I agree that poverty is simply one of those inevitable societal conditions, it's the nature of the beast. I am not suggesting giving them unearned wealth, but do you let them starve in the street with their children? The question becomes do you provide them with food? with shelter? with education? This is where politics and power come into play, and there is no 'right' decision. There is a balance between what an economy can afford to give, what helps preserve social stability, and what compassion dictates.
I believe that you are capable of achieving virtually anything at the moment, but this is not the general state of humanity. What about a person with an IQ of 70, i.e. borderline ********? Or a quadriplegic? Or someone with Downs? Or someone who works two jobs at minimum wage to support his crippled parents and still can't make ends meet? Or the children of a single parent with an IQ of 70 who is an alcoholic?
Many of us have a web of family that has helped us in ways we dont always appreciate. Helps us with car insurance when we need it, gives us gifts for holidays, provides us with a safety net that allows us to take risks we might not be able to take otherwise. If you are trying to escape real poverty you do not have those advantages, in fact you may be asked to give some of the money you need for school to help feed your infant cousin.
There are some truly disadvantaged people in the world, in America, all you have to do is get involved in public assistance to find that out for yourself. They are as a rule not trying to make society bend over and take it from them. Some of these people do drag themselves out of their untenable situations, but it is a long path. Typically it takes some assistance and one little slip (say getting in a car accident, or a serious illness) causes them to have to start all over again.
After all, we all know the homeless are best when they're rare! 
It was a tasteless joke anyway... 
