Everyone has been there before; you're walking down the street and see a homeless person up ahead of you. Immediately you hug the far side of the sidewalk, aiming your gaze at the ground the closer you get to them. As you pass them, you cut them off before their words even leave their mouth,

"No, thank you,"

"I'm sorry,"

"I don't have any cash on me."

These responses are hardwired into us every time we see someone in need because whether we admit it or not, we've grouped homeless people together as a society. In most people's minds, all homeless people are drug addicts, degenerates, or some other type of person which immediately allows us to qualify them as sub-human. 

The above video goes to show that, no, not all those who live on the streets are merely in search of their next drug fix or enough money for a drink. Numerous homeless persons start off in a comfortable living situation, only to find themselves placed into an unexpected degree of poverty. These problems can be compounded further by having a less than ideal support network, or experience multiple financially stressing situations at once. Many of those who have landed on the streets of U.S. cities were, and are, very much like you and I. 

So, the next time you're about to pass a homeless person on the street, instead of immediately painting them as a failed person, take a second to consider who they are, and where they may be from. Remember the childhood saying that still rings in most everyone's ears; "Never judge a book by their cover."