What is it like to stay/work in a homeless shelter?

Question

Thanks to everyone who has answered so far. Your experiences are exactly what I am looking for, as shelter websites and such are often devoid of helpful insights like these. Thanks again!

Answer 1

Usually terrible. Think about a large open dorm with no privacy or real security provisions, full of many of the homeless insane and lots of truly desperate petty thieves.
People stab each other in attempts to steal each others boots.
The organizations running these places generally try to make them as unattractive as possible because they have a belief that everybody desperate enough to actually need to be there is just abusing their system of generosity.
They are truly insane institutions run on insane principles.
Penitentiaries show their prisoners more respect than homeless shelters show their victims.

Answer 2

I've done both & it's not very pleasant. Usually you get a cot to sleep on & a free meal. Some are better than others. One I know in Dallas served some kind of rice combo at every meal & charged you to wash & dry clothes. 99% of them won't help you find transportation to look for or keep work & some are closed from 9-5 & you have to take your possessions with you because there might not be room for you the next night. Nor do they provide daycare if you're a single parent.

Believe it or not summer is the worst time. Donations are lower so less services & smaller meals. No school for the kids. You're all hot & sweaty trying to look for work.

There are some good ones but few & far between. Way too many people don't realize all the problems that cause one to continue in homelessness. Imagine looking for work & having to keep a job w/o a telephone, carrying all your worldly possessions on your back with maybe a kid in tow. Then think about the fact most jobs give you your first paycheck after you've worked there for 2-4 weeks. That means you'd have to do all the above for 2 wks at minimum & usually a month before you'd get your first paycheck which would only be for a week or two.

Temp work pays daily but you have no guarantee if you show up there will be work.

The homeless shelter we were in was run privately by a man & his family. They provided everything. It was run down & me, hubby & daughter had to share a bunk bed & there was no heat or ac. But in less than 2 months we were able to get on our feet because they provided transportation, a phone number, clean clothes, etc.

It was the most humiliating time in my life though they were wonderful. I'd always been very independent. I never realized before how hard it was once homeless to ever get back on your feet until hearing the horror stories of others and often the way you are treated & talked about only makes it harder. So I was a case manager for another one and witnessed even more unique problems.

The only real shame is the fact they exist and most not through any fault of their own.

Answer 3

I once lived in a homeless shelter that also provided a program to beat homelessness and addictions. It was a faith based program, yes it is a large dorm that 127 men only the people participating in the program could stay without having to leave early in the morning. It was a great learning experience and gave me a chance to see how unfortunate some people really are there is a website you can check trinityrescue.org check it out when you get the chance

Answer 4

Our small town created a shelter for temporarily homeless people. There are single and double rooms, a large rec area, and lots of help to get settled into your own place.

It is quite different from the downtown shelters which have become a way of life for some people. You have to be really tough to work there.

Answer 5

I've never had to stay in a homeless shelter myself, but when I was in the college we routinely worked at one as part of my community service fraternity.
It was a "soup kitchen" style shelter in the heart of downtown Des Moines, IA. We would get there quite early, help package and wrap up meals that were put on a van to be distributed out to the homeless community, then we would start the meal prep for the lunch and dinner hour. If you've ever worked in a large scale kitchen, like at a restaurant or college/military base, it's very similar.
One time I cracked eggs for a full two hours in order to make a giant scrambled egg dish for breakfast. Mostly your work will revolve around preping the food, cleaning dishes, setting out trays and silverware, etc.
Then when the patrons begin to arrive, we always liked to help dish out the food. This was a cafeteria style place, so folks would get their tray and their plate and then go down the line and we'd pile food on their tray for them. We'd interact, talk, share, smile and joke with each other. When the line was gone and everyone was seated, we'd help ourselves to the leftovers, go out into the dining room and eat with the patrons.
If you've never interacted with homeless people before, you might be a little uncomfortable at first. They wear multiple layers of clothing and they don't always have access to clean restrooms and hot showers. What is important to remember is that these are PEOPLE. Human beings, just like you, who have had some bad experiences in their life and are just trying to get back on their feet. TALK to them, just as you would any other human being.
Afterwards there's lots of clean to be done, wiping tables, and washing dishes, etc. I found it to be a really rewarding experience and I would recommend it to anyone.