9 Kind Things You Can Do for Your Homeless Friend
And 3 that seem kind, but really aren’t
In 2019, I was tasked by a local church with creating a list of resources to help the homeless in my urban downtown area.
I discovered there was no lack of soup kitchens and other food distribution points. On some days, those who are hungry have as many as six opportunities to be fed.
Nor do opportunities to get a good night’s sleep fly under people’s radar. It’s well-known that there are two shelters, one on the northeast edge of downtown and one on the south edge.
Leads on jobs are not hard to come by in my city. There’s a hub around the corner from one of the shelters that has a “Work Local” program. The library has computers people can use to hunt for jobs and print resumes.
So you have a friend currently experiencing homelessness, and you want to help them. Knowing there are ample opportunities to connect with the Big Three — food, shelter, job leads — what else can you do? What are other smaller but still vital needs?
I have attempted such a list before, but now I come to the topic with a new perspective: A few months ago, I became homeless myself. Most nights I stay in the shelter northeast of downtown. I get ample sleep and food.
