re: How Do You Feel About the Homeless?

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I assume they are homeless because they would rather be homeless than have any responsibilities.

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So you think they would rather starve and sleep in the rain than work 40 hours a week and live normal life’s? I don’t think so. I think they are too mentally unstable to function in society. Which is sad

I actually was going to help a lady that I thought lost everything in Laura and had to live on the street. Stopped by the other day and asked if there was anything that she needed.

Turns out she she had mental health issues. When I was there talking to her, I could tell she didn’t hear a word I said. She was just staring into space. When I asked her if she lost everything in the storm, she said she lost her key.

Looks like she had everything she owned with her. I think if I were to give her anything of value, it wouldn’t be anymore valuable to anyone, if that makes any sense.

There is a man my kids see every day on the way to school and we’ve packed a bag full of clothes that I don’t wear considering winter is coming. They want to give him something since he sleeps on the sidewalk next to a business.

With Covid...with Laura, it’s hard to tell the homeless that will actually appreciate the help or wouldn’t know what to do with the help. We will be stopping and giving the bag to the man tomorrow morning. We will see how it goes.

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So you think they would rather starve and sleep in the rain than work 40 hours a week and live normal life’s? I don’t think so. I think they are too mentally unstable to function in society. Which is sad

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It’s not 100% but a large number.

Then you have those without a family safety net and if you have no savings, I’d imagine it gets hard to get back on the ladder once you fall off.

Without transportation, food, alarm clock, shower or laundry - even a minimum wage Job is hard to hold down long enough to get situated. Especially if maybe an injury or arrest was part of how you fell out of society. Having to disclose an arrest on top of the hurdles makes the job, housing and aid extra challenging.

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So you think they would rather starve and sleep in the rain than work 40 hours a week and live normal life’s?

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Most, yes.

They don't starve, they get free meals 3 times a day if they want it.

I used to volunteer at a homeless shelter for men that was run out of the basement of a large church. The place was super organized and super strict. It was really more of a "program" than a shelter. They had a lot of hard rules:

(1) You had to have a job - if you didn't have a job the homeless shelter organizers would get you a job (they had contacts in construction, landscaping, etc.)

(2) you had to have a valid ID - if you didn't they would help you get an ID.

(3) you had to have a savings account - they would help you set this up with a bank and all your earnings had to be deposited in this account. You were not allowed to bring outside purchases (other than medication) into the shelter. The money you earned had to be saved.

(4) no drugs or alcohol - if you were caught using either, you got kicked out.

(5) you could only stay for a limited amount of time - I think six months, maybe less. After that you "graduated" and the shelter would help set you up in an apartment with all of the money that was saved up and deposited into the savings account.

The homeless shelter would cook the men a hot, healthy supper every night when they came in for work. In the morning they got coffee, a snack and a prepared sack lunch plus bus/subway tokens to get to work. They got to take a shower in the lockerroom, had a decent cot to sleep on and they provided them with basic essentials like toothpaste deodorant, etc. and also gave them a bible. There was no TV but they had a library of books and board games.

Every night the doors were locked at a certain time and if you weren't there for dinner, you slept on the street that night. I think I saw one guy get locked out.

Essentially it was like jail, except when the men left they had a job, an apartment and six months worth of paychecks saved up to start fresh. Given how strict the place was, you would think nobody would sign up. But there was a waiting list to get in and every night there was a line of dudes outside asking if any spaces had opened up.

This was a place for men who had fallen through the cracks - lost a job or relationship and had no money or anyone to help. There are a lot of state resources for women in a bad situation, especially women with children. But if you're a man, it's welcome to the jungle, you're on your own, pal.

A few things I remember about the shelter:

1. The food wasn't bad - most of it was donated from local grocery stores. We would cook them stuff like spaghetti. A lot of them were picky eaters and would complain. I would always reply "well how do you like the price?"

2. They were extremely picky about showers. That was the first thing they always did when we let them in after work, and if they didn't get a shower they were super grumpy. Same with coffee in the morning.

3. Some of the guys couldn't read. That shocked me to think there were people in this country who couldn't read. But some of them were smart. One of these old bums would kick my arse in chess every time we played and I was a decent chess player. He loved when I volunteered because nobody else played chess.

In my younger, dumber days I would look down on them and think they were lazy. I wouldn't say anything to disrespect them, because I wasn't raised that way, but I had my negative picture of them.

Now, I know every one of them has a story. Alot of them just fell on hard times, lost jobs, families, etc. Many are mentally ill or physically handicapped. Those are the ones who struggle to overcome it. I look at them as individuals, and try to help the ones I come to know. You just never know when or if you may be the one needing a hand, and sometimes the ones you help come to genuinely help you in some small way.

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More addicts than mentally ill

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the two go hand in hand. Lots of people use drugs to self medicate, especially when anti depressants don’t work with everyone, and a lot of people can’t afford to go to the doctor Less than half have any mental illness, and a quarter are seriously mentally ill. That’s still a significant amount. And I’m curious to see if you have any data that backs that up. Being homeless isn’t fun. Anyone that is homeless more than likely has something wrong with them besides laziness or poor decision making skills.

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makes me mad if anything but so used to it don’t care really

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stupid schizophrenic people pissing me off. That dumb girl was raped as a kid and has had a horrible life, something something personal responsibility blah blah blah

Is there a place like this on br ? Or an orphanage

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think ‘oh that’s sad. But I can’t help them all so I can’t help this one. That wouldn’t be fair’

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I could drink a bourbon with you. This is the best response to this thread. You win today.