Community Chat

[GenXmuse]

I doubt homelessness will decline until we change our hearts toward those who are and not paint everyone with with the same  brush stroke.  It’s easier to judge than to help. 

[haddon9]

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@happycat wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

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@happycat wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

I honestly have never seen or heard of any homeless in my community or local town.   I've been living here for 26 years and it's never been an issue.

However Philly is about 45 minutes away from me and I know there is a big homeless population there. 

My son lives in Philly and came home to visit this weekend.  I will ask him in the morning since your question got me curious.

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Wow, I'm not asking you exactly where you live, @haddon9, but I am curious, is it a very small town or community?

We didn't use to have this problem, but now it seems to have really grown in the last few years.

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@happycat Yes it's a small suburban or exurb town (we're further out from the city) and the area isn't  congested.  Less than 4% of kids get reduced lunches in the local school district so that's still something..  It gets cold in the winter where a warmer climate would be more welcoming to the homeless.

I can see large homeless populations in cities, large suburban areas or small economically depressed towns.

What sort or area do you live in?

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I live in a rural area. I had a man come to my door and ask for food a few years ago. He said his wife was a diabetic and they had no food. I loaded him up with food and took him home and got in trouble later from dh. Not from helping, from taking him home. What are we to do? You come here, tell me you are hungry, I'm gonna feed you. I have a long driveway, uphill and he was out of breath didn't look too good by the time he got here.

Where I do most of my shopping, the panhandlers seem to have taken over. Its crazy and I honestly don't go our by myself much at night anymore.

There is panhandling, but we also have people coming up to folks in parking lots and asking for money....I don't like it. I am compassionate, I do give to a few local charities, but I wish city leaders would do something about this business of the coming up to people in parking lots. 

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@happycat  I'm sorry to hear about the problems in your community.  It sure is sad to hear about so many who are going without and need help.

As for the man who came up your driveway,  I don't know what I would have done..  I probably would have had him stay outside (and locked the door) but I would have collected food to give to him.   I'm not sure if I would have driven him home...I would have wanted to but I would have been too afraid of the possible danger. 

[sunshine45]

if you are worried or cautious about driving someone home, call them a taxi or an uber instead. that way you are helping  with both the food and the transportation and staying safe at the same time.

[happycat]

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@haddon9 wrote:

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@happycat wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

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@happycat wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

I honestly have never seen or heard of any homeless in my community or local town.   I've been living here for 26 years and it's never been an issue.

However Philly is about 45 minutes away from me and I know there is a big homeless population there. 

My son lives in Philly and came home to visit this weekend.  I will ask him in the morning since your question got me curious.

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Wow, I'm not asking you exactly where you live, @haddon9, but I am curious, is it a very small town or community?

We didn't use to have this problem, but now it seems to have really grown in the last few years.

---

@happycat Yes it's a small suburban or exurb town (we're further out from the city) and the area isn't  congested.  Less than 4% of kids get reduced lunches in the local school district so that's still something..  It gets cold in the winter where a warmer climate would be more welcoming to the homeless.

I can see large homeless populations in cities, large suburban areas or small economically depressed towns.

What sort or area do you live in?

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I live in a rural area. I had a man come to my door and ask for food a few years ago. He said his wife was a diabetic and they had no food. I loaded him up with food and took him home and got in trouble later from dh. Not from helping, from taking him home. What are we to do? You come here, tell me you are hungry, I'm gonna feed you. I have a long driveway, uphill and he was out of breath didn't look too good by the time he got here.

Where I do most of my shopping, the panhandlers seem to have taken over. Its crazy and I honestly don't go our by myself much at night anymore.

There is panhandling, but we also have people coming up to folks in parking lots and asking for money....I don't like it. I am compassionate, I do give to a few local charities, but I wish city leaders would do something about this business of the coming up to people in parking lots. 

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@happycat  I'm sorry to hear about the problems in your community.  It sure is sad to hear about so many who are going without and need help.

As for the man who came up your driveway,  I don't know what I would have done..  I probably would have had him stay outside (and locked the door) but I would have collected food to give to him.   I'm not sure if I would have driven him home...I would have wanted to but I would have been too afraid of the possible danger. 

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I wouldn't do it again, I was shocked to be honest. I haven't seen him since. He lived down a small road with only a handful of homes on it. You couldn't see his house from the main road, it wasn't very smart of me to be honest. I think we need to think with our heads and not our hearts, and sometimes thats hard for me to do.

[Sooner]

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@happycat wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

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@happycat wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

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@happycat wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

I honestly have never seen or heard of any homeless in my community or local town.   I've been living here for 26 years and it's never been an issue.

However Philly is about 45 minutes away from me and I know there is a big homeless population there. 

My son lives in Philly and came home to visit this weekend.  I will ask him in the morning since your question got me curious.

---

Wow, I'm not asking you exactly where you live, @haddon9, but I am curious, is it a very small town or community?

We didn't use to have this problem, but now it seems to have really grown in the last few years.

---

@happycat Yes it's a small suburban or exurb town (we're further out from the city) and the area isn't  congested.  Less than 4% of kids get reduced lunches in the local school district so that's still something..  It gets cold in the winter where a warmer climate would be more welcoming to the homeless.

I can see large homeless populations in cities, large suburban areas or small economically depressed towns.

What sort or area do you live in?

---

I live in a rural area. I had a man come to my door and ask for food a few years ago. He said his wife was a diabetic and they had no food. I loaded him up with food and took him home and got in trouble later from dh. Not from helping, from taking him home. What are we to do? You come here, tell me you are hungry, I'm gonna feed you. I have a long driveway, uphill and he was out of breath didn't look too good by the time he got here.

Where I do most of my shopping, the panhandlers seem to have taken over. Its crazy and I honestly don't go our by myself much at night anymore.

There is panhandling, but we also have people coming up to folks in parking lots and asking for money....I don't like it. I am compassionate, I do give to a few local charities, but I wish city leaders would do something about this business of the coming up to people in parking lots. 

---

@happycat  I'm sorry to hear about the problems in your community.  It sure is sad to hear about so many who are going without and need help.

As for the man who came up your driveway,  I don't know what I would have done..  I probably would have had him stay outside (and locked the door) but I would have collected food to give to him.   I'm not sure if I would have driven him home...I would have wanted to but I would have been too afraid of the possible danger. 

---

I wouldn't do it again, I was shocked to be honest. I haven't seen him since. He lived down a small road with only a handful of homes on it. You couldn't see his house from the main road, it wasn't very smart of me to be honest. I think we need to think with our heads and not our hearts, and sometimes thats hard for me to do.

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I'd have given him food and then given his name, address and phone number to someone from my church to contact him.  Sorry to say I'd have been too afraid to drive him home.  I might have asked if I could have called the community aid officer from the sheriff's or pd office to help him.

[chrystaltree]

I live in small town in MA, we don't have a homeless problem.  Boston, Worcester and other metropolitan areas probably do and I am sure that those cities, social agencies, churches etc are doing whatever they can to address it.  I read somewhere that they are building tiny houses for homeless veterans somewhere.  I think the homelessness problem is much more complicated than just the housing issue.  

[happycat]

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@Sooner wrote:

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@happycat wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

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@happycat wrote:

---

@haddon9 wrote:

---

@happycat wrote:

---

@haddon9 wrote:

I honestly have never seen or heard of any homeless in my community or local town.   I've been living here for 26 years and it's never been an issue.

However Philly is about 45 minutes away from me and I know there is a big homeless population there. 

My son lives in Philly and came home to visit this weekend.  I will ask him in the morning since your question got me curious.

---

Wow, I'm not asking you exactly where you live, @haddon9, but I am curious, is it a very small town or community?

We didn't use to have this problem, but now it seems to have really grown in the last few years.

---

@happycat Yes it's a small suburban or exurb town (we're further out from the city) and the area isn't  congested.  Less than 4% of kids get reduced lunches in the local school district so that's still something..  It gets cold in the winter where a warmer climate would be more welcoming to the homeless.

I can see large homeless populations in cities, large suburban areas or small economically depressed towns.

What sort or area do you live in?

---

I live in a rural area. I had a man come to my door and ask for food a few years ago. He said his wife was a diabetic and they had no food. I loaded him up with food and took him home and got in trouble later from dh. Not from helping, from taking him home. What are we to do? You come here, tell me you are hungry, I'm gonna feed you. I have a long driveway, uphill and he was out of breath didn't look too good by the time he got here.

Where I do most of my shopping, the panhandlers seem to have taken over. Its crazy and I honestly don't go our by myself much at night anymore.

There is panhandling, but we also have people coming up to folks in parking lots and asking for money....I don't like it. I am compassionate, I do give to a few local charities, but I wish city leaders would do something about this business of the coming up to people in parking lots. 

---

@happycat  I'm sorry to hear about the problems in your community.  It sure is sad to hear about so many who are going without and need help.

As for the man who came up your driveway,  I don't know what I would have done..  I probably would have had him stay outside (and locked the door) but I would have collected food to give to him.   I'm not sure if I would have driven him home...I would have wanted to but I would have been too afraid of the possible danger. 

---

I wouldn't do it again, I was shocked to be honest. I haven't seen him since. He lived down a small road with only a handful of homes on it. You couldn't see his house from the main road, it wasn't very smart of me to be honest. I think we need to think with our heads and not our hearts, and sometimes thats hard for me to do.

---

I'd have given him food and then given his name, address and phone number to someone from my church to contact him.  Sorry to say I'd have been too afraid to drive him home.  I might have asked if I could have called the community aid officer from the sheriff's or pd office to help him.

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Those are good ideas, @Sooner. I'm glad I gave him food, I do realize that it wasn't very bright to drive him home.

[VaBelle35]

I think statistics are based mostly on estimates since I don't know too many people who would sit for a survey and tell you that they only eat one meal a day.

I think the statistics on children are probably based on information from schools, teachers, etc.

I know that in DC, one of the reasons they try not to close school for weather is because the school lunch in most cases is the best, if not the only, meal these kids will have all day.

[VaBelle35]

We have teachers and former teachers on this forum who tell us that they feed ro have fed some of the kids in their classrooms.

[brandiwine]

In Denver they are making some plans around food and tiny home communities, but no one enforces the laws that are on the books.  Daily stabbings, shootings, and attacks even on the fancy 16th street mall.  The homeless seem to be running the show.  They use the sidewalks as bathrooms and the police try to get them off the street only to have a judge let them go in an hour.  Daylight or night, stay away from downtown.  GROSS.  We have so much work available here, but they don't want to work.