I had stayed a few nights in this really nice little spot. I had a drawstring sack full of food. Gatorade, juice, protein shakes, granola, trail mix, snack bars. Like 3 days worth of food. Hell I even left some smokes. I wrote a little note put it in a ziplock bag. Basically saying "hey if you find this feel free to eat and drink, just please don't leave behind trash." Come back tonight and not only did they take the entire bag, they left trash đĄ
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Good looking out, but after some of what I have seen, I'm starting to understand why people don't like the unhoused. Like when I hit up the library. I'm respectful, I follow the rules, and sit there reading while my phone charges. If I'm gonna eat I go outside. The other day this one dude came in, undoes his pants, at which point I'm wondering if dude is about to whip his dick out, then sits down, and takes his shoes off. No sock bare ass feet, and starts picking between his toes. WTF
Man it's crazy but my road dog was like this. Dude is 70 years old. Only wears sandals that are filthy. Never takes a shower when one is offered. Burned all his trash at the campsite.
Nicest guy and really good at problem solving but for whatever reason something in his brain just makes him a fuckin filthy animal that doesn't give a shit. It's as amusing as it is disturbing.
What I'm trying to say is, they're not all like that. Please.
A tip you may not have considered? Car full of "trash" (usually blankets), is full of people/person that doesn't litter..
...and could probably use some help..
You aren't wrong to make care packs, you just have to approach distribution differently if you want it to be effective.
If you give an addict on the street 15 bucks for instance, there's a good chance they will spend it on drugs despite wearing their one pair of dirty wet socks. They aren't in a position to receive help - their brain has no pathways to even think about those things in the state that they're in. The comment further up that said "if you're actively schizophrenic or in the throes of addiction, you're probably not reading this" is super relevant here.
Instead, you could take the same 15 bucks and buy a 6 pack of warm thick socks to offer them instead. And if they don't accept it, the resources aren't being wasted on them - those socks would be appreciated by someone who's actively trying to take care of themselves on the street.
You just have to come across them organically. Leaving stuff around doesn't go to the correct people.
I think you are still even lenient on that. People like taking as much stuff as possible, even if they have no use for it. Thatâs a reason why you see these people sleep in piles of random stuff.
The only really safe option Iâve seen is helping out people that are trying extremely hard to not be seen as homeless. The guys who look clean, but you see them shaving in the public restroom. Those who try to speak as properly as possible, even if everyone else isnât. They are trying to get out of their situation, and will use the help you give them.
Youâd be surprised, plenty of homeless may not look like theyâre trying to keep themselves cleaned up but itâs just not easy once youâve been homeless for a while and donât know a way out. But given the chance and right opportunity would clean themselves up completely. Itâs not even easy to get to a sink being homeless in some places. The city I was in I wasnât even allowed to get into public bathrooms or get a drink of water from water fountains after about 2 weeks on the street and they could tell I was homeless. Too many others had ruined it by getting high in their bathrooms. Iâve been off the streets since last May now, I was just going through a really bad time in my life.
Yeah, that part sounds like a lot of it is mental illness unfortunately. Like the people you see wheeling around shopping carts full of actual garbage and junk. I do feel bad for them and how few resources there are for stabilizing and treating someone with long term serious mental illness, because being on the street certainly exacerbates the problem.
But then of course there are anti-social assholes too who just make a mess and take stuff because they DGAF
I'm what you would call "invisible homeless, traveling hobo" and yeah, you can spot these guys a mile away vs the substance abusers. I can pretty much sus out the guys who are just traveling wanderers in like 5-10 seconds. It's usually the backpack, the boots, they indeed keep themselves clean, shaving/brushing teeth in the library bathrooms etc.
I always try and help out dudes like that, even if it's just sharing a smoke or buying them a tallboy - and I don't even drink or smoke! I just sometimes have them on me, like currency.
If u can't work or be super clean u kinda get pushed into seeming extra dirty to people's eyes cause that's who people give resources to it's tiring getting questioned of your homelessness just cause your clean society pushes people to be dirtier and besides all that shit fuck being cleaning so yalls standards dirty n free bitch give me shit or don't help people to help or don't u don't gotta hyper analyze a bum on wether their worthy of your ever so gracious help
Everyone is worthy of help. You can't force anyone to accept help, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't continuously offer it.
Dude, im struggling to comprehend what you wrote? Idk whether I agree or disagree with it, could you possibly rephrase it?
That's the problem people perception of things just because they see all these things that addicted especially methheads are all stealing scraping returning cans robbinh family and friends of all they have ! Doing thousands of dollars worth drugs a week etc etc when for the most part that's totally untrue! I guess thats why they probably wouldn't be reading this ! This is based on what exactly how many addicts have you spent time with on the riverbank observing their behaviors during active addiction ? I'm a homeless addict and I'm reading this and I do alot of things that im sure you would never guess but it isn't scraping stealing robbing and anything else mostly associated w meth addicted people ! I will admit to collecting cans for 5 cent deposit ! Finally yes most homeless I associated with are fucking pigs but you can't lump them all together as I don't limp all of you sheep whom like to judge ! Have nice day now I got get back to stripping wire from a house I robbed last night since that's what we all are suppose to be doing
I hope you are able to get help soon. If sucks being homeless now, it was a lot different even when I was younger and went through it. The people are a lot worse and donât look out for each other. Itâs a very lonely way to live even though youâre always surrounded by people.
You sound personally called out by what I said. If you aren't exhibiting these behaviors, it doesn't apply to you. Even if you were, it simply means you're struggling and need a different kind of help than physical cash in hand.
I'm very entwined in the addict community. I was engaged and had a child with someone who relapsed and brought a lot of dangerous things around us before I got us out of there. He still owes me thousands of dollars from the drug-fueled lies and manipulation. I'm also close friends and became the financial manager of an addict who just got housing. He can't be given the rent money even a day before it's due, and he is 100% honest about this and proposed that schedule himself. I once gave him money to buy hand warmers when he was going to be on the street on a cold night, and he bought drugs with it instead - but with immediate shame and regret. He's one of those folks who is totally with it, but the impulse takes over in the moment.
You would feel a little more at ease going through life without making extreme assumptions and getting worked up over nuanced situations. Please try to be safe out there.
This just isn't true bru u don't know everything and no one does
...which is why if you want to genuinely help vulnerable demographics, it's best to learn and orchestrate the most effective methods for that. I'm not sure why you think that's not true, but it is.
Not my subreddit but I do like to browse. I gotta say I believe in helping drug addicts with rehab and giving them free food and something to drink and I refuse to help beyond that since it only feeds into the addiction.
Then you have the mentally ill which a fair amount Iâve seen end up as drug addicts. But with the mentally ill I fucking hate the liberals that threw them on the streets to fend on there own instead of providing the help they need. With this group I will offer whatever as long as I know they will accept it as in oh you donât have socks so Iâll buy socks and make sure they put on the socks before I leave and will give them directly food and water.
Then you have Iâm on hard times or just enjoying the lifestyle and thatâs the group that are mentally there enough that you can treat as a normal regular person. That I offer money to since I know they can help themselves as needed. If someone in this group needs food they will buy food with cash or whatever. This is the group you ask hey what do you need or can I take you shopping.
But yeah I agree with you that you need to pay attention with how you give stuff to people that could use some help. Like OP is doing the right thing but it probably ended up to a drug addict or mentally ill person which as you said neither group is mentally there really.
You're right, anybody who actually knows the homeless population knows how diverse it is. There are even functional addicts who will manage their essentials and have a fixed dose for their fix. They will just appear as normal folks, and they're essentially just self-medicating.
Whether it's drugs or mental illness, you can tell simply by how they behave and speak to you if someone is really not in a position to receive physical cash. They need resources instead, and you have to hope that they will accept them.
I honestly wouldnât give a homeless person a 6 pack of socks. At least not unopened. As someone whoâs been there before, most other people I knew would have just taken those and sold them for drugs. And the ones who did take them had nowhere to put them, so theyâd throw out the one pair of socks they had on, take one pair, put a pair in a pocket or something and basically just toss the rest or something. Most arenât even going to think about the other homeless people they know and share the ones theyâre not going to take. Itâs much better to break that 6 pack into 3 and just hand 2 pairs to others.
This just isn't true đ
I was homeless 3 separate occasions for enough time each time to have see it all. Iâm not just making shit up here, but you can believe what you want. I help the homeless and give them money all the time, and I know what theyâre going to spend the money on. But when Iâm trying to give them something to use or food, Iâm going to make sure it gets used as intended. Like I said, you can believe what you want. Every personâs situation is different on the street, but realistically the vast majority of the homeless population are using drugs and/or drinking to cope with homelessness.
Ain't no one buying socks my dude.
The amount of effort it'd take to sell socks for a few dollars would be better spent panhandling.
People where Iâm from buy anything and panhandling is oversaturated here so most people are boosting.
Yes, I was trying to say that direct distribution is the way to go since you can personally gauge the situation. I agree the socks should not be unopened for the same reason, seen enough of that myself lol. But I've also seen plenty of homeless folks at the laundromat with hamper bags. It totally depends on the individual and how they're able to manage their resources.
Ugh, that really sucks. I'm currently housed, but I live in an area with quite a transient/varying population (for a variety of reasons) and I am more than happy to help, but sometimes đ€Šđ» Yeah, people can take advantage or are just disrespectful to the effort. There is always going to be someone who messes things up, but I try not to hold it against those who don't. I still leave helpful items out and I still let people shelter/sleep back in a little alcove type thing out back. And I've had a few people offer to fix a few things around the property here and there for a meal đ€·đ» It's worth the few "bad apples" to help the rest, I think. ETA: Sorry ... I don't mean to invalidate your feelings on this. People CAN genuinely suck and it can be understandable at times why people grow weary of "the unhoused" as a whole, without seeing the individual.
To you, Good looking out. Really thank you. That attitude, that approach would be met with only my utmost respect. I can sleep back in this alcove and be out of the wind? Dope. I'm gonna be quiet. I leave early, I will leave no trace. All that being done in hopes that I can sleep in said alcove the following night. However not everyone shares that sentiment.
Sounds like homebumb activities
I unfortunately fall into that category at the moment.
Hit the road!!! I promise you'll fine cool ppl that love their world enough to clean up after themselves
Coffers are pretty depleted at the moment.
Stay positive like you are doing!
No good deed goes unpunished
It really is only slightly irritating that they took the entire bag. Like I still have something to eat tonight, idk. If I had been counting on that food, I would be screwed.
I understand. Tbh- right now you need to be using your own oxygen mask on the plane before you help others with theirs. Not sure if youre familiar with that reference but my point is just take care of yourself right now!!!
Yeah I get it. Maybe they needed it more than I did. Maybe they will share it with others. I got me a can of Campbell's Jazzy jambalaya with chicken sausage and ham for dinner. Also got some bread and peanut butter. I got smokes. I got everything I need.
Some are unhoused by choice, most are unhoused because of mental illness and drug addiction. If youâre high, or suffering from schizophrenia, youâre probably not reading the note. The amount of illiteracy can be high also. Some people may throw trash cans around. Itâs not a typical behavior, you shouldnât have any expectations.
That being said our unhoused relatives suffering from drug addiction and mental illness are arguably the most vulnerable people in our society and the need the most help. All life is worth of care and being treated with dignity even if they leave trash, throw trash cans around, or sell the free cigarettes you give them and put the money towards fentanyl.
If your help comes with any expectation of some sort of condition from unhoused peopleâŠ.welllâŠ..itâs more than likely most wonât be able to meet that condition. They are still human beings worthy and in need of your help.
I do understand, it's been a rough day for me, and this is just shit icing on the shit cake. Just needed to vent. Ya know?
Sure, it can be rough. Keep helping and doing it in a good way. It will pay off. The amount of help you will provide people will outweigh all the garbage. It may be a rough day the trash may suck, but you did a good thing for someone outside yourself. Thatâs a noble act and you should be proud of yourself. Doing the right thing is worth a lot these days.
I never do things like that expecting to be rewarded. It does always call to mind that philosophical question "is there really such a thing as a selfless deed?" Feeling good about yourself because you did a good deed is gratification, so is it still selfless?
I started two kitchens for the homeless and have been involved in so many programs. I do it for the free food at first, but when I started doing it it felt great. I used to be homeless and it felt really nice to be on the other side of the food distro. I apreciate all the free food volunteers got to me when I was on the streets and it felt really good giving back and I felt like I could really understand a lot of the people. One of my food programs in Oakland was serving 2000+ meals of rescued food a week at its peak. Very short lived but it was freaking awesome.
I canât tell you how many good things have come into my life from being in service to others. Any chance I get I take it.
I donât really think of it as a philosophical thing helping other people helping yourself or whatever. When you do good things for people with a good attitude you get good things out of it. Youâre always gonna get back what you put in. And with being in service to people itâs been really good to me and my life and my family and the people around me. Man and every once in awhile you really get to hep someone change their life in a miraculous way. Itâs rare but it can happen.
The trash was empty white claw cans...
Could have been left by anyone. Did you leave white claw?
Nope
Maybe the trash leaver didn't take the stuff? Possible.
This is a possibility. Also Happy Cake day đ
Thanks!
Hmmm there is actually very strong evidence that the person that took the bag, and the person who left the trash are not the same person...
Never feed the strays
I will probably never learn man. I just thought that if someone else found the spot, they were hungry, they could snack, thirsty they could drink, even a few smokes. Taking the entire bag was an asshole move, leaving trash is just extra shitty.
What you need to learn is not to expect people to throw there trash out, and that those people still are deserving and in need of the food.
If you litter you don't deserve free food
The friendly stray cats always look the coolest tho
Not to mention the spicy ones that will hiss at you. Now I really want to be your friend.
Always feed the strays. All life forms deserve to eat. Our government and capitalism has just made it hard for people that have no money to live.
They DO get fed, most homebumbs are still giant assholes for an endless amount of reasons
Maybe someone really needed three days of food. If you leave stuff out as a goodwill gesture, you cant dictate how it will be used.
I do understand that. Hopefully they share it with others. That was the spirit with which it was left.
I'm sorry you got a different result than you expected. Next time, try doing it differently. You might get a different outcome if you do different things. Getting mad at the result and not considering what you did to get to that point won't help anything.
Gifts with conditions arenât gifts.
If you are actually homeless, don't ever do this. Not only is it naive and people will take advantage of you, but it's dangerous. You need to have the mentality that everyone is potentially a threat unless they prove to you that they aren't. The fact that someone even found where you were sleeping is a huge red flag. Being a social butterfly out here is a good way to get killed.