Thoughts about the homeless.

I have always been intrigued with homeless people. Why are they homeless? Why can't they get a job or afford a house? Is it OK to give them money? or food? How do you know what they are gonna use it for? I've talked to some people about it who have said that it doesn't matter what they do with it, once you give it to them you've done your part and it's up to them to use their agency and do what they want with it. There's an old saying that would come to mind when I think about this, "You can give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, or you can teach a man to fish and he'll have food the rest of his life." When we give money or even food to homeless people are we just teaching them to live off of us, to depend on society for their supplement, and to not learn how to provide for themselves? Are we just teaching them how to be lazy and slothful or are we possibly providing them funding for their alcohol or drug research? :) This, I feel, can also happen with one's children. If the parents are constantly giving the children anything they want then they wont learn principles of hard work and appreciation for things. But...Where do you draw the line?