money based on some belief system that you really need that extra quarter or dollar, but at least acknowledge them.  They are humans living in our society and they are not going away.