Unfortunately, when more of something free is made available, more people want it. It's an unfortunate fact of human nature and basic economics.
In addition, these kind of programs create a government bureaucracy that is necessary to implement and manage them. The bureaucracy (think AFSCME unions) have a vested in perpetuating / expanding these programs. There's little to no incentive to actually reduce poverty.....quite the opposite, actually. It's been shown time and again going back to the Great Society in the 60s and the New Deal in the 30s that the government fails on a massive scale in its efforts to "fight", "cure", or "eliminate" poverty.