Indeed, there is a benefit to community. It is the way humans have survived this long, all pulling together for the benefit of each other.

The loss of this sense of community is very sad, and the hole left in it's place is pretty big. People can feel lonely and abandoned even in the midst of a densely populated city center. Unfortunately, this often leads to overcompensation. The voluntary, helpful ecosystem, is replaced by harmful government programs. While the motivations behind these programs may be great in theory, in practice, they only isolate the helpee from the helper.

The helper is forcefully removed from his means against his will and without his consent. The helpee receives this assistance automatically, with very little human interaction. Neither party gets to experience the connection that this kind of assistance brings. It breeds mutual contempt, indignation and entitlement.

So, it is very important to recognize the beauty of these relationships, especially when things happen the way they should, and everyone involved feels uplifted in the end. It is the way we were created. (or evolved if you rather.)