more homeless?

Today was one of those days when the sun would shine than within minutes it was raining. Every corner I passed while doing my routine shopping, bill paying , banking rounds dawned an abundance of lifes beggars, the pour or in some peoples eyes the workers of humanity, the con artists, the manipulators of the heart. They stand on the corner of a mall or a large shopping center near a market, or department store. They hold a sign usually made of cardboard with an assortment of sayings, God bless, Homeless, Hungry, Traveling…….ANYTHING Helps. I am not criticizing the ones who hold the signs, the people who stand for hours smiling and waving, smoking their cigarettes petting their dogs, I am only taking notice of their diligence, their stamina, their perseverance. I for one would be too embarrassed and I don’t mean in a pride sense, I mean simply that I don’t care for the attention I would draw. Than there is the humble aspect, saying thank you? I was just begging.
Are there more homeless when it rains or do we just notice them more from our warm and cozy cars where we are not getting wet?  Are they really hungry, homeless, out of work and traveing?  I call 'them' the manupilators of the heart I think because no decent human wants to se another suffer. Call me weak. Call me stupid. Ireally don't care I feel.

homeless in AMERICA: Out of the river they come.

homeless in AMERICA: Out of the river they come.: "Seems like when the weather gets wet the more beggars you see. I use the word beggar not to be derogatory or mean, I am just not sure ..."

Out of the river they come.

Seems like when the weather gets wet  the more beggars you see. I use the word beggar not to be derogatory or mean, I am just not sure what to call them. Homeless? But not all are. Disabled Veterans? Lots claim to be yet who knows how many really are? One thing for sure they are begging, begging for work, begging for money, begging for any bit of anything, "will help". 
We all see them but we all don't look at them. Why? Embarrassed, shamed? guilt? Some of us give a little some of us get angry because we offered work for food but they don't want to work. I have taken some home with different results. Sometimes they eat, sometimes they work a little than leave without pay. I have given them rides and food and clothes, they love socks when it is raining.
I am not bragging or ragging I just wonder what as Americans ewe think about how they got there, here? How come so many people are standing on street corners, outside Walmarts, and approaching people in cars begging?
Where are their families I think. Where will they go when it gets dark out? Why are so many people destitute. How do we fix it? How do we stop it and where will we go when we lose our jobs and our homes?