THAT HOMELESS PERSON: IT COULD BE ANY ONE OF US PRESENTED BY LYDIA GANS People we see panhandling are generally homeless men who are mentally ill or have substance abuse problems and are most likely Vietnam war veterans. But there’s an ever-increasing but less visible number of women who are homeless now: women of all ages, many with children. Many such women were once housed and getting along well enough until a crisis occurred in their lives. Hearing their stories, we realize that it could happen to any one of us.