Who are the homeless?...This question is only for people who've had real-life experience with homeless people?

Question

Please tell me about your experiences, whether you were homeless, or knew homeless people.

Do homeless people come from all backgrounds? Would you / they prefer to work if given a good opportunity (if you're not already working in spite of being homeless)?

Would homeless people like to be able to mentally and physically support themselves in a home, and be respected by themselves and others?

This is a serious question...I need real-life people's true stories to answer the heartless.

Answer 1

The homeless are often mentally ill or substance abusers, but by no means is this always the case. Some are teens from homes so bad the homeless life seems preferable, many are people living one paycheck to the next who lose that paycheck. Some have become physically disabled and lost their apartments waiting for Social Security benefits. Once you lose a place to live, getting the money together for all the deposits to get another is very, very difficult. Not everyone has family who can or will help them. I have seen all colors, all ages, different educational levels (though lower ed levels do predominate). Many homeless are families. Hope this helps you.
As far as employment, housing and the dignity those provide, of course most would like that. Homelessness is a life condition, not a separate species.

Answer 2

Having been homeless twice for different reasons- I can say you become homeless when life gives you too many hard knocks. trusting others, escaping, losing something causes homelessness. Sometimes the homeless become so reclusive they reject societal norms and become mentally ill from isolation-they can't be helped. Other are just looking for someone to lend a hand and get them back on thier feet. It's so hard when you smell, have no references, no address for people to trust you enough to try to give you a fair shot. Homelessness is no picnic~never know where your next meals coming from, where you can stay a whole night, how you'll survive another day-People would mostly prefer a home than none. Sadly, there's a 'turning away' where the mentality is "it's not MY problem" and if people didn't look past that then I'd probably still be homeless.

Answer 3

In all reality, the homeless do come from all walks of life. In major cities the mentally ill as well as the grossly addicted are homeless. In my experiences working with the homeless, I found the most amazing people. The homeless in general do not want to be homeless. I have befriended many who share tales of an earlier life full of the conceits that could be considered living the american dream. The addicts usually realize that their addictions literally life consuming and through shame, denial, blame, and a truth life off of the streets is not on the agenda. You must realize that the addicts have lost every shred of human dignity, the only thing that seems real is the next high. When I say addict, I truly mean persons that have lost all sense of reality. Not the average suburban housewife that battles meth. Men and women that will kill or do whatever possible and improbable to get their next fix. The other group consists of the mentally ill. Not your garden variety bipolar, but true psychotic scezophrenics as well as sociopaths. Once again there is no reality. I think that the 60-70's deinstitutionalizing of the severly mentally ill have had a dire consequence for these ill people as well as society as a whole. Dealing with these individuals both the addicts and the mentally ill, I have seen the greatest depths of human disparity. Fighting to the literal death over a space, a bottle of liquor, scraps of food or a psychotic break. I also would like to bring up another group, the teenage homeless population. Most of these broken kids suffered many intolerances at home- either flushed out or fleeing, they end up on the streets. The one positive thing is that the community, there usually is a leader keeps an eye on these kids; on the other hand, the cycle continues. The unfortuante fact of the matter is that there are too many myths and ignorances concerning our homeless brothers and sisters sons and daughters, fathers and mothers.. We all have a connection to them. I can answer this: the homeless do work, they are have a code amongst themselves. They are human, and have thoughts and feelings and demons. In the past two years, I have personally invited two homeless men into my home to live. The first was an older educated man. To look at him or speak to him you would have not guessed that this man lived under a bridge, ate at a soup kitchen, bathed once a week at a church sponsered shelter. This man was a very hard working man that would perform menial tasks as a day laborer making 25-40 a day. Why was he homeless? His severe chronic addiction to Methamphetamines. His struugle began after he found his murdered wife and child. To make a long story short, after many months of trying to stay sober, his demons and set ways lead him back out to the streets as our mountain town buckled under another blizzard. The man froze to death under a bypass. He wasnt just another homeless man, he was a wise and kindred true spirit. The other person I took in was a 17 year old runaway boy from the deep south. He was running from a family whose roots twisted and innertwined bestowing great abuses and chaos unto this boy. Thru work foundhim in the dead of winter in an abandoned warehouse of a rail yard. Over the next year, I come to know and adore this bright, talented kid. He is now engaged, persuing a degree and working full time. He was a misfortunate victem of circumstance. The next time you cross paths with a homeless person, remember that theirs is a great tale and life. I would reccomend that we all need to keep giving. They are human beings that need to be respected and understood. I see those that are beyond reach, but there are others that we need to keep vigilant and find a resolution.

Answer 4

the 1st times i was homeless i had places to go, just wanted to see if i could do it. the irony is that id end up actually homeless several times. the 1st of those, legal trouble & on my way to prison through a probation violation. lived in an '86 nissan truck from 10.'97 till my arrest in 4.98. had 2 jobs at the time, dishwasher & paper delivery. got out of prison in 2000 & roomated with friends in a house on 2 acres, quite a change. lived there for 2yrs then tried to get other roomates. at $1500/mo for a 3 bedroom, it was hard to do & the house became my squat (a place where people stay incognito). i got stuck with the bad renter tag that keeps me from getting a place in my name. lived in the closet of an office that was spamming, 3 months later they made spamming illegal...homeless again. met a girl, worked construction, didnt work out...homeless again. it was christmas time & the family was meeting at my sisters house in wasington. went, spent everything on xmas, had a great time. then floated my way back to austin. in '04 i helped start a sticker company & lived in the office. microwave, shower & a walmart a mile away, it was so nice. too many chiefs in the teepee...homeless again. the trick to bring homeless is food & finding places sleep. it takes alot of time. half of the homless you dont see because we dont look homeless. i prefer the tops of buildings & parking garages in the warmer months. less bugs & people, easier to be stealthy. try to find a girl to shack up with or a van in the winter. ive even went to jail to escape the really cold times. food is easy enough but hit or miss. non corperate resturants; dishwashers/low position will kick down some food to do their trash, buffets & caterers always have mass food left over they cant sell butb are hard to get to at just the right time. pizza, chicken,. bakeries & seafood cant be resold the next day but all close about the same time so hitting them at the right time is difficult. never talk to the manager or cashier. the one doing the grunt work is the one to ask. offer work or any barter you have. barter stash comes from finding whatever throughout the day. other perks are free internet at sandwich shops & coffee huts. good for soliciting work or networking. the excesses of society are enough to get by on with a creative look at things. remorse keeps me from being a crook & i know its no means to an end. i had places & career type jobs throughout my late teens & 20's. it isnt what i want & to go back to that, to me, would be as much failure as what i am now. sometimes it tears me through being such a piece of shlt & it feels like a vacume or a cold empty void where my soul should be but i dont know what else to do right now.