And the study you posted doesn't refute his anecdote. If we always listened to depersonalized studies rather than using the context of a situation, than we will make extremely poor choices of how to handle bad situations like this

The OP gives strong analysis for why giving this family money directly doesn't solve any other structural problems

> And the study you posted doesn't refute his anecdote

Sure. Just like all the studies on climate change don't refute my anecdote of "it was really really cold last weekend in my hometown".

If OP is simply giving an anecdote with no strings attached, that's great. Unfortunately, OP's anecdote carries the implication that giving families money, in general, does not solve any problems. Despite robust studies showing otherwise.

I think giving money works for some and it's a waste for others. There are countless of poor people who would do better if they had the chance to break the cycle and there are the poors who wouldn't be able to plan the monthly expenses and they'd be hungry at the end of the month no matter how much money you throw at them. The second category needs a different type of help (maybe along with financial). The first category are simply in a never-ending spiral and sometimes it is not even their fault. Tell me how a single mom can afford to raise a child with a minimum wage salary or how a nuclear family can afford the same when one of the bread earners falls prey to a disability and so on.

Indeed the OP and the article on not in conflict. For families that are functional but poor money can help, and a broad study will show this even if some students are not helped because of the other factors. We need more detail.