OP opening comments dealt with persons who were publicly panhandling, many aggressively and being very demanding.
This, IMO, is a cultural change which has been growing and accelerating in the last 10-15 years. Freeloading is another term. Mooching, a third term.
I personally have assisted NUMEROUS individuals. I have a lot of day to day contact with individuals/families in distress. Yes, there are people who have major problems not of their making. I have about $5,000+ invested in the Katrina family of 6 - my personal money and 2.5 years of time. The 70 yo woman with breast cancer who won't go to the food bank (because of shame) and waited 5+ years to get Section 8/HUD, except w/o a car, could not find a place within the time limit and lost her subsidized voucher (16 months ago). She still works everyday 2+ hours getting another senior dressed & feed every morning (by taking bus) (I gave her an air conditioner for her living room & installed it at the start of summer. This month arranged for her not to get a rent increase).
Just this afternoon, I was handed a note with the contact number for a homeless woman and her 5 kids. The go-between thought this woman's plead for help on Sunday was a joke (homeless woman told her I was ducking her calls) as we both have 5 + years of experience with her beginning with her expecting her first child and then her second child. Years gone from our radar as she moved out of the area when she was charged with truancy after her first little girl only went to kindergarten 15 days in 5 months. And she lived next door to her mom and dad.
The go-between now has over 10 years of employment at a "Head Start" center as child care worker after 15 years on welfare (after I testified against her in court 12 years ago). Some people do grow and change.
Oh, my grandfather ran the town's food bank/relief food during the Depression from his front hall - as he was a farmer and a member of The Society of Friends.