I think small comforts and compassion go a long way for someone who is suffering. My family was poor as shit when I was a kid and while we had a roof over our heads there would have been many times we would have gone hungry if it were not for the kindness of others, many times we would have gone cold if others were not so kind as to contribute to the bill. Should they have demanded affordable food and heat from the local government instead of supplying the immediate need? Could they be capable of doing those two things simultaneously? Things do not happen overnight.

People do not get to dictate how we show our kindness. We do. If individuals are "offended" with how people show their compassion then they can reject it.