This past weekend, a man held a sign that said, “No Job, No Home, Please Help” kneeling on one knee at the entrance of 
where people turn to get on the interstate. We have all seen the signs, “Will Work for Food” and other signs like it amid the recession and high unemployment rates. What can we do to help? The image especially troubles me at this time of the year, but indeed, breaks my heart year-round. I want to help, like many of you, but have not been sure of a good way to help.
I researched some ways of some items you can easily have in your car to help. Please feel free to add suggestions of ways to help in the comments section.
- Look up “Shelters” in your Yellow Pages and put the shelter (s) name on a card with their address and phone number. Perhaps have some calling cards available to give to people so that they may make a phone call for help.
- From e-How, I found the things you’d want to include in a Hospitality Bag (written by Bob Waldrop). You can view the full article here, “How to Make a Hospitality Bag to Help the Homeless” Here are some of Mr. Waldop’s
suggestions for your Hospitality Bag.
- Paper lunch bags
- Small packaged foods like Vienna sausages, sardines, peanut butter and crackers, etc.
- Granola or “power” bars
- Clean socks
- Hand lotion
- Hard candies
- Small servings of canned fruit or pudding
- Plastic zip lock bag
- Dry washcloth
- Small soap
- Napkin and spoon
- Some other ideas for your hospitality bag might include Potted Meat, individual sizes of Peanut Butter, applesauce, juice boxes, individual packages of nuts, peanut butter or cheese crackers, bottled water, and / or individual packages of cereal.
- You could also assemble hygiene bags to distribute that includes such things as toilet paper, soap, shampoo, deodorant, feminine products, toothpaste, dental floss, and / or diapers.
- At this time of the year, having some extra gloves, hats, blankets, sweat shirt, sweat pants, or anything warm is a big way to help. You never know if there might be an entire family affected and this person is the one who is going out looking for help.
- You may decide to go and purchase a meal for them at a fast food restaurant so that they may have a warm meal.
I have seen many people in a public place (i.e. in the downtown area, by the interstate, etc.) and it would be very easy to have these kits available in my car to give to someone. I’ve read where one man assembles these types of kits (including the blankets) in a thrift store backpack to hand out to people. Of course, be careful and approach people with caution. Make sure you are in a busy area where other people are around.
What are your ideas and what will you do?
Technorati Tags: Kristen Jacoway, Career Design Coach, Homeless, Hospitality Kits
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Kristen,
A timely and important post. Thank you. I would also suggest adding a paperback book to the hospitality bag. Not a necessity but certainly a nice to have.
Bridget
Kristen,
I’ve often wondered what I can do to help those holding up a “will work for food” sign. You have offered some wonderful suggestions that just might become the family project I’ve been looking for.
Thank you,
Diana
What wonderful ideas and so much more helpful than the few dollars I often give. When I worked in San Francisco many years ago for a sock company I would assemble sock packets and take them out to Mission Street where a lot of homeless people lived. You have inspired me to think about little things I can do in just going about my day. My husband has gotten his law firm to adopt all of the families at the local shelter every year and he plays Santa for the kids but I believe the daily kindnesses make the world a better place.
Thanks for this powerful post that provides practical ways to make a difference in the lives of those that are often invisible.
Your post has inspired me to action and I will pay it forward to someone less fortunate in honor of your work.
-Lethia Owens
Wonderful ideas, Kristen, and definitely inspiring. I’ll be making my bags next week. Speaks volumes about who you are!
I bet you would love reading the Christmas Jar!
Merry Christmas!
Kristen, I am always tempted to hand money straight to the person (and often do), but in speaking with many of the agencies that help the homeless this is not always the best way to help. I love the idea of the hospitality packages and this is something that we can get kids involved in helping.
In that note I wanted to share an inspiring story about an incredible girl I had the pleasure of working with as part of a Canadian youth program. Hannah Taylor started the Ladybug Foundation http://www.ladybugfoundation.ca/ to help the homeless in Canada at age 8 and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars! She is looking for hosts of her “Big Boss Lunches” where she comes to talk to business leaders about this issue and raises their awareness and gets their involvement. Or if you know of as child that can take a ladybug collection jar in to their school and gather donations from classmates.
And if you are just not in a position to help financially volunteering is a great contribution. Or do as Hannah does, sit down and ask them their name – most people would never think to do it and it makes a huge difference.
Just my toonies worth
To help as many as you can, volunteer at homeless shelters, food kitchens, local job clubs, and church and non-profit fund-raisers for the needy. Interact thoughtfully and with respect and genuine compassion for those less fortunate. Bring in non-perishable food items to food pantries and shelters. Join the Rotary and other organizations that do year-round benefits and activities to help. In other words, GET INVOLVED! The Power of One is true all year round, not just during the holidays.
Best wishes to all for a better New Year!
The Power of One in terms of helping the homeless is demonstrated by Peter Lawson and his fund-raising efforts. A teen-ager now, Peter has volunteered to sleep in the cold Minnesota winters in a cardboard box for 40 nights straight during the holiday season – for the past 10 years! http://iocp.ejoinme.org/Peter_Lawson
Here is the link to Peter’s story:
http://www.americanprofile.com/article/37205.html
The corrected link, in my previous post, to join the Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners (IOCP) is http://iocp.ejoinme.org/Peter_Larson
Thank you, Kristen, for taking the time to research and help us all with such practical ways we can give assistance to people in our own communities.
I feel your compassion, and I agree we all need to choose something we can do to take action, and commit to it throughout the year. For me, it takes on a whole new meaning as I see friends and families I know on the verge of losing everything. It’s so real.
And isn’t it funny how it works: as I give to them, I feel like I am the one getting an even greater blessing in return!
This is a terrific post – I don’t know what to give and don’t usually have money on me to give. Recently I had an extra hamburger after getting out of the drivethrough (sp) with an extra (why did I order TWO huge burgers?)… and I gave one to a guy who had a similar sign. Made my day, as I usually don’t do anything.
I have heard that because of the season and the economy, church supplies are running low….
Thank you for the wonderful ideas! I plan to create some of those bags as soon as I move next month…as I am sorting out things for the move, I’m sure I will find some things I can use, too. Gloves, small toys if there are children, etc. I am always looking for more I can do to help.
I volunteer with a group called <Project Downtown that offers meals and companionship to the homeless in cities across the US. It was started by two U of Miami students who wanted to do something. Armed with some sandwiches and beverages, they started a group that now feeds thousands weekly. And even more important, the group members spend time with the homeless, getting to know them, listening. That, we are told each week by the people on the street, matters more than the lunch. We SEE them and hear them and know them by name. The group is Muslim in origin, but no mention of religion is ever made in te course of working with the homeless. All are welcome to help, to join, to benefit.
Thank you for posting this story today…I am Twittering it to spread the word.
Great ideas. Thanks for putting this together. I found your post via Renegade HR so the word is out there and hopfully we can all do a little somthing around this cause.
Wonderful job on your post! In Kansas City, we suggest handing out “Free Shelter cards” to people flying signs. Beyond meeting basic human needs, there is a wealth of resources available to bring change and restoration into the lives of disadvantaged persons. To learn more, go to http://www.kcrm.org -Community Resources, or contact Paul Masao for dialogue or tour at pmasao@kcrm.org or 816 421 7643, ext. 36.
Kristen,
This is a wonderful post. I love all the tips. I truly resonate with the comment by Lindsay, about getting to know the homeless by name, visiting them, and of course, feeding them. Years ago, I picked up a refugee family from Afghanistan as they were walking along carrying grocery bags. I took them to their apartment. There was very sparse furniture, yet they offered such graceful hospitality to me. Then the father of the family of five handed me a document that told the sad story of their flight from the Russian invasion to Germany, and then to the U.S. Their U.S. sponsor had none of the promised money to help them. I made weekly visits to them, took them shopping, got funds from my church, invited them to services and introduced them to the congregation. The church members became involved, offering clothes, furniture, and support. But most of all, the frequent meetings with them meant the most. I will never forget the incredible experience that year helping them was. Since then, I have done similar things in other places we moved to.
I am inspired by the hygiene bags and the hospitality bags. We have an outreach ministry in our church, and I am going to suggest these ideas with the group.
Happy New Year to you!
~Kathy Bitschenauer, CARW, CCMC
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