I've been thinking a lot about it lately too. I've heard about the Denver Voice, and I think it's a good program. I had a good talk with a man who had been released from prison and was trying to find work and was selling the Voice in the mean time. He was clean, sweet, approachable, and willing to tell me about his story so I gave him a few bucks for his newspaper and his time. Those people seem to really want to help pick themselves back up. It's the "other" homeless people that really get to me - the grungy sign-holding people that hang out on every other corner in Boulder. I saw a woman on a corner downtown a week or two ago with a sign that said "Pregnant and homeless, anything helps" and I didn't know what to think. I couldn't tell if she was pregnant by looking at her and I was torn between revulsion/disgust, pity, and the ever-present "maybe she's just scamming people for money" feeling. I didn't know whether to go up to her and tell her she can get free prenatal care (or an abortion) at BVWH or Clinica Campesina or ask her what her story is, so I just walked past. I don't understand why they can't seek out help. There ARE programs to help them get back on their feet, but they choose to stand around asking for change all day? Most seem harmless, some are absurd (A sign-holder that told me "I'm too drunk to be doing this" as I waited for the light to change), and some of them are just plain irritating ("Can you spare any change? Is that food you have there? Can I have some? Well can you take me somewhere and buy me something to eat?"). I want to scream into their faces that I'll be $50,000 in debt when I graduate and that I'm from a poor family and trying to work my way up and why on earth can't they do the same instead of hanging around the creek path, drinking, and standing on corners, and that if they have a single nickel to their name they're better off than I am. I can't accept just giving them money as the solution. I'm more of the "teach a man to fish" mentality. I'd rather give money to organizations like Boulder Reads that help people who are willing to put in the time and effort to improve their situations.