"Have to chastise you for one example, giving them money so they can buy a cell phone? Why? To be further in debt with monthly fees?"
I feel what you're saying, but in 2015, one needs a phone to get (and usually to hold) a job. Especially low-wage jobs. E.g. a temp agency might start calling at 7h30 because they're looking for someone to fill in. Don't pick up your phone? We'll just give the job to someone else, oh and we won't call tomorrow, because you don't pick up anyway.
Anecdote: I meet quite a few people from lower income levels in my side job as a musician. Once, we were chatting about our cell phone plans, and I cracked a lame joke, like "the cell phone will truly liberate the homeless."
One of the other musicians said, in all seriousness: "Hey, my cell phone is my lifeline when I'm homeless." Another guy chipped in: "Me too."
It used to be cited that lack of a mailing address was a real impediment to the homeless getting back into a normal economic life, and the cell phone may play a similar role today.
I feel what you're saying, but in 2015, one needs a phone to get (and usually to hold) a job. Especially low-wage jobs. E.g. a temp agency might start calling at 7h30 because they're looking for someone to fill in. Don't pick up your phone? We'll just give the job to someone else, oh and we won't call tomorrow, because you don't pick up anyway.