When I see a homeless person on the street, I give them food, water and sometimes money, which is only a quick fix. I really feel bad for them and I want to help.
What are your ideas to eradicate this situation?
Serious answers only, no stupid comments please.
2006-09-25 08:55:36 · 10 answers · asked by Mary C 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
1) Affordable housing (especially for woman with children)
2) Better mental health care facilities
3) I really don't know.
2006-09-25 08:59:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes the best help is "tough love". I have read reports where a newspaper reporter has gone "underground" and lived on the streets as a panhandler, and guess what?
Some of these guys pull in over $300 per day! Don't cry all over them because some of them are making more than you, not paying taxes on that income, and laughing at you.
It's sad that we're enabling so many of them. As you know, if they couldn't make a living or couldn't get food any other way, then most of them would probably get a job.
I used to feel sorry for these people as well. I had to move to an area that was filled with "homeless", and quickly learned that these people for the most part are on welfare or homeless because they want to be.
I worked with one fella who was in his late 50's, and had been "pulled off the street" several times by the boss. He was given his job back several times, until the last time when the boss told him that was it. He's still "homeless" after 3 years, but gave up a $60,000/year job to do it!
Now, on the other hand, there are some who have moved to a booming city, and simply can't find accommodations within their budget. There are safety nets all over the place in the form of welfare, social housing, etc. There needs to be better access to this information so the real needy can get to it.
But please, unless you know the exact circumstances of the individual, don't go getting all blubbery, thinking we need to do more for them. I agree there are some who have been let out of institutions or should be in institutions, but again, not all of them need it.
p.s. I just read P.Z's note, and applaud it. He has stated in a more professional fashion what I was clumsily trying to say, which is that most of the homeless that you "see" are not in fact homeless.
I had an interesting email from a homeless lady, who wanted me to change my views. I'm sorry to say that my views still hold firm, and that I have in fact "walked a mile". There are needy people, and we need to assist them, but the visible ones on the corners are shysters for the most part.
P.Z., thank you for such a wonderful explanation of the real needs!
2006-09-25 16:14:59 · answer #2 · answered by Bryn T 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I hear some cities have started "food voucher" programs, others have started giving homeless papers to distribute.
Many homeless, not all, like living the free life. There are also mentally unstable homeless who have been let out of the hospitals under the insurance system. We should have a separate city department to deal with the homeless, probably under "Social Services"
2006-09-25 16:01:52 · answer #3 · answered by paanbahar 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Give money and your time to the veterans shelters. It always seems like the majority of the homeless are veterans. Just donate some time and money more time than money if you can get one person off the street you've done a great thing.
2006-09-25 16:03:37 · answer #4 · answered by Trish H 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It would help if people weren't buying second homes (for vacations or rentals) at such huge prices. It's the cost of housing's rise due to speculation that has made it almost impossible for poor homeless folks (like me) to afford to buy. I work for a living, yet I can't affort to purchase a home. And rentals are even more expensive.
If people stopped rampantly buying-up property, the prices would drop. Actually, we're seeing prices starting to drop in many areas now, so maybe there's hope.
2006-09-25 16:06:42 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I actually work here in Dallas with the homeless population. I'm a social worker by trade.
I work with the mentally ill, drug addicted ex felons. I try to establish housing with them to get off the streets and back on with their life. I am a mental health counselor for a MHMR facility here in Dallas.
There are a couple of things you can do.
Write you congressman asking that additional funding be sent to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD helps out homeless and sponsors alot of public housing programs. Ask them to support additional funding for the homeless in your community.
Get involved in your local NAMI. NAMI helps with the mentally ill people in the community and almost ALL homeless people suffer from either mental health problems or substance abuse. Homeless people have problems. They just don't become homeless for the hell of it.
Volunteer at a local homeless shelter, food pantry or soup kitchen. You get to know them better this way. You know faces and can see what they need. Plus sometimes all they need is a person to talk to and tell them their problems.
Call you local churches and get involved with them to see if they will donate supplies like hygiene products, water, sponsor a clothing drive, etc. Make those do-gooders put their money where their mouth is.
LEARN ABOUT YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES. The more you know about your community and what's available for the homeless the better you will be able to tell them where to go for help. Also this will allow you to see what areas your community is lacking in to help the homeless. I know here in Dallas you can call 211 on your phone and speak to a community advisor and ask them those types of quesitons.
DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING:
1) give money to someone on the corner. Only 17% of panhandlers and people you see with signs on the streets are homeless. Unless you want your hard earned money to go to a local crack dealer then do not do this.
2) never invite them in to your home. WAY TOO RISKY. they can say you did something or even hurt you. Please remember that they have problems and you can get too involved in them and that is bad.
3) Never buy anything off them. Alot of things they have are stolen and may belong to someone else.
4) Never offer transportation or pick up a hitchhiker. you dont know if they have a weapon or not.
If you see a homeless person suffering, then call 911.
If a homeless person is intoxicated and approches you just try your best to ignore them. Offer them water and food if you have it. NEVER EVER MONEY! WATER OR FOOD ONLY!!! maybe a cigarette. But minimize the conversation. encourage them to seek help and walk away. you can't reason with them when they are like this.
One other thing you and your family/friends can do is make "hygiene packets" full of soaps, shampoos, tooth paste, CONDOMS (yes, they do have sex and have high rates of STD in the homeless community), tampons, Purell, etc and other things that they can use to clean themselves up. I try to avoid putting disposable shaving razors in the packets because alot of times they can remove the blades and use it to cut cocaine and sometimes do things really bad like cut other people and sometimes their wrists and arms when they are suicidal. Its happened before.
Email me if you want any other advice. Just click on my name and shoot me an email.
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/
2006-09-25 16:22:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Spend that money we're spending on building other governments in other countries on our own people.
I'm not saying not to help, but how can you help someone when you can't help yourself?
2006-09-25 16:02:10 · answer #7 · answered by dct1218 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
give them love and bless them my daughter and god bless u ur good person we need more like u
2006-09-25 16:27:38 · answer #8 · answered by george p 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
stop sending all the jobs to china
2006-09-25 16:05:08 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
invite them to stay with you
2006-09-25 15:59:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋