How to Help the Homeless
 Is there any ways that really help the homeless? Does handing the panhandler a dollar do any good? Are you looking for the quick help or do you want to help solve the solution? The biggest problem is the homeless are not a group of the same person so their problems are not the same so the same solution will not work for everybody.First off the reason for their homelessness is not the same. Yes some are due to addictions both alcohol and drugs. Others have psychological issues. And then the fastest growing segment is those running from spousal abuse.
And some simply have out spent their income and ended up on the streets with the downward spiral that leads to loss of job
and loss of everything else. So you have 2 avenues to help the long term solution and the short term fix. The long term solution
includes finding them jobs and affordable housing. The long term solution also focuses on fixing the other issues the addictions,
the psychological and emotional help, career and family counseling. So the long term solutions help with economic means to
get them off the streets and the mental issues to help them cope so they don’t end up back on the street. But since most
people only want a short quick answer we will now comment on the ways to help the homeless deal with their everyday issues.
Though these solutions are vital to them surviving they do nothing to help get them off the Street they help them deal with the
street. What do you do when you see someone holding up a sign, "Will Work for Food"? Do you roll down your window and give them
money? Do you pretend you didn't see them? Nobody likes to be confronted by the homeless - their needs often seem too
overwhelming - but we all want to treat them fairly and justly. Here are some simple guidelines to equip you to truly help
the homeless people you meet: First off please do not give money to the homeless. If you want to donate money give it to the
shelter that takes care of them. Too often, well intended gifts are converted to drugs or alcohol - even when the "hard luck"
stories they tell are true. If the person is hungry, buy them a sandwich and a beverage. Taking time to talk to a homeless person
in a friendly, respectful manner can give them a wonderful sense of civility and dignity. And besides being just neighborly,
it gives the person a weapon to fight the isolation, depression and paranoia that many homeless people face. The homeless are
as diverse as the colors of a rainbow. The person you meet may be battered women, an addicted veteran; someone who is lacking
job skills... the list goes on. Please do not treat them ALL as addicts the addicted old
homeless man we all pictures is only 25% of the population. So try and treat them with respect remember
they are still people too as you deal with them help them to help themselves. Take them to the appropriate
homeless shelter. Most shelters offer immediate food and shelter to the homelessness through their emergency shelters.
Many offer long-term rehabilitation programs that deal with the root causes of homeless. Many also offer "tickets" that can
be given to homeless people which can be exchanged at the shelter for a notorious meal, safe overnight lodging, and
the option of participating in a rehab program. Exposure to the elements, dirt, occasional violence, and lack of purpose
all drain years from a person's life. God can use your prayers and the brutality and the futility of life of the street to
bring many of the broken to Himself. So please pray for the homeless. So you want to do little more. Their immediate needs
are the basics food, clothes, and shoes. So you can take food to the homeless shelters. Get with your local grocery store and
ask if you can have the daily leftovers and date expired food. Take to the shelter. If you like set up a weekly trip and take
them enough food every week - now you are making a big difference. Take along your kids. Another great way to help is to take your
extra shoes, coats and clothes. Have a clothes drive in your neighborhood, Do it on a monthly basis if you like
the homeless residents next month are most likely not the homeless residents who were there this month. The homeless
in America are growing at a rapid rate and we all need to pitch in and help.
About the Author: Boake Moore is an IT Sales engineer by trade and founded a non profit coffee company called Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee (www.missiongrounds.com), it donates all its profits and proceeds to helping orphans and homeless children.
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