I grew up in the same neighborhood as the writer, even went to the same college. It was normal that my family members collected cans. We all struggled to get by and that struggle is something that you will never forget. It keeps you grounded especially when you're in a tech industry that often forgets about how it is for people at the bottom of our society. Value that twitch and that feeling. I consider it sort of a lower brain stem function that reminds us of where we came from, what we had to do and why we have to be there for others going through the same.
My partner teases me about it but I collect every single can/bottle from my household and any other place I can find them and put them into trashbags in the trunk of my car. I often have no space to store other things in the trunk. When I'm back in my old neighborhood visiting family, I make it a point to stop and give these bags to individuals collecting. I know there are better ways to give back and donate but it's something that I will never stop doing because I know people appreciate reaching them on their level and letting them know we don't judge it, in fact we support it.
They fucking made it.