Great post. We help out at a local shelter once a month during the winter months. It closes during the summer for some reason. One thing I've learned is that the homeless community includes a wide range of people.

There are abandoned or abused women with kids who have no other support group and end up homeless. There are couples who lost their jobs and homes and are struggling to find new jobs. They don't have family or friends willing or able to help them. In the meantime, they stay in shelters or on the street. There are elderly people who lost all of their money for any number of reasons. They often have small Social Security checks and can't find housing. Yes, there are also people with drinking and mental health problems too.

The thing is: it only takes a few bad breaks for many to end up homeless.