"Street feeding is one of the worst things to do, because it keeps people in homeless status," he says. "I think it's very unproductive, very enabling, and it keeps people out of recovery programs."
What exactly, in this economy, should I tell a homeless person who is hungry? "Get a job"?
You would tell this person where to find food sharing programs, which would be "located near what he calls the "core areas of recovery": mental health, substance abuse and job readiness services."
Yes, we all read that. It's obvious misdirection. To the extent these things exist, they are badly underfunded. Let them eat cake, while properly segregated from polite society.
You shouldn't tell them anything (get a job/get clean etc.), you should offer something/help instead. Food shouldn't be the only thing we offer the homeless, it should be only the last resort. Along with food, should come programs to get them the help they need, whether that be mental health, help with addiction or just help getting back on their feet.
It sounds like he was addressing concentrated efforts to feed the homeless - groups setting up tables with food to hand out to all who want it - not someone coming out of a McDonald's who doesn't want to finish their fries.
To address your actual point, something helpful might be to direct them to a local shelter. (And yup, they're shitty places to be, and that's another problem that needs solving.)
What exactly, in this economy, should I tell a homeless person who is hungry? "Get a job"?