People Explain Which Items You Should Never Give To Someone Who's Homeless
Just a few weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic struck the U.S., homelessness was declared a national emergency. COVID-19 only made matters worse with the recession, increased unemployment and restrictions to shelter access.
When we think of our unhoused community members, there's actually great stigma associated with their lack of housing. Often people think poorly of their housing status and it's reflected in their treatment.
Though there is often an ask for food, clothing and monetary donations for the homeless, we wanted to know what is not needed too.
Redditor WITAFquestions asked:
"What's something you shouldn't give to a homeless person?"
Here's a list of things you should avoid giving to our unhoused friends.
Certain kinds of food are better than others.
"Food that needs to be cooked."
- Tempshrugs
"Also, food that requires a hard bite - many are in need of dental care."
- Puzzleheaded_Leggo
"This! I offered a man a nature valley granola bar once, cause that was all I had, but he turned me down because he couldn't eat it."
- ariariariariariari
"In the same vein, donate can openers to food banks if you can. And spices."
- EcoAffinity
"Donate cash to food banks if you can. They can buy food at wholesale prices which means more food to donate to the community."
- min_mus
"Some near me are not taking food donations. Only taking money. I don't know if it's because of this or COVID safety. But wanted to point it out before anyone goes to buy food expecting to donate it."
- Gorechi
Thanksgiving isn't the only time you can give.
"A frozen turkey."
"Had a friend who used to send plated meals to the homeless people near her house, occasionally. One day one of them came to her door with a frozen turkey. Someone had driven to the homeless area and handed this woman a frozen turkey. When the woman delivered it she said, 'I figured you have an oven, maybe you can use it. What did they think I was going to do with it??? I've got a shopping cart, not an oven'."
- polonnaise
"As a kid, who was poor but fortunately not homeless, we used to get a bunch of donated turkeys every Thanksgiving. Freezer would be wall to wall turkeys and we would be eating turkey for dinner for what seemed like months. Thank God we are least had a freezer or no doubt much of it would have been wasted."
"People always donate turkeys on Thanksgiving, but ignore the rest of the year I guess. But eating turkey for a couple of months is a lot better than eating nothing."
"I am thankful for anyone who donated something I ate as a kid, as I don't know where I would be now otherwise... Dead I guess."
- godofcheese
"Our grocery store used to donate turkeys every year for our Christmas drive (about 200 families) but they would run into the issue of people not being able to store or cook them, or just not practical to give a turkey to a family of 1-3 people, so now they give $25 store specific, hand written gift cards for people to get whatever they need."
- wibblywobbly420
Expensive brands.
"Anything of noticeably high value. Brand name clothing or shoes, expensive backpacks, watches, etc."
"This can get them killed, or at the very least targeted and mugged. It also makes things harder for them to be taken seriously and receive effective aid if they're dressed in expensive clothing (that or it's assumed they stole it, which is a whole other problem)."
- TrinketChicken
"Rich people want to make themselves feel good and donate Gucci sweaters and shit that will get them f*cked up and robbed, and nobody will EVER help a dude in a Gucci sweater with a few bucks to get some food. It's just all around a really screwed up gift/donation."
- pacman404
Advice about money.
"Related story time: I used to work at a thrift store in processing. Basically, I sorted donations, cleaned them up if needed, priced them, and put them out onto the floor."
"One day I got in a donation a bunch of those kits you see people put together for homeless people; they have things like a stick of deodorant, toothbrush/toothpaste, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, that sort of thing."
"I was going through them for things we weren't allowed to put onto the floor (like medication - they had packets of Tylenol in them) when I found a folded $50 bill in there. I unfolded it, and it was one of those Christian pamphlet things; you know the ones, that say, 'Money isn't the cure for everything, only Jesus will get you into heaven' or whatever."
"So basically, don't get someone who's desperate for money fake money that says they shouldn't worry about money."
- Diredoe
"Would be funny if people started putting those fake bill/Christian pamphlets into the collection plate."
- Awetumn
Just be kind.
"A hard time."
- 1feralengineer
"And disrespect."
- arc_alt
"Everyone thinks they are saying something unique and that their words are somehow going to change the homeless persons way of thinking and they will magically get their sh*t together because of their inspirational words. That poor homeless guy has to hear people telling him what they think he should do about his situation all the time. He’s sick of hearing it."
- tinybluebutterfly
Don't give items that you wouldn't use.
"Mostly related, but I work at a homeless shelter and you would not believe some of the shit that comes through donations. Lingerie, beat up clothing and shoes, outdated appliances..."
"If you want to donate, you can always call ahead and see if the shelter is looking for particular items. Seasonal clothing, hygiene items (NOT half used shampoo bottles) and new socks and underwear are always good ideas."
- Connect_Dog
"That reminds me of my time when I worked at a homeless center for mentally ill homeless and I was tasked with sorting out a box of dvd’s that were donated. 75% of the box was porn."
- DaemonDrayke
Food with laxatives.
"Laxatives. This homeless guy that used to live in a nearby bridge was given food that secretly had some sort of laxative in it. Needless to say, he became a lot more wary of free food afterwards. I don’t think they ever found out who the POS that did it was."
- justwannasleepplease
"You gotta be a special type of awful to mess with homeless people."
- chiree
Non-consensual internet "fame."
"Internet fame. Stop recording your good deeds to get attention. If you wanna help someone out, just help them."
"There IS a difference between using someone for personal gain versus using social media in a positive way to truly make an impact. I'm talking about people who exploit others to grow their channel, and/or get a ton of donations and then misuse the funds."
"It's specifically an a**hole move when a person can't/won't/isn't given an option to consent (which you could argue are a lot of people, especially if they don't give consent and then aren't given resources since they don't wanna be in a video.)"
- flblk2020
Things you SHOULD give.
There's a lot of things that the homeless cannot use, but a few things that are needed besides food or money are socks or feminine hygiene products.
"I've done outreach work they get so much food and water but females need feminine hygiene products and they ALLLLLLL need socks."
- TheCavesCrack
"Nice socks and underwear are a small luxury that most people don't spend enough money on but make a world of a difference. I buy 10-20 pairs of Darn tough socks every year and hand them out, they are game changing."
"They keep you warm and dry in the winter, and in the summer time cool and dry. You can usually wear them for 1-2 weeks before needing to clean (need being an important word). And they are incredibly comfortable. I highly recommend them to everyone but they are really game changing for someone who is out in the elements year round."
- HandsyBread
If you're ever unsure what someone may want or need in that moment, you can always just ask them. It's better than guessing and giving them something that they don't want or can't have.
Next thing is to look into ways your community is working to end homelessness on a systemic level. Both prevention and response is needed to bring our communities to a healthier place.
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Rock bottom is a place where you expect nobody to help you, at all, ever, full stop.
Homelessness in our society is seen as rock bottom. Homeless people are ignored, maligned, and often feared. But once in awhile someone will be kind. Those kindnesses are so important and so well remembered, as they are so few and far between.
u/laur38 asked:
Former homeless people, what did you need the most? What was the best thing someone did for you?
Here were some of those answers.
Community Rallies Around Homeless Dad After He's Shamed Online By A Stranger For Sleeping At McDonald's
A woman posted a picture of a homeless man sleeping inside a McDonald's and posted it on Facebook as a shaming attempt.
Little did she know her scheme would backfire.
The young man in the photo taking a nap on a bench in the dining area of the restaurant was 21-year-old Simon Childs.
Childs is an employee at the fast-food chain and was working a shift at the Fayette County location.
The female customer snapped the photo while he was sleeping on his break and posted it to a group page on Facebook.
According to WSB-TV, she wrote:
"Just another reason for me to leave Fayetteville. I was in the McDonald's in the middle of town and I saw this guy sleeping in the booth."
"I go and tell an employee that someone is asleep in their booth and her response was 'oh yeah, we know hee hee, it's ok' and I said 'not really but whatever'."
The unnamed woman had no idea that Childs had his fair share of hardships. He had been grieving over the loss of his mother and was working overnight shifts in order to help raise his baby son.
He told WSB's Matt Johnson:
"I've been going through a hard time with my mom passing. Everything I do, I want to work for it."
You can watch the full report on Childs' story here.
Woman taunts McDonald's employee for sleeping at work; turns out there's more to story www.youtube.com
After the interview, Johnson took to social media and updated WSB viewers.
A woman took a picture of a man asleep at a McDonalds and complained on Facebook, and how the community responded c… https://t.co/wsapQAPSOA— Matt Johnson (@Matt Johnson) 1561420550
Childs was hurt upon discovering that his photo was circulating around the internet.
"It kind of hurt to see my picture up there, you know? I thought it was something negative and nobody would care about it."
But then, the unexpected happened. Instead of facing perpetual embarrassment for the photo, it elicited empathy from WSB viewers who reached out to the news station and offered support.
Childs returned to work and was pleased to find that a community in Georgia left boxes of clean clothes and fresh diapers for the young father.
"They changed my life in a couple of days."
Since his story aired on the news, things began looking up. Childs updated Johnson, telling him that he got a free haircut and acquired another job opportunity.
He also shared news that he secured a permanent place for him and his son to live.
Childs wasn't the only one moved by the kind gesture.
Chefs Xavier and Theo Thomas who own and operate Fusion Chefs Eatery down the street on Glynn Street South were also touched by Childs' story. They offered to lend him a car for job interviews.
Also...he has a car! The owners of The Fusion Chefs Eatery in Fayetteville have let Simon borrow a car as he works… https://t.co/FWEHPvlbeC— Matt Johnson (@Matt Johnson) 1561505051
Xavier Thomas told the news station:
"It just touched our heart."
Theo Thomas also weighed, saying:
"It definitely will help him get around and give him a better opportunity."
Twitter shared their thoughts on his story.
@MattWSB Such an awesome positive turn to this story. Humanity isn't as doomed as we sometimes think lately,— lebeau32 (@lebeau32) 1561513286
@MattWSB Love seeing such good people coming together to help out this young man and his baby. Maybe the woman who… https://t.co/QIuYSSFPPJ— JenGirl (@JenGirl) 1561518246
@MattWSB @rolandsmartin What the enemy meant for his bad, God had it for his good...#GodIsGreat— Allie the Great (@Allie the Great) 1561497153
@MattWSB There are no chance encounters when blessings & mercy flow! She is the reason he is being elevated! We can… https://t.co/OKtjT03vmb— Burton55r@yahoo.com (@Burton55r@yahoo.com) 1561514530
People asked how to contact Childs to offer additional assistance.
@2BGMEDIA @MattWSB Do you think I can call that McDonalds and make a donation over the phone? If so, could you plea… https://t.co/JCT2E8lJCb— Patriots #1 Fan (@Patriots #1 Fan) 1561510237
As for the woman who tried to embarrass him on social media, Childs holds no ill will.
In fact, he is choosing to stay positive.
"I'm not homeless, not now, thanks to her."
According to the woman, she told WSB off-camera that she meant no harm by targeting Childs specifically in her Facebook post.
@MattWSB I have a good feeling that she learned a valuable lesson and is a better person for making a mistake. But,… https://t.co/rwKUjs1TdB— Laura B Touchstone (@Laura B Touchstone) 1561436290
@MattWSB She’s going to regret this. It’s not cool to shame someone who has been through so much in life. She want… https://t.co/7p1Y4Cs83w— Susan W. Graham 🌊 (@Susan W. Graham 🌊) 1561504091
Childs remains grateful for his recent change in fortune.
"I didn't think the community would even care enough to do that, but they care."
Everyone goes through a rough period in life, and Childs' story is a good reminder that we should show more compassion towards those who are down on their luck.
Besides, Facebook stories should focus on our own experiences, not that of strangers.
If you are interested in helping Simon Childs, you can make a donation on his GoFundMe page, HERE.
Declare your intentions in this shirt promoting kindness available here in a variety of colors and in men's, women's and children's sizes.
9-Year-Old Creates GoFundMe To Buy Sleeping Bags For The Homeless—Here's How You Can Help
It began as a single act of kindness but the generosity of a nine-year-old Texas girl quickly inspired others and now the project she started is growing bigger than she could have imagined.
Aisley Bradford is not your typical nine year old. After receiving about $60 as Christmas money, Aisley decided she didn't want to spend it on herself.
Instead, Aisley wanted to buy sleeping bags for the homeless.
"When I walked outside, I felt how cold it was, and I thought of those people that didn't have home or shelter," Aisley told Fox 4 News.
Inspired by Aisley's generosity, several others soon joined in matching her $60.
Money in hand, Aisley headed to Academy Sports + Outdoors to pick up the sleeping bags. When the store employees heard what Aisley was doing, they wanted to help, so they gave Aisley a 20% discount.
With the extra money and the discount, Aisley was able to get a whole lot of sleeping bags.
With a car full of sleeping bags, Aisley then headed to downtown Dallas to hand them out.
"She was excited, she did most of the work with her brother and sisters," Aisley's mother, Christina Bradford told Fox 4. "I think they're all giving kids. And so it just came natural."
Now Aisley's giving nature seems to be inspiring even more people.
So far, Aisley says she's already handed out 30 sleeping bags to the homeless in Dallas, but she doesn't plan on stopping there.
After the success of her first effort, Aisley decided to set up Cared N Covered, a project dedicated to continuing what she started.
Along with a Twitter account, Aisley started a GoFundMe page to keep raising money to buy more sleeping bags.
If you want to help Aisley reach her goal, donations can be made here.
Anonymous Good Samaritan Pays To Put 70 Of Chicago's Homeless Population Up In A Hotel During Extreme Cold
In the United States' Midwest, a massive polar vortex has plunged the temperatures into record cold. It's so bad, the high in Chicago yesterday was still in the negative double digits.
With such unbridled cold, the homeless population in these cities is in grave danger. Luckily an anonymous donor has paid for hotel rooms for some.
A group of about 70 people had been using donated propane tanks to keep warm. With the windchill bringing the temperature even lower, some way of maintaining heat was sorely needed.
The Polar Vortex is making things really bad out there.
I take back what I said about being jealous of the winter blast. I’d love to have some snow, but I don’t want anyon… https://t.co/R9LqIjROBc— elizabeth sanders lafleur (@elizabeth sanders lafleur) 1548845605.0
I'm crying as I read. We can do better! ‘I’m Cold and I’m Afraid’: Across Midwest, Homeless Await Deep Freeze https://t.co/OoWJkU2iQE— Mary Cahalane (@Mary Cahalane) 1548814344.0
No one should be in this kind of danger in America. Citizens will freeze to death outside. It's easy to understand… https://t.co/I5PeVslJQe— (((B.L. Ochman))) (@(((B.L. Ochman)))) 1548874682.0
People are dying, from weather. And poverty. But also, extreme weather. https://t.co/mtaCIrHqWB— Annie Heckenberger (@Annie Heckenberger) 1548853453.0
However, one of the propane tanks the group was using to keep warm exploded Wednesday afternoon. No one was injured, but when police and fire got to the camp, they found about 100 more donated propane tanks.
Walter Schroeder, the Chicago Fire Department Chief said,
"When we got there, the fire was extinguished and they found all these propane cylinders. That's when we escalated it to a Level I Hazmat."
With the danger they felt all the propane tanks together could pose, they confiscated them, leaving little the group could do to stay warm. The Salvation Army started making plans to try and transport the group to a warming center.
About an hour into planning, the city contacted the Salvation Army. An anonymous good Samaritan had offered to pay for a hotel for the rest of the week for the group.
They can rest a little easier for at least a few days.
@chicagotribune God bless the kind and compassionate person that helped those people. So much love for that person omg!💕💞— Megan kelly🌹 (@Megan kelly🌹) 1548964493.0
@chicagotribune https://t.co/hiY95OXiSd— LaTonya Bloodsaw⛄❄ (@LaTonya Bloodsaw⛄❄) 1548960212.0
So much THIS! Be the change you hope to see in the world. LOVE. https://t.co/L60DLyQUHb— Ricky Gunn (@Ricky Gunn) 1548979667.0
Take note of this story about a generous anonymous donor who paid for hotel rooms for homeless residents of Chicago… https://t.co/OXOhxNyafE— Judy Olian (@Judy Olian) 1548988568.0
This was unprecedented. While these cities frequently experience intense cold—enough that several hundred people die from hypothermia every year—this polar vortex has been so much worse.
People have taken to social media to demonstrate the effect of the polar vortex in fun ways, such as throwing boiling water in the air and watching it come down as snow or watching eggs freeze. However, this belies the severity for those without shelter. In only a few minutes, exposed skin can suffer severe frostbite in this weather.
And without better and permanent solutions, things will go back to bad for our homeless population.
@joyouswarrior @chicagotribune @HowardSchultz— Katrina (@Katrina) 1548978779.0
@wideopeninc @chicagotribune Because politicians are all the same. If it doesnt fit their specific agenda they don't care— Stanley_Capitals (@Stanley_Capitals) 1548955173.0
@chicagotribune #TaxTheRich and put it into #affordablehousing for all. Charity is nice but it is inconsistent. H… https://t.co/a3AFphPEvp— Seattle Lorax-Trees+Density+Transit =healthyEarth (@Seattle Lorax-Trees+Density+Transit =healthyEarth) 1548962193.0
@chicagotribune Not a feel good story. It's an American failure— Prince Jellyfist (@Prince Jellyfist) 1548993091.0
@skyemat @chicagotribune Churches don’t pay tax, it would be a real opportunity to pay it forward by helping out in emergencies like this.— bc (@bc) 1548991580.0
At the same time I'm tweeting about the homeless encampment in Chicago that had an explosion due to propane tanks r… https://t.co/HgPfTfIIpB— Tracey Ryniec (@Tracey Ryniec) 1548969997.0
It's great that someone was able to help this group have warm shelter for a few days, and other cities, such as New York, are putting their resources into protecting their citizens as well. Buses have been enlisted as mobile warming centers, and the city has temporarily increased capacity for shelters.
However, it's what happens afterwards that is worrisome.
Douglas Schenkelberg, executive director of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless had this to say,
"We'll have this really bad weather through Thursday and then it will warm up some, and the scaled-up capacity will disappear, and you'll see people back on the streets, and those people need housing.
"That sense of urgency completely disappears when the crisis goes away."