“In December of 2022, HUD calculated that 582,462 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States and its territories. That number represented an increase of nearly 2,000 individuals over the last complete accounting of 2020, yet remained steady at .18 percent of the nation’s population.” Since we aren’t living in very populated cities, we don’t always see the number of people who don’t have a place to stay at night. And the times we do see them, we often try our best to avoid eye contact. Thankfully, there are ways we can help, such as donating to shelters and food banks that provide care for the homeless. In the Quad Cities, the Salvation Army is a good way to give back by donating your unwanted clothes. Funds are then used to support the homeless shelter. Not only can we donate clothes, but we can also donate food to the Student Hunger Drive and the Riverbend Food Bank, which collects food to give to those in need. Mental health issues are also a contributing factor to homelessness, so we can support mental health programs to provide more access to mental health resources. We are the richest country in the world, so we should be able to help everybody get their basic needs. We as a whole need to be better about recognizing others’ struggles and try to help lift them up rather than ignore them. So instead of feeling guilty for not giving a dollar to that man on the street, instead give back by donating to places that can help provide support for them.