When I drive home from work, there are usually one or two "homeless" people at one or more of the intersections along my route. I have seen people hand change or other items from their car. Although I have considered doing the same, I have not. I had an idea last year to buy some gift cards to McDonald's and hand these out to those individuals. I opted not to do so.
For some reason, I feel a sense of obligation to help, but am on the fence about how or if these people are not if fact homeless -- just beggars looking for a few bucks. Part of me wrestles with the idea that if someone is homeless he/she should not be on the corner begging for change; rather, he/she should be knocking on doors, asking for some type of work -- any type of work -- to help slowly climb out of his/her hole. However, I recognize that this is not as easy as it seems, but part of me still wants to do something for the better.
As I wrote last week, on Thanksgiving, Jody and I ran the Drumstick Dash in Milwaukee. For this race, some of the proceeds go to the local homeless shelter. In addition to our race registration, I made a small donation. This made me feel a little better and less guilty when driving through those intersections, knowing that some of what I gave for that race may contribute to the place where a homeless person could go for the day or evening. However, I feel more can still be done.
Quite frankly, I'm not sure that volunteering is in my blood. I've thought about it and will continue to think about it, but I'm not comfortable with the idea of the social interaction. Is that a horrible thing to say? Maybe, but I feel I can contribute in other ways.
A few days ago, I came across this link on Facebook: http://iambeggingmymothernottoreadthisblog.com/2015/11/28/fifteen-things-for-when-the-world-is-shitty-and-terrifying/
Number 8 reads: "8. Here’s a link to Amazon, where you can buy a ten-pack of socks for $9.99. Click the link. When you are asked for your shipping address, find the address of a homeless shelter in your community."
This got me thinking ... instead of socks, does Amazon sell some sort of care package that can be sent to a local homeless shelter? I poked around Amazon and the answer appears to be "no." They offer care packages for college students, but nothing for homeless shelters. Maybe they should. Maybe I should take the initiative to try to start this. Of course, instead of sending just socks, I could send packages of materials that our local homeless shelter seeks. The holiday season seems like the perfect time to do it.
Overall, what I am getting at is that actions speak more than words. With all the fear, anger, and frustration that exists in the world, what makes a difference, at least for me, is doing something because I am in a fortunate portion to give back to those who are in need.
Interesting blog post! Volunteering is a big commitment, and people in the throes of developing their careers don't really have time -- leave that to the retired and "redirected" folks like us. But socks are always welcome, I know. As for cash money, I saw a really interesting documentary a couple of years ago about homelessness in Vancouver, which is a serious problem, and one of the interviewees was a former drug addict who offered fascinating advice. He said don't give money directly to people on the street, as too often they are mentally ill and/or addicts and will not have the foresight to use the money for food and shelter but will buy drugs or alcohol instead. He said, donate to charities such as homeless shelters, foodbanks, or Salvation Army type groups, where the money goes to providing food and shelter. What he did say that stuck with me is, above all, look the homeless person in the eyes, smile at them, and acknowledge their existence -- don't just walk past them and ignore them. They need to be treated with dignity, and smiling, nodding your head, and saying "sorry, not today" goes a long way to making them feel more accepted and less like outcasts. I took that message to heart and, since we donate money to the Salvation Army and Union Gospel Mission, I make a point of smiling and saying "take care" or "keep well" or something. I like to think it is a positive action!
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