How to help the poor? Give them a small income.

 https://www.fastcompany.com/90662914/heres-what-happened-when-a-san-francisco-nonprofit-gave-unhoused-people-500-a-month?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss

 

Participants used the money on essentials like food and medication and transportation. One person used it to adopt a service dog to help prevent seizures. Another helped his daughter pay for college tuition. Sixty-four percent of participants said that the money helped reduced their stress and worry about finances. And despite the relatively small amount of assistance, more than a third of the participants were able to move into housing.

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Try things out, see what works, do that.  This seems to work.