[ChuckMcM]

Volunteering with my Church at the community service centers that help the homeless allowed me to interact with a large swath of the homeless population around where I live. Not only did this give me a better understanding of the challenges they face it turned many of them from 'that guy on the corner' to actual people I know and know me.

Having that level of understanding helps dispell myths about what is, and what is not, possible in terms of helping these people. It also gave me an idea of how cruel and debilitating mental illness is on an individual's ability to function.