I’ll never forget what a formerly homeless man in Salt Lake City once told me when I asked him what kinds of government policies would be most helpful to him and others experiencing homelessness: “I just want a hand up, not a handout.”

His earnest desire to work to earn his success rather than simply be given more generous benefits has stayed with me. It is a reminder of a fundamental policy principle: Work is important not just for upward mobility but also for human dignity.