What do the homeless need most?

Question

I am interested in starting a project to help the homeless. How can I help them the most? Should I work through an organization or help people directly on the streets?

Thanks, everyone.

Remember to pay it forward!

Answer 1

I work in the middle of Perth and this sounds nasty and horrible but some of them are just beyond redemption but what they need more then anything else is

1.Someone who cares about them

2. Housing

3.Food

4. A sense of worth

5. Employment

If you really want to make a difference i would find a good honest organisation and start helping through them. They have the neccessary contacts and tools needed to do the job.

Answer 2

they need alot of money food water and shelter

Answer 3

A home.... Naw, they need clothes and a place to shower

Answer 4

with money they can buy food, a house, drugs

Answer 5

Friendship and your time: that's what homeless people need the more than anything else. Being homeless can be one of the loneliest, and most isolating experiences a human being can face. Homelessness can actually cause mental illness. Providing some emotional support, and a little consistent encouragement, can make a big difference in the lives of those who have no place else to go.  

You should use some caution when approaching homeless people on the streets; some don't want help, some may try to take advantage of your kindness, a percentage have untreated mental disorders, and others feel so ashamed over their situation, they may resist help from you all together. I'm not suggesting you shouldn't try to offer assistance to a homeless person that appears to need some help; just try to use caution, don't do it alone or in dark alleys, and try to use your best judgment. Remember; before you can truly help a homeless person you will first need to earn their trust, but this  must always be a two-way street... and it takes time.  No two instances of homelessness are alike; you must be willing to try to get to know the people you want to help.

Unless you are prepared to make a major longterm monetary commitment to getting a person off the streets, it's never a good idea to give money to a homeless person. There are much more meaningful ways to help. If you find homeless person that is willing to sit down and talk with you in  a friendly manner, you might stop by the next day for another visit and offer to buy them a cup of coffee, or lunch. Sometimes, homeless people need clothing more than anything else; a new pair of jeans, a warm coat, a new pair of shoes, can make them feel a little bit better about themselves... and when you have nothing, a little goes a long way. Being homeless can be very a very de-humanizing experience. Simple acts of kindness like these can lead to turning points in a homeless person's life.

The safest option might be to visit a nearby homeless shelter and talk to them about what services they provide to the homeless. If they have a good record of helping people out of homelessness, you might ask them where they could use the help the most; you could volunteer to help with their existing services, or offer to help in other area's that they may not have the resources  or manpower to provide. Be wary of homeless shelters whose services are not designed to help people escape from homelessness.  Homeless people can benefit from may different kinds of help. Help applying for housing assistance. Help applying for public assistance, and/or food stamps. Help getting some new clothes, even if they are from the thrift store. Help finding employment. Maybe a cheap bike   so they can get around. A place to take a shower. Something nutritious to eat. However, nothing is more valuable than the attention and encouragement of another human being; that's the kind of support that can really soften the harshness of homelessness.

Answer 6

There's no one magic thing you can throw at homelessness and it will be solved.  It has to be a multi-pronged approach, tailored to what individual people need.

Everyone is going to need a place to stay, meals, shower, etc.  Some people are going to need mental health services becasue they are mentally ill.  Some will need to learn some skills so that they can get a job.  Others have skills and need job assistance.  Still others are addicted to drugs and alcohol and need counseling.

I think the end goal should go beyond the immediate problem of feeding/sheltering them (while of course that's important) - to get them back on their feet with job skills, finding a permanent place to live, etc. so they can feel good about themselves, re-enter mainstream society, etc.

Hope this helps - Julie

Answer 7

Typically in America homeless people are not starving. There are quite a number of programs out there that help with this, and begging can be very lucrative. What homeless really need is hope. They need to be able to tell their story and feel like people care. Those who want to not be homeless need the means to fix their situation.

I'll give you an example from my experience, even though it is something I feel bad about. There was a kid about 18 who used to come into a fast food restaurant that I worked at while I was going to college. He would always pull out ratted bills and coins and would be one item and a water. Since I was a manager, I started just comping his meals and then I would sit down and take a break and talk to him. It turned out he had problems with abusive parents and had left home at 14 or so and had lived on the streets since then. He talked to me about getting a job, and I thought it was a great idea. I helped him fill out a survey and an application and then I processed the survey. I'm pretty sure now that he had a learning disability, but his survey was a mess and he was totally unhirable by that standard. On top of that, he didn't have an address or any way to contact him. I told him that it would be difficult to convince my boss to hire him but that I would try to talk to him about it. Of course, it was quickly dismissed by the manager and I didn't really pursue it any further. I don't recall ever seeing him again after that. I feel bad because I know I didn't due as much as I could have for the guy.

His problems were many. He didn't have a job. He couldn't get a job because he didn't have a residence or phone, and was uneducated. Yet he seemed eager to get a job, but didn't know how. I wanted to help him but I didn't really know how. He wasn't hungry. That was easy to take care of.

Answer 8

food, towels, blankets, clothes.

Call your local shelter and ask them.  They also like to give the people in the shelter Christmas gifts.  You might think about that.

Answer 9

It depends why they are homeless but if you give them anything worth anything they will sell it or get robbed.

Answer 10

it's individual in my opinion, they are all homeless for different reasons. but I would start generally with food.

Answer 11

Shelter. All the food won't help if you freeze to death.

"How can I help them the most? Should I work through an organization or help people directly on the streets?"

Either is good. There should be more people like you.

Answer 12

I think food is the most important thing.