It’s a tough spot. It’s the intersection of human empathy and the reality of the absolute darkness in some people. I think a lot of people have their heart in the right place but far too much naivety.

You want to help, but if you’ve been exposed to homeless people they will drain every drop of empathy from you. I know in my head it’s mostly just the worst of the worst, but I used to work next to a homeless shelter and they’d pee on and scratch my car, they’d chase me through the parking lot and alley threatening me, and I got mugged twice after staying late at work. I lived downtown for a while and they’d steal anything left out and they’d cut open my garbage bags and scatter them on the stoop looking for cans (even though I’d set them aside for easy collection, the second person by would destroy the bags looking).

Emotionally you just can’t look past that after a point. There are lots of people who need help, but also a lot that don’t want it and seem happy victimizing others.

I still donate to shelters and the food bank, but I live far from downtown now. I don’t know how to help these people, I just try to help the ones who do know and do have hope.