Thank you, Kathy D., for expressing so clearly and authoritatively a big
part of what I've been thrashing around about in this thread about giving
formula to shelters, etc.! I, not being an anthropologist (maybe in my next
lifetime!) or having any other credentials on this, have been wanting to say
exactly what you said, but felt too chicken to say it. Trying to avoid
generalizing, trying to not make sweeping statements about "homeless women",
trying to avoid having it be "them" (vs. "us"? - yuk!), etc. Sometimes
political correctness just gets in the way of clear expression (speaking for
myself only).

When I worked at the hospital, there was a mother that the nurses wanted to
"turn in" to Children's Protective Services for the SOLE reason that she
revealed that they didn't have a crib for the baby, they all slept togather
on the floor. I caused a big fluff-up by pointing out that the majority of
the people in the world, throughout history, have not necessarily slept
one-by-one in fancy beds - boy, you'd think I had advocated some really
scary radical notion! Hot-button issue!

Cathy Bargar, RN, IBCLC Ithaca NY