Researchers gave thousands of dollars to homeless people. The results defied stereotypes.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

You've heard this refrain before -- giving money to homeless people is not the best way to help them because it might be squandered, or spent on harmful habits. But a new Canadian study makes a powerful case to the contrary.

The study, dubbed "The New Leaf Project," is an initiative of Foundations for Social Change, a charitable organization based in Vancouver, in partnership with the University of British Columbia.

Researchers gave 50 recently homeless people a lump sum of 7,500 Canadian dollars (nearly $5,700). They followed the cash recipients' life over 12-18 months and compared their outcomes to that of a control group who didn't receive the payment.

The preliminary findings, which will be peer-reviewed next year, show that those who received cash were able to find stable housing faster, on average. By comparison, those who didn't receive cash lagged about 12 months behind in securing more permanent housing.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/researchers-gave-thousands-of-dollars-to-homeless-people-the-results-defied-stereotypes/ar-BB19RCC1?li=BBnbcA1&ocid=DELLDHP

[Wounded Bear]

1. A big part of our problem with "helping the poor" in this country...

is that the amount given is never really enough. At best, it gets people enough to barely "get along" but not really enough to "get ahead."

[DBoon]

2. It is enough that the "donors" think they are being generous

and small enough to make failure inevitable

[Wounded Bear]

3. Another good way to put it. We need a UBI...

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

4. Every place where money is given to the poor, it improves their lives immensely.

I really think that we will eventually have some kind of UBI.

[BComplex]

5. A testament to how republicans' so-called Christian attitudes are a pile of crap.

None of them are willing to give to the poor in a way that the Bible teaches. And definitely not enough to solve the problem of the homeless.

[haele]

6. That's because too many Christian Leaders preach the evils of Moral Hazard...

You know - you can't give money or support to a particular group because .5% of that group are substance abusers and grifters who deserve prison instead of assistance.

Oh, and if you (these petty religeous bourgeois) give them enough assistance to make their lives even a little bit more comfortable and secure, they'll become dependent on it. And teach their kids to be dependent on assistance.

Because that's what rich people - especially their kids - do when there's access to money without having to work for it. Waste all that "free money" on useless shoes, fast cars, or other bling that only serves to make them feel more beautiful or powerful than they really are, instead of investing it "wisely"

Moral Hazard.

Haele

[abqtommy]

7. Good to see this spreading around. I posted on this at 4:49 am today*...

* https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214253324