How ChatGPT Can Help People Experiencing Homelessness or Poverty

 

How ChatGPT Can Help People Experiencing Homelessness or Poverty

Most people think of AI tools like ChatGPT as something for offices, students, or tech professionals. But over the past year, I’ve become convinced of something different:

Used carefully and responsibly, tools like ChatGPT can help people who are homeless or living in deep poverty navigate daily survival and begin rebuilding their lives.

Not as a replacement for human support.
Not as a miracle solution.
But as a 24/7, free, nonjudgmental assistant that can help people think, plan, and take small next steps—especially when other support is limited or unavailable.

The Reality Many People Face

For someone experiencing homelessness or poverty, the challenges are not abstract:

• Where can I sleep safely tonight?

• Where can I find food today?

• How do I apply for benefits without an address?

• How do I look for work without a phone or computer?

• How do I manage my health when care is hard to access?

• How do I stay motivated when everything feels overwhelming?

These are questions people often ask late at night, between appointments, or when they feel ashamed to ask another human being. That’s where a tool like ChatGPT can quietly help.

What ChatGPT Can Actually Do (When Used Properly)

ChatGPT cannot fix systemic problems. But it can help individuals and helpers with very practical tasks, such as:

• Organizing daily plans and priorities

• Finding local shelters, food pantries, clinics, and services

• Practicing job interviews or writing simple resumes

• Understanding benefit applications and next steps

• Creating checklists for documents, appointments, or tasks

• Offering grounding exercises during moments of stress

• Helping people put their thoughts into words when they feel overwhelmed

Importantly, it can do this without judgment, at any time of day, and on library computers, borrowed phones, or shared devices.

Why This Matters to Frontline Workers and Institutions

Libraries, shelters, social workers, faith organizations, outreach teams, and case managers are already overwhelmed. AI tools will never replace human care—but they can extend it.

ChatGPT can act as:

• A between-appointments support tool

• A digital literacy bridge

• A planning assistant

• A confidence-builder

• A thinking partner for people who feel stuck or lost

When introduced responsibly, it can reduce frustration, improve follow-through, and help people feel a small sense of control again.

Why I Wrote My Book

I wrote ChatGPT for Homelessness and Poverty because I couldn’t find any clear, practical guide that showed how to use AI safely and realistically in situations of extreme hardship.

The book is written for:

• People experiencing homelessness or poverty

• Social workers, case managers, librarians, and volunteers

• Faith-based and community organizations

• Anyone who works directly with people in crisis

It focuses on real-world use, not theory—and it’s careful about privacy, safety, and limitations.

The Kindle edition is available here:
👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G5SHSTDJ
(Paperback edition also available.)

A Final Thought

Technology alone won’t solve homelessness or poverty. But access to thinking tools matters—especially for people who have been stripped of stability, confidence, and support.

When used ethically and compassionately, AI can help people take the next small step. And sometimes, that step is enough to begin moving forward.

If you work with people in crisis, I invite you to explore this possibility—and to share resources that empower dignity, clarity, and hope.

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Disclaimer - Article is for information only  and is not medical/legal advice.