I think the DUmmie just wanted to ramble about his water proof,wind proof and insulated motorcycle gear. He could of gave a heck about the homeless person.
Did her offer her some money or supper? Didn't read it in his post.
Taking a deep breath here--Some folk just want to be homeless. Wait don't jump on me yet.
I notice that many of them refuse to go to shelters for various reasons, perhaps they do not want to follow the rules, even when the temps. drop past freezing some refuse the rescue teams that go on the search to save their lives.
I watched a documentary about the homeless that lived UNDER NYC at one time. They found a way to tap into the city electricity, dragged in boards and built hootch's of some kind. Days they scavenged for what ever could help them, nights going through dumpsters behind restaurants. Amazing the methods they came up with to stay warm, cool, cook or sleep.
There were about 30 of them living under their own terms when the city came in, knocked down their self made homes and placed them in apartments with kitchens and bathrooms, at no cost to them. All but 2 of them left after a month or more to find a new home in the life style they choose. Life had lost all meaning to these people when everything was given to them.
Some are a different breed of humanity, they crave the challenge to survive, refuse any kind of help that has any restrictions on them.
Are these old timers crazy,? They have no interest in the future beyond the here and now, have little connection with family, trust no one but do have friends that they make on the streets.
If you really want to help them, give them respect, calling them Sir or Madam is a great start. Never let them feel they are excepting Charity,, for the really crazy ones tell them you just "Found" a pair of new socks and ask them to pass them on. Give them a bag or oranges and tell them they fell off the back of a delivery truck---pass them on.
If you have the balls, when you become aware of a tent city of the homeless, gather up old blankets and make it look like something that had been left behind or discarded. To truly help someone you must first understand what one can do for them and keep their ego intact.
If these people want to get off the streets then they can at any time, those that live life on the streets will resent those who go charging in to change their lives. Used books are great, as a bartering tool, and these people love to barter, trade a couple of old paperback books for a cup with a chip in it, make them feel they got the best of you in a deal. They know who likes to read and will trade the books for a pair of rusty pliers.
Fill up a truck with what you tell them are leftovers from a yard sale that did not sell, then drive to a place that the home less hang out, tell them you are on your way to the dump and wondered if anyone had anything to trade for something that interests them before you dump it. Take off any price tags and make most of the stuff look old. All ways trade, never Charity.
Most of all, let these people be, the story in the Dump has an odd feel to it, most street people will not speak or reveal their hiding holes to a stranger. Paranoid about theft, assult, ---not much different from us who have burglar alarms in our homes, cars, property.
We have within our country million of adults that are homeless, they can put a young pup survivalist to shame after being on the streets for 20+ years.
If we feel an urge to help them, bring in canned foods, dry products and lots of rice and beans to keep the Soup kitchens going, remember most of these places are staffed by people that need by the courts to do service to the community.
Talk to the managers of grocery stores about donating the near expiring food stuffs, vegetables and canned goods that may become tax deductable for them.
Support the Free clinics for medical and denial help. Bring the old sheets and towels, bags of cotton balls etc that one can get on sale at Walmart. Computer paper, Pens, pencils and UNOPENED boxes of band aids, sterile gauze over the counter cough syrup, sanitary pads, tampons or toilet paper. Old eye glasses , hearing aids, walkers and or crutches that are no longer needed.
I never give money to Charity's, I perfer to give the comunity material things so I can watch how and where the next need is. My first desire is to help the Adults especially our Veterans that take to the street .
