A year ago I decided to give up some of my food budget during Lent and use it to make brown bags of things for the homeless people I encounter. I used little brown lunch bags and put an apple or orange in them along with a bottle of water and a small pack of nuts or granola or something.
I then started adding in a slip of paper with something encouraging written on them, kind of like a positive fortune cookie. And then I added little handi-wipe things. If there were sandwiches in them these bags would look pretty much like a lunch you would pack for school. It was a way for me to try and impact the homeless directly rather than making a donation to the food bank or a shelter.
I got really nice responses from the recipients of these bags so I continued doing this, giving either a bottle of water or a little box of raisins or just something that I would try to always remember to load up in my car. Then for Lent again this year I revived the brown bags.
I am still giving packs of those cheese/peanut butter crackers, raisins and usually $1.00. We really must have the nicest and most appreciative homeless population here in town, because they are always so nice and will smile and make eye contact with me when I give these out.
Anyhoo, I was cleaning out a cabinet in my bathroom and came across a little bag full of toothpaste samples. Little samples like you get from the dentist, you know the ones. And a light bulb went off above my head!!! Add these dudes in to the homeless bags! Yes! I am betting they are really going to appreciate these things.
One of our city commissioners is trying to make it illegal to give a handout to the homeless. He is not the commissioner from my district and I have already contacted my commissioner and made my views on this very clear. It is an accepted reality that the majority of people are 2 paychecks away from being homeless. And it would behoove us to treat each other with a little dignity.
So I will go on doing my little part trying to help out, even if they do try to fine or ticket me.
When we lived in Chile I never saw homeless people. They had some good policies to keep people taken care of. But they had the worst problem with stray dogs and cats that I have ever seen. The most scrawny, emaciated and sickly animals you will ever come across. It was a disgrace. I was known far and wide for being the person who carried giant bags of pet food, treats and bottles of water and lots of small plastic bowls in the back of my car. We made the rounds to where we knew certain animals lived and did our best to keep them thriving and off the road and out of harm's way.
Any ideas of things I can add in to my little bags? Things I should try instead of raisins? Things I should leave out that are stupid? And! most importantly, what do you think of the little affirmation notes I was using last year? Good? Bad? If you like the idea, do you have any little gems I could use on the notes?
I love the idea. I think you should take some of your bags to that politician who thinks they should be banned. what a jerk!
ReplyDeleteI have 2 great homeless stories from my own archives. The first was when Chris called me to tell me that he'd picked up a homeless guy and taken him to lunch at Burger King. I was pretty horrified by this, but all turned out ok.... The second is how your brother likes to direct the panhandlers to me because he can't bear not to give everyone his last dime/quarter/nickel/twenty. love him :)
Having a son who's about one inch away from being homeless (drugs are a bitch), the thing I'd want somebody to give him would be something to eat and something to drink. The last thing I'd want somebody to give him would be money for drugs.
ReplyDeleteThe notes of affirmation are a great kindness.
All of those panhandlers were somebody's baby. I think what you're doing is wonderful.
Kathy,
ReplyDeleteI feel you. I really do. And I just scoped out your blog . . . It's wonderful! I used to live in Eden Prairie so we were almost neighbors!
Welcome!
Fresh fruit or dried is good. I would leave out the money! Any samples you have would be great. Even if you only have three samples of this and one of another, just putting a sample in the bag would be great. If I were homeless, hand lotion would be nice. Maybe you are affirming the worth of the homeless person. I would think so. Except for the money, it all sounds good to me.
ReplyDeleteYou are such a wonderful human being. I strive to be more like you.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely say food would be the top priority.
We have a migrant mission where we box together little samples of hygiene products for the migrants, like toothpaste, soap, shampoo, deodorant. These things for a poor or homeless person are expensive and most people, even if they are on the street, still try their best to keep their dignity intact. Just a thought.
It's good to be out of my self imposed writer ban and visiting all my blog friends. I've kept myself away all week, of course, except for Bye Bye Pie because I can catch up on all my family that way.