[Wondergirl]

Not sure, I am stumped. I am pretty sure we have some crappy funding and crappy help for these people. What should I do?

Ah, now you're starting to ask the right questions!

[startover22]

No, actually they don't. Most of them just want a fair shake and some respect.

Notice how you are throwing out the baby with the bath water?

NO, I do not notice.
Fair shake? Take and take... but don't hold me responsible is not a fair shake.

[startover22]

Homelessness in America: Statistics and Prevention Programs
This is the first one that I clicked on.

Do you all agree that there have to be stipulations or should we just do what we can and let everyone off the hook?

[twinkiedooter]

Years ago a friend of mine from Africa was in Australia (of all places) and went into a church to escape a horrendous raging storm. He was homeless at the time. He was told that he could not stay in the church and was put back outside in the raging storm. He didn't ask for food or clothing, but just to be treated as a human being and he was denied even that.

In a lot of cities the "good" people have forbidden the feeding of homeless people. They have even shut down the churches from taking in people to stay out of the freezing cold citing fire regulations.

Has any of you actually been homeless? Probably not.

The writer who had $25, sleeping bag, etc. had a hell of a lot more than a typical homeless person. Now had he ventured out with literally nothing in his pocket and maybe one raggedy blanket and no change of clothes I just might be interested in reading about how he survived his "ordeal". He knew he had a real life waiting for him at the end of his assignment. What do the other countless homeless people have to look forward to? Not much.

Here is an entire site devoted to homelessness

http://homelessness.change.org/

They don't have the answers either.

[Wondergirl]

The writer who had $25, sleeping bag, etc. had a hell of a lot more than a typical homeless person.

No self-respecting homeless person would want a sleeping bag. What would he do with the heavy, sodden mess it would become after the first rainstorm he was in?

My homeless friend was given many sleeping bags over the twelve years he was on the street. He donated them all to shelters.

[startover22]

So I am reading through and it seems to me we have a big fight to battle out.
As we all know we need to help the people, that mean you and I and monetary help from the government because we all can't afford to use our own money to do it. There are many reasons people become homeless, and a few of these reasons are single moms, violence in the home, some mental illness can be avoided before it ends in homelessness. Maybe we should help that person we know get back on track before the worse happens? Yes? Still there are programs that are great but there are too few of them.

[startover22]

No self-respecting homeless person would want a sleeping bag. What would he do with the heavy, sodden mess it would become after the first rainstorm he was in?

My homeless friend was given many sleeping bags over the twelve years he was on the street. He donated them all to shelters.

What did he want then?

[Wondergirl]

So I am reading through and it seems to me we have a big fight to battle out.
As we all know we need to help the people, that mean you and I and monetary help from the government because we all can't afford to use our own money to do it. There are many reasons why people become homeless, and a few of these reasons are single moms, violence in the home, some mental illness can be avoided before it ends in homelessness. Maybe we should help that person we know get back on track before the worse happens? Yes? Still there are programs that are great but there are too few of them.

Yes, how can we be proactive and avoid/deal with the homeless possibility before it becomes a problem?

[Wondergirl]

What did he want then?

Huh?

[startover22]

Years ago a friend of mine from Africa was in Australia (of all places) and went into a church to escape a horrendous raging storm. He was homeless at the time. He was told that he could not stay in the church and was put back outside in the raging storm. He didn't ask for food or clothing, but just to be treated as a human being and he was denied even that.

In a lot of cities the "good" people have forbidden the feeding of homeless people. They have even shut down the churches from taking in people to stay out of the freezing cold citing fire regulations.

Has any of you actually been homeless? Probably not.

The writer who had $25, sleeping bag, etc. had a hell of a lot more than a typical homeless person. Now had he ventured out with literally nothing in his pocket and maybe one raggedy blanket and no change of clothes I just might be interested in reading about how he survived his "ordeal". He knew he had a real life waiting for him at the end of his assignment. What do the other countless homeless people have to look forward to? Not much.

Here is an entire site devoted to homelessness

End Homelessness - Change.org

They don't have the answers either.

I do agree he had something to look forward to. AND I think that is where we get it wrong, knowing you can make your life better with 25 bucks and a change of clothes... isn't that something worth looking forward to?

Yes, we know there are laws saying we can only have a number of people in a building. Now where would your stance be if he was in there with TOO many people and the building caught fire and some died because the building were too full with people to get everyone out on time? You would be pissed that they didn't comply with the law. We have to have stipulations and laws.
We just have to. Everyone would be in an uproar.

[startover22]

Huh?

Instead of the sleeping bag, what did he want? Why did he even take it if he didn't want it?

[Wondergirl]

instead of the sleeping bag, what did he want? Why did he even take it if he didn't want it?

If you're homeless and stay in the same community all the time so that you get to recognize people and they know you, you don't refuse any handout. Sometimes he was given packages of dried beans or Easter baskets with little stuffed animals inside or huge cans of vegetables from the restaurant supply store. He always smiled and said thank you.

(So what's he going to do with dried beans or stuffed animals, and where will he store the leftover vegetables after he opens one of the huge cans? What's he going to do with a heavy wet sleeping bag? It never ceased to amaze me how thoughtless people can be in their thoughtfulness. At least he gave his "overflow largesse" to me to take to shelters and food pantries.)

[Wondergirl]

instead of the sleeping bag, what did he want? Why did he even take it if he didn't want it?

What annoyed me was when people gave him boxes of Fannie Mae or even Godiva chocolates, and, when he removed the cellophane, saw that the chocolate was all whitened and wrinkled, meaning it had been sitting around for quite a while or had been dug out of the freezer during a cleaning. What really annoyed me was his getting already-opened boxes of chocolates and some of the pieces had bites out of them or were smooshed. That sometimes happened with regular food too, that he got someone's leftovers (half rotten fruit, stale bread and cookies, dirty unmended clothes) that couldn't be thrown out for some reason (or were just an insult to the homeless guy).

[startover22]

I hear you on that one... thoughtless thoughtful people. I know exactly what you are saying! Most of my old clothes and unwanted food goes to shelters, I hope it is worthy of someone using it. I can't go out and buy NEW items for another family or individuals. My kids grow out of stuff and I give away at least every two months. Whatever I notice that I do not need or even want anymore. Half eaten chocolate is pretty lame, I have to agree. We need to find something that works.

[startover22]

If you're homeless and stay in the same community all the time so that you get to recognize people and they know you, you don't refuse any handout. Sometimes he was given packages of dried beans or Easter baskets with little stuffed animals inside or huge cans of vegetables from the restaurant supply store. He always smiled and said thank you.

(So what's he gonna do with dried beans or stuffed animals, and where will he store the leftover vegetables after he opens one of the huge cans? What's he gonna do with a heavy wet sleeping bag? It never ceased to amaze me how thoughtless people can be in their thoughtfulness. At least he gave his "overflow largesse" to me to take to shelters and food pantries.)

SO, what DID he want? Anything or to be left alone?

[twinkiedooter]

You know, the more I think about the huge detention facilities that are around this country that are currently empty, the more and more I think that the government is just going to one day round up all the homeless people and put them in these camps. It reminds me of the 1930's and the labor camps that abounded in this country.

And the churches that were supposedly closed due to "fire regulations" were not open to ANYONE, let alone a few people. They were ordered NOT to allow anyone in to get warm. This was in NYC. More and more cities are turning "mean" to their homeless people in an effort to make them go elsewhere.

I am amused by Wonder's homeless friend. Very untypical is all that I can say about him. No, he didn't have any kids to contend with but just him. He just accepted his lot if he did this for years and years. I'm sorry, but I don't see what one single man homeless has anything to do with the families that are homeless. It's like apples and oranges.

The homeless situation is growing worse every day in California. What are they going to do with all these people?

[Wondergirl]

I hear you on that one....thoughtless thoughtful people. I know exactly what you are saying! Most of my old clothes and unwanted food goes to shelters, I hope it is worthy of someone using it. I can't go out and buy NEW items for another family or individuals. My kids grow out of stuff and I give away at least every two months. Whatever I notice that i do not need or even want anymore. Half eaten chocolate is pretty lame, I have to agree. We need to find something that works.

Old clothes are fine -- but not dirty, unmended ones. Unwanted food is fine -- but not out-of-date food or fruit and vegetables that are full of spots or half-rotted or all shriveled up. My homeless guy was always very happy when someone asked him his size first and brought him old clothes that actually fit him. He was always happy when someone gave him two or three apples and not a five-pound bag that he would have had to lug around and watched rot before he could eat them all. Early one cold morning, a cashier at the local food store near where he hung out at night (well-lighted parking lot, police patroled), woke him up to give him hot soup from a fast food place. He told me it was like getting breakfast in bed!

[startover22]

As nice as it has been talking to you guys about all this, I must leave on this note for the weekend. My eyes and ears are opened as big as they can be, and I thank all of you for that! Twinkie, I checked out your link and yes, many are suffering. I can't wait till I have the time maybe even the money to help people out more than I do now. The little things will have to do for now. As you said, I am hoping they don't put all these people in the same place and jail them so they can never return to normal life, we need something bigger and way better than that!
Wondergirl, although we don't agree on so many things, I love your insight and always take what you have to say to heart and mind. I am obviously more conservative than you are. Have a good weekend.

[Wondergirl]

I'm sorry, but I don't see what one single man homeless has anything to do with the families that are homeless.

Apparently this country is clueless about homelessness, whether it's a man in his 60s or a young family. That's what they have to do with each other -- cluelessness.

[Wondergirl]

SO, what DID he want? Anything or to be left alone?

He didn't "want" anything. He was given much. And he has given me much.