Homelessness In America

petejm043

For starters, I hope I am posting this in the right place. I know this time of year there is a lot of stuff going on. But please take the time to think of the plight of those that are less fortunate and actually don’t have a roof over their head or food. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 31 out of 50 states have seen an increase in homeless individuals and families. Just wanted to share this. Something to think of about.

brianlux

petejm043 wrote:

For starters, I hope I am posting this in the right place. I know this time of year there is a lot of stuff going on. But please take the time to think of the plight of those that are less fortunate and actually don’t have a roof over their head or food. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 31 out of 50 states have seen an increase in homeless individuals and families. Just wanted to share this. Something to think of about.

So true! Thanks for posting this.

It's mighty cold out there and lots of people can use some help this time of year. If you don't like giving money to people with cardboard signs at the stop sign or light you can always carry some extra food up front and pass it along. I saw a guy with a cardboard sign and a dog sitting next to him. I'm going to keep a can of dog food under the seat along with a few non-perishables for the next time.

Most of our communities have organizations and churches that feed the homeless. They can always use our help. I donate to Loaves and Fishes every year. I'm forever indebted to them for feeding me a few times when I was living in my vehicle several years ago when I was down on my luck. Giving back always feels good.

usamamasan1

A stop sign beggar was provided with a granola bar and a bottle of water and did not accept it. Instead, I was given fouled language and ranting with my family in the car.He was probably into drugs.
(btw, the "homeless guy" with the dog on la cienega and la tiera has a fucking cell phone, many that have good begging locations do in LA)


Today, when I took my boy to the farmers market, there was a nice man with his daughter using the bell rig for the salvation army. Gave my boy a bill and told him before we approached "please put this in the bucket so that someone else can have a nice holiday like you want"

It made me feel good, it made my boy feel good, it made the people requesting donations feel good. I hope at least 90% of "the bill" goes to the end user and not the "organization".

Give charity with care. This is why I prefer the government not be involved. They know not how to handle shit without waste and the end user getting fuck all.


Anyway, cheers.

brianlux

usamamasan1 wrote:

A stop sign beggar was provided with a granola bar and a bottle of water and did not accept it. Instead, I was given fouled language and ranting with my family in the car.He was probably into drugs.
(btw, the "homeless guy" with the dog on la cienega and la tiera has a fucking cell phone, many that have good begging locations do in LA)

Jesus, man, do have to dis every post made that indicates someone's attempt to be helpful? I'm sorry your "sign beggar" yelled at you but that kind of thing rarely happens. I've never been shown anything but gratitude when I've helped and I've never seen anyone with a cardboard sign talking on a cell phone others and for you to make this kind of post just looks like an attempt to dismiss acts of kindness.

Merry fucking Christmas... :x

brianlux

P.S. I hate getting mad and I rarely do. I'm giving myself a time out. Fuck it.

WaveCameCrashin

I've been helping out one guy with what I can.

Gave him a
sleeping bag
Thermal underware
Hiking boots
Some smart wool socks
Food
A few shirts and a fleece..
I wish I could help all of them. Ive been homeless and on the street for a short period of time and it fucking sucks.

usamamasan1

brianlux wrote:

P.S. I hate getting mad and I rarely do. I'm giving myself a time out. Fuck it.

Good idea.

Not sure why you got so bent. I just gave personal experience living in LA. Tell you what, I could probably make $30k +/year begging at certain intersections. Shit, maybe 60k if I brought my toddler and infant with me.
This is why I brought the dog comment up and the guy with the cell phone. It's real. So is the beggar at the intersection of LaBrea and Edgewood, he has a fucking cell phone.

Your comment about giving to churches and the fish place makes sense. They can probably help people who aren't scamming. Settle down. I am all for helping people down on their luck. I just think when the government gets involved it gets taken advantage of and the people who really need it get FUCKED because people scam.

So, all I say is give back but do so with caution and direction.

Like wavecamecrashin

usamamasan1

petejm043 wrote:

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 31 out of 50 states have seen an increase in homeless individuals and families

I would think it more like 50 of 50 states would have seen an increase in homeless individuals/families with the current and consistent high unemployment rate and foreclose stats as of late...

No time like now to put America back to work. We can do this!

Give a man a fish; feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish; feed him for a lifetime

Byrnzie

usamamasan1 wrote:

Give a man a fish; feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish; feed him for a lifetime

And if there are no fish in the sea, or no boats to be had, then the poor bastard will starve anyway.

usamamasan1

Why do you assume the homeless man comes from an unmarried woman?

conman

i don't usually post here but i support this... i've always given money/food to homeless people

during the holidays or not, if someone is need, i help them



is that a problem for people?

_

brianlux wrote:

I'm going to keep a can of dog food under the seat along with a few non-perishables for the next time.

:thumbup:
Just be sure to keep a can opener too!

_

brianlux wrote:

usamamasan1 wrote:

A stop sign beggar was provided with a granola bar and a bottle of water and did not accept it. Instead, I was given fouled language and ranting with my family in the car.He was probably into drugs.
(btw, the "homeless guy" with the dog on la cienega and la tiera has a fucking cell phone, many that have good begging locations do in LA)

Jesus, man, do have to dis every post made that indicates someone's attempt to be helpful? I'm sorry your "sign beggar" yelled at you but that kind of thing rarely happens. I've never been shown anything but gratitude when I've helped and I've never seen anyone with a cardboard sign talking on a cell phone others and for you to make this kind of post just looks like an attempt to dismiss acts of kindness.

Merry fucking Christmas... :x

I wholeheartedly agree with you here, Brian. That kind of attitude is exactly why we have homeless people in the wealthiest nation in the world. It's absolutely shameful!

And, for the record... What the fuck is wrong with a homeless guy having a cell phone?!? It doesn't mean he's scamming anyone. None of us have the slightest fucking idea why/how that guy has a cell phone - and it's none of our damn business either. The only reason people make such comments is to pass judgement on other people. Fucking pisses me off - and this is not the thread for it. :x

(Maybe the guy's family got him a cell phone so they can keep track of him. After all, if there's anyone who needs a cell phone, it's a homeless guy. How else is his family - or potential employers - supposed to reach him? His land line? :roll: )

-Emma-

My dad was in America recently, and he met quite a few homeless people during his travels. One man asked my dad how he was, and my dad said "as good as gold" (which is a saying that my dad often says). The homeless man told my dad "everything tarnishes". I thought that was pretty damn insightful!

Before he left America my dad also tried to give another homeless man (who he saw going through the garbage) a bag full of coins (probably $10-$15) and the man wouldn't accept them. My dad was leaving America shortly after, so he obviously had no use for the coins.

stuckinline

_ wrote:

brianlux wrote:

usamamasan1 wrote:

A stop sign beggar was provided with a granola bar and a bottle of water and did not accept it. Instead, I was given fouled language and ranting with my family in the car.He was probably into drugs.
(btw, the "homeless guy" with the dog on la cienega and la tiera has a fucking cell phone, many that have good begging locations do in LA)

Jesus, man, do have to dis every post made that indicates someone's attempt to be helpful? I'm sorry your "sign beggar" yelled at you but that kind of thing rarely happens. I've never been shown anything but gratitude when I've helped and I've never seen anyone with a cardboard sign talking on a cell phone others and for you to make this kind of post just looks like an attempt to dismiss acts of kindness.

Merry fucking Christmas... :x

wholeheartedly agree with you here, Brian. That kind of attitude is exactly why we have homeless people in the wealthiest nation in the world. It's absolutely shameful!

And, for the record... What the fuck is wrong with a homeless guy having a cell phone?!? It doesn't mean he's scamming anyone. None of us have the slightest fucking idea why/how that guy has a cell phone - and it's none of our damn business either. The only reason people make such comments is to pass judgement on other people. Fucking pisses me off - and this is not the thread for it. :x

(Maybe the guy's family got him a cell phone so they can keep track of him. After all, if there's anyone who needs a cell phone, it's a homeless guy. How else is his family - or potential employers - supposed to reach him? His land line? :roll: )

Often the family will buy a cell phone for a homeless person so they can be located by GPS. Please do not judge homeless people, you do not know their entire history.

Please help out the less fortunate.

_

Additionally, many homeless people are mentally ill. Most mentally ill people don't yell at strangers, but occasionally some do (whether homeless or not). That doesn't mean this is an accurate or appropriate way to portray homeless people. It doesn't mean they're on drugs. And it doesn't mean they don't still need our help.

gimmesometruth27

what about homeless vets? is there anything more tragic than that?

these are the people that our country should be taking care of the most. they get shipped off to a foreign land, witness some shit that none of us could even imagaine, get out, are traumatized mentally, can not find work, end up divorced, and need help for their mental illness/trauma. instead they end up living on the streets in the country that they risked their lives to defend.

everyone talks about "support the troops", but that should mean especially AFTER they come home and get out.

i love how the "personal responsibility" people always ignore the homeless vets...

and yes, i give money to homeless people every chance i get. nobody knows their story, nobody knows how or why they are in the situation that they are, yet people are willing to judge them for their situation. and that is not cool... if i am doing a little better i want to help that person because a rising tide lifts all boats... also every 6 months i donate clothes and items to the disabled vets..

Byrnzie

gimmesometruth27 wrote:

what about homeless vets? is there anything more tragic than that?

these are the people that our country should be taking care of the most. they get shipped off to a foreign land, witness some shit that none of us could even imagaine, get out, are traumatized mentally, can not find work, end up divorced, and need help for their mental illness/trauma. instead they end up living on the streets in the country that they risked their lives to defend.

everyone talks about "support the troops", but that should mean especially AFTER they come home and get out.

i love how the "personal responsibility" people always ignore the homeless vets...

and yes, i give money to homeless people every chance i get. nobody knows their story, nobody knows how or why they are in the situation that they are, yet people are willing to judge them for their situation. and that is not cool... if i am doing a little better i want to help that person because a rising tide lifts all boats... also every 6 months i donate clothes and items to the disabled vets..

:thumbup:

Though please excuse the cheesy grin on this smiley. A thumbs-up shouldn't always be accompanied by a silly smirk. A smiley representing a serious nod of approval would be more appropriate.

Or maybe I'm just being a bit anal? :think:


Or drunk :P

Jeanwah

brianlux wrote:

petejm043 wrote:

For starters, I hope I am posting this in the right place. I know this time of year there is a lot of stuff going on. But please take the time to think of the plight of those that are less fortunate and actually don’t have a roof over their head or food. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 31 out of 50 states have seen an increase in homeless individuals and families. Just wanted to share this. Something to think of about.

So true! Thanks for posting this.

It's mighty cold out there and lots of people can use some help this time of year. If you don't like giving money to people with cardboard signs at the stop sign or light you can always carry some extra food up front and pass it along. I saw a guy with a cardboard sign and a dog sitting next to him. I'm going to keep a can of dog food under the seat along with a few non-perishables for the next time.

That's what I like to do rather than giving money. And I always clean out my cabinets this time of year when school and the local food pantry is looking to give food to the needy. And I don't believe in garage sales. When I have stuff I no longer need, I try to give it away to whomever needs it. There's no sense in looking for a return for stuff you don't want.

blueandwhite

gimmesometruth27 wrote:

everyone talks about "support the troops", but that should mean especially AFTER they come home and get out.

i love how the "personal responsibility" people always ignore the homeless vets...

I hate this saying because it seems to be all talk and no action. The mantra of many is support the war, forget the troops.

photogirlliz

usamamasan1 wrote:

btw, the "homeless guy" with the dog on la cienega and la tiera has a fucking cell phone

There are actually several assistance programs that help low-income people (including the homeless) get cell phones. For many, these phones are they only viable way they can reach out to potential employers in order to secure jobs that allow them to turn their situation around. While we lump all homeless people under the umbrella category of 'homeless,' (although we do try to create subcategories between sheltered homeless, unsheltered homeless, doubled-up homeless, etc...) we need to realize that there isn't just one story or explanation as to why they are homeless or how they got there. Homelessness is the result of larger societal issues (i.e.: domestic violence, lack of jobs and economic security, deinstitutionalization, fraying of family units, etc...). That being said, we shouldn't be so quick to judge when we know so little about the individual and their specific situation.