Re: Helping the Homeless

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

FYI:

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says the nation's homeless veterans are mostly males (four percent are females). The vast majority is single, most come from poor, disadvantaged communities, 45 percent suffer from mental illness, and half have substance abuse problems.

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/veterans.html

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

OK I read most of these posts. Back in the very early 60's I lived with my divorced sister and her 4 children. There were times when we didn't have a place to live and the children had to go to different places to live. My sister and I stayed together with one or two of the children.

Eventually, she'd get them all back...for awhile. She worked 2 jobs every day 7 days a week. I went to school and babysat, that was my job. For a period of time I also took care of my senile grandmother, she was with us. Again and again we moved, couldn't afford rent for a one and 2 bedroom apartment.

Back then there was no government handout at all. There were times when we didn't have any food. Ever try dividing up between 6 people a box of Chef Boy Ar D (sp) spaghetti? Not easy!

We survived but my sister ended up letting a well off family adopt her youngest daughter. You think that was easy. Honey! You don't know Jack! When the daughter got married, she hid in the church to watch the girl get married. She didn't want to embarrass her. Talk to me about all of this stuff....go ahead.

But you know what? We survived through sheer will. My sister remarried and had another child (he committed suicide at the age of 20, but that's another story). You guys talk about difficult lives...I'm sure there are always people who've gone through a lot.

Life is not about a (insert the word that starts with a p ) ing contest. Life is hard, more hard than other times.

My sister and my entire family was there when I got married. We celebrated! I managed to skip an entire grade in high school because I had to quit 2 months before I finished my 8th grade class to take care of my senile grandmother, but I did it.

A person can do anything in life he or she WANTS to do. I totally believe that. But it takes a sound mind and a will like most people never have or if they do they don't want to work for it.

I ended up with an amazing man who had a difficult life. Because we had a difficult life (both of us) when our family needed help....we were there.

I'm still helping family members who without all of our help would be homeless (my little sister is one of them).

None of this could be accomplished without the help of GOD. But I truly believe and KNOW that GOD helps those who help themseves (and others).

Life is not just about throwing money at people or bragging about what you do (I'm sure many here do many things to help others). Life is about doing what you can (it isn't always money, it's sometimes about making a phone call to see if someone is OK, it's about saying, "I made a little extra and can't eat it, know you like it....will you PLEASE take it for me". It's about listening to an elderly friend talk about their late husband or lost daughter or son, just listening.

My late husband was unbelievably busy traveling, yet when the Cancer Society lady called, he'd change air travel to drive a cancer patient to chemo if they didn't have a way to get there. No one but us knew he did this as he didn't talk about it.

We'd be eating dinner with the family and he'd get a call from someone (a guy friend) who needed help, he'd get up and maybe not be back til late that night. That's what friends do and that's what family do.

Some people don't have families or too proud to ask (mostly no family support). It is up to others to just help, don't ask and don't talk about it, just do it.

I get teased because when someone approaches me asking for money, I give it. I hear, "You're a sucker". OK, maybe I am and I don't care what they do with it. I feel like GOD has been good to me and if I can help someone what he or she does with the few dollars is their business.

Phew! Now I'll so sit down, turn off the computer and think back to those days. They are way behind me but it sticks with you when you go through so much.

Just remember the saying, 'There but for the grace of GOD go I". It could happen, you never know.

I have a friend whose church manages a thermal unit in the summer and winter. I used to make scarves for them one after another all year long, I give money but boy do these people love these colorful scarves. Ha!

Anyway, do what you can. You'll be surprised how good you'll feel. I recently posted here that I've said before I feel guilty at the little I've done because it makes me feel so good. My friend teases me (in a nice way), but you know I sleep well at night (except sometimes those memories can't be pushed away).

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

SNAP Helps Roughly 1.7 Million Struggling Veterans

They're on FOOD STAMPS

https://www.cbpp.org/research/snap-helps-roughly-17-million-struggling-veterans-including-thousands-...

Support Our Vets

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@Annabellethecat66

"Back then there was no government handout at all."

"Back in the very early 60's I lived with my divorced sister and her 4 children. "

Absolutely not true at all. AFDC, Aid To Families With Dependent Children, was going strong.

"Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) was a federal assistance program in effect from 1935 to 1996..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aid_to_Families_with_Dependent_Children

Food stamps were going strong, "President Johnson requested Congress to make the program permanent. They did in 1964."

https://livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe50s/money_09.html

And help with public housing was also going strong.

In 1937, the federal government became officially involved with public housing under the United States Housing Act. This act truly came out of President Roosevelt's New Deal which started in 1933.

The History of Public Housing: Started over 70 Years Ago, yet Still ...

https://www.socialworkhelper.com/.../the-history-of-public-housing-started-over-70-yea...

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@Annabellethecat66 wrote:
OK I read most of these posts. Back in the very early 60's I lived with my divorced sister and her 4 children. There were times when we didn't have a place to live and the children had to go to different places to live. My sister and I stayed together with one or two of the children.

Eventually, she'd get them all back...for awhile. She worked 2 jobs every day 7 days a week. I went to school and babysat, that was my job. For a period of time I also took care of my senile grandmother, she was with us. Again and again we moved, couldn't afford rent for a one and 2 bedroom apartment.

Back then there was no government handout at all. There were times when we didn't have any food. Ever try dividing up between 6 people a box of Chef Boy Ar D (sp) spaghetti? Not easy!

We survived but my sister ended up letting a well off family adopt her youngest daughter. You think that was easy. Honey! You don't know Jack! When the daughter got married, she hid in the church to watch the girl get married. She didn't want to embarrass her. Talk to me about all of this stuff....go ahead.

But you know what? We survived through sheer will. My sister remarried and had another child (he committed suicide at the age of 20, but that's another story). You guys talk about difficult lives...I'm sure there are always people who've gone through a lot.

Life is not about a (insert the word that starts with a p ) ing contest. Life is hard, more hard than other times.

My sister and my entire family was there when I got married. We celebrated! I managed to skip an entire grade in high school because I had to quit 2 months before I finished my 8th grade class to take care of my senile grandmother, but I did it.

A person can do anything in life he or she WANTS to do. I totally believe that. But it takes a sound mind and a will like most people never have or if they do they don't want to work for it.

I ended up with an amazing man who had a difficult life. Because we had a difficult life (both of us) when our family needed help....we were there.

I'm still helping family members who without all of our help would be homeless (my little sister is one of them).

None of this could be accomplished without the help of GOD. But I truly believe and KNOW that GOD helps those who help themseves (and others).

Life is not just about throwing money at people or bragging about what you do (I'm sure many here do many things to help others). Life is about doing what you can (it isn't always money, it's sometimes about making a phone call to see if someone is OK, it's about saying, "I made a little extra and can't eat it, know you like it....will you PLEASE take it for me". It's about listening to an elderly friend talk about their late husband or lost daughter or son, just listening.

My late husband was unbelievably busy traveling, yet when the Cancer Society lady called, he'd change air travel to drive a cancer patient to chemo if they didn't have a way to get there. No one but us knew he did this as he didn't talk about it.

We'd be eating dinner with the family and he'd get a call from someone (a guy friend) who needed help, he'd get up and maybe not be back til late that night. That's what friends do and that's what family do.

Some people don't have families or too proud to ask (mostly no family support). It is up to others to just help, don't ask and don't talk about it, just do it.

I get teased because when someone approaches me asking for money, I give it. I hear, "You're a sucker". OK, maybe I am and I don't care what they do with it. I feel like GOD has been good to me and if I can help someone what he or she does with the few dollars is their business.

Phew! Now I'll so sit down, turn off the computer and think back to those days. They are way behind me but it sticks with you when you go through so much.

Just remember the saying, 'There but for the grace of GOD go I". It could happen, you never know.

I have a friend whose church manages a thermal unit in the summer and winter. I used to make scarves for them one after another all year long, I give money but boy do these people love these colorful scarves. Ha!

Anyway, do what you can. You'll be surprised how good you'll feel. I recently posted here that I've said before I feel guilty at the little I've done because it makes me feel so good. My friend teases me (in a nice way), but you know I sleep well at night (except sometimes those memories can't be pushed away).

@Annabellethecat66

I'm pretty sure many people here already do help others. It comes up every once in awhile, people here can be very generous, toward complete strangers and for animals.

Catiele · ‎08-20-2012

My dear Mother used to say who so much who so little. It is the way it is unfortunately.

stargazergal · ‎02-18-2016

Be careful who you donate to

Snowpuppy · ‎03-09-2010

@Annabellethecat66 God love you for that post.

There were many, many times we went thru incredible difficulties, too. Our lives have changed thru tenacity, not programs, just as yours did. The memories of those very painful years is a learning tool.

No offense to those who have lived The Cul de Sac life but it's one thing to read about "programs" on Wiki. It's another to qualify or told you're on a waiting list.

You wait in waiting rooms, you're told to return later, your caseworker doesn't return your calls, you have no phone for an employer to call you and no money for the bus.

They run you blind with paperwork hoping you'll just go away.

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@Snowpuppy wrote:
@Annabellethecat66 God love you for that post.

There were many, many times we went thru incredible difficulties, too. Our lives have changed thru tenacity, not programs, just as yours did. The memories of those very painful years is a learning tool.

No offense to those who have lived The Cul de Sac life but it's one thing to read about "programs" on Wiki. It's another to qualify or told you're on a waiting list.

You wait in waiting rooms, you're told to return later, your caseworker doesn't return your calls, you have no phone for an employer to call you and no money for the bus.

They run you blind with paperwork hoping you'll just go away.

@Snowpuppy

Oh, I did a lot more than read about programs, and I know for sure they helped millions over the years.

Don’t support the fallacy that there were no government subsidy programs because it isn’t true.

Trinity11 · ‎11-16-2014

@Noel7 wrote:
@Annabellethecat66 wrote:
OK I read most of these posts. Back in the very early 60's I lived with my divorced sister and her 4 children. There were times when we didn't have a place to live and the children had to go to different places to live. My sister and I stayed together with one or two of the children.

Eventually, she'd get them all back...for awhile. She worked 2 jobs every day 7 days a week. I went to school and babysat, that was my job. For a period of time I also took care of my senile grandmother, she was with us. Again and again we moved, couldn't afford rent for a one and 2 bedroom apartment.

Back then there was no government handout at all. There were times when we didn't have any food. Ever try dividing up between 6 people a box of Chef Boy Ar D (sp) spaghetti? Not easy!

We survived but my sister ended up letting a well off family adopt her youngest daughter. You think that was easy. Honey! You don't know Jack! When the daughter got married, she hid in the church to watch the girl get married. She didn't want to embarrass her. Talk to me about all of this stuff....go ahead.

But you know what? We survived through sheer will. My sister remarried and had another child (he committed suicide at the age of 20, but that's another story). You guys talk about difficult lives...I'm sure there are always people who've gone through a lot.

Life is not about a (insert the word that starts with a p ) ing contest. Life is hard, more hard than other times.

My sister and my entire family was there when I got married. We celebrated! I managed to skip an entire grade in high school because I had to quit 2 months before I finished my 8th grade class to take care of my senile grandmother, but I did it.

A person can do anything in life he or she WANTS to do. I totally believe that. But it takes a sound mind and a will like most people never have or if they do they don't want to work for it.

I ended up with an amazing man who had a difficult life. Because we had a difficult life (both of us) when our family needed help....we were there.

I'm still helping family members who without all of our help would be homeless (my little sister is one of them).

None of this could be accomplished without the help of GOD. But I truly believe and KNOW that GOD helps those who help themseves (and others).

Life is not just about throwing money at people or bragging about what you do (I'm sure many here do many things to help others). Life is about doing what you can (it isn't always money, it's sometimes about making a phone call to see if someone is OK, it's about saying, "I made a little extra and can't eat it, know you like it....will you PLEASE take it for me". It's about listening to an elderly friend talk about their late husband or lost daughter or son, just listening.

My late husband was unbelievably busy traveling, yet when the Cancer Society lady called, he'd change air travel to drive a cancer patient to chemo if they didn't have a way to get there. No one but us knew he did this as he didn't talk about it.

We'd be eating dinner with the family and he'd get a call from someone (a guy friend) who needed help, he'd get up and maybe not be back til late that night. That's what friends do and that's what family do.

Some people don't have families or too proud to ask (mostly no family support). It is up to others to just help, don't ask and don't talk about it, just do it.

I get teased because when someone approaches me asking for money, I give it. I hear, "You're a sucker". OK, maybe I am and I don't care what they do with it. I feel like GOD has been good to me and if I can help someone what he or she does with the few dollars is their business.

Phew! Now I'll so sit down, turn off the computer and think back to those days. They are way behind me but it sticks with you when you go through so much.

Just remember the saying, 'There but for the grace of GOD go I". It could happen, you never know.

I have a friend whose church manages a thermal unit in the summer and winter. I used to make scarves for them one after another all year long, I give money but boy do these people love these colorful scarves. Ha!

Anyway, do what you can. You'll be surprised how good you'll feel. I recently posted here that I've said before I feel guilty at the little I've done because it makes me feel so good. My friend teases me (in a nice way), but you know I sleep well at night (except sometimes those memories can't be pushed away).

@Annabellethecat66

I'm pretty sure many people here already do help others. It comes up every once in awhile, people here can be very generous, toward complete strangers and for animals.

Yes, @Noel7, thank you for addressing that. I think there are many on this forum who are generous with their time and finances to help out someone less fortunate. Many have no interest in sharing on this forum specifics regarding their generosity.

What I don't understand is why anyone thinks that just because their own life went a certain way that everyone should pull themselves up by the bootstraps and they too will have the same results. There are many people who slip through the cracks through no fault of their own.

Sigh......