I remember back in the good old days when governments were not in the "charity business." Wealthy benefactors, bless their souls, dictated the terms how the poor got assistance. Often, church attendance was part of the deal.

My aunt's first husband abandoned her and two kids hundred's of miles away from her home town. My aunt had all sorts of "agents" telling her what she could and could not spend their money on. The agents were government workers, but they were working for the rich.