What’s Something You Shouldn’t Give to a Homeless Person?

what's something you shouldn't give to a homeless person we used to check in on this homeless man occasionally to make sure he was doing okay one year we were chatting and he says hey I have to give you something I was excited thinking maybe he's super artsy and made us something cool to remember him by he opens his trench coat and reveals a giant frozen uncooked slab of pork someone gave me this freaking slab of meat what a frick does he think I'm going to do with this I'm sick of carrying this around I would have taken it cooked it up and returned it as a pork and veggie roast don't just drop off food into go containers near someone's tent if you're bringing food talk to them give it to them stacking up perishable food they can't manage or really throw away is only bringing mice to their living situation really glad I read this comment because I've done exactly this more than once lesson learned thank you related story time I used to work at a thrift store in processing basically I sorted donations cleaned them up if needed priced them and put them out onto the floor one day I got in a donation a bunch of those kits you see people put together for homeless people they have things like a stick of deodorant toothbrush toothpaste hand sanitizer wet wipes that sort of thing I was going through them for things we weren't allowed to put onto the floor like medication they had packets of Tylenol in them when I found a folded fifty dollars bill in there I unfolded it and it was one of those Christian pamphlet things you know the ones that say money isn't the cure for everything only Jesus will get you into heaven or whatever so basically don't get someone who's desperate for money fake money that says they shouldn't worry about money would be funny if people started putting those fake Bill Christian pamphlets into the collection plate frozen turkey had a friend who used to send plated meals to the homeless people near her house occasionally one day one of them came to her door with a frozen turkey someone had driven to the homeless area and handed this woman a frozen turkey when the woman delivered it she said I figured you have an oven maybe you can use it what did they think I was going to do with it I've got a shopping cart not an oven I used to work for a non-profit and we gave out branded tire pressure gauges I'm not sure why I thought it was an odd choice but we found out one day while outreaching that some of our clients were turning them into crack pipes needless to say we stopped giving those out haha canned food without pull open tabs anything that is perishable homemade food unless you know them judgment people can be homeless for a variety of reasons not every homeless person is a bad person and no one deserves to be homeless whether how they got there or what they're doing while they're there is wrong to you good things baby wipes water bottles reusable too socks hand warmers hygiene products for periods best thing ask them each person is different has access to different resources the best way to know someone's needs is to ask them yourself ETA I say not homemade food because people have sometimes added things in the food to make it inedible from the toothpaste prankster to glass things can still be added to sealed food sure but definitely less likely and more noticeable in my opinion canned food without pull open tabs because of how common that is I'd feel that can opener might be a full thing if you have one to give mostly related but I work at a homeless shelter and you would not believe some of the crap that comes through donations lingerie beat up clothing and shoes outdated appliances if you want to donate you can always call ahead and see if the shelter is looking for particular items seasonal clothing hygiene items not half used shampoo bottles and new socks and underwear are always good ideas that reminds me of my time when I worked at a homeless Center for mentally ill homeless and I was tasked with sorting out a box of DVDs that were donated 75 of the box was pee ask them what they want we had a homeless man who walked around in a garbage bag explained people kept giving him clothes and three times he had been attacked for them if you're not sure what they need ask instead of cash I asked a man what he wanted from the gas station and he asked for laundry detergent we always think about food and shelter which are fundamental but hygiene is such a larger category of luxury that we take for granted TBH this is gonna sound weird but homemade food it's better to give already packaged ready-made food so that there isn't any doubt that the food has been tampered with whatever they don't want I was gonna buy a homeless dude a nice backpack once but he didn't want to because chances he will get robbed for it or stolen same I bought one regular in my neighborhood a sleeping mat sleeping bag and a tarp he sold them but he explained that if he had and he would have likely been robbed they are often targeted my grandma once watched a homeless woman's bag of stuff break and the woman started crying my Grandma had one of those sturdy reusable grocery bags she asked the women if she liked the bag grandma gave her the bag and the women acted like she'd been given a million bucks sometimes it's the things we'd never expect that mean the world to the homeless apples try softer Foods I've done Outreach work they get so much food and water but females need feminine hygiene products and they all need socks laxatives this homeless guy that used to live in a nearby Bridge was given food that secretly had some sort of laxative in it needless to say he became a lot more wary of free food afterwards I don't think they ever found out who the poser did it was milk-based Foods if a person spends some years without consuming dairy products they lose their ability to digest lactose lactose intolerance increases with age I Google to provide a reference and there are many so you can Google if you want to check this I'm really surprised I haven't seen this answer but anything of noticeably high value brand name clothing or shoes expensive backpacks watches Etc this can get them killed or at the very least targeted and mugged it also makes things harder for them to be taken seriously and receive effective Aid if they're dressed in expensive clothing that or it's assumed they stole it which is a whole other problem this should honestly be the top answer rich people want to make themselves feel good and donate Gucci sweaters and crap that will get them fricked up and robbed and nobody will ever help a dude in a Gucci sweater with a few bucks to get some food it's just all around a really screwed up gift donation Gatorade I tried handing out some bottles of ice cold Gatorade One Summer and I got turned down by over a dozen people apparently it gives them the runs I was thinking electrolytes it's got what plants crave no uncooked food raw meats veggies like potatoes or eggplant anything boozy high value items that is expensive shirts with the brand visible because who would you'd give your money to the dude in rags or the dude in the Supreme shirt canned food without a pull tab on another note what you should give dry shampoo since it's easier to rinse out hand sanitizer gel toothbrushes and toothpaste warm clothes and leftover blankets especially if it's winter like RN and insoles they run around all day and beat up shoes and goddang as someone still is to pour to afford proper shoes and Soles may not make it perfect but a whole lot better beer a lot of them are desperately trying to get their life together and get off drugs and alcohol I was on my way to her party and didn't have any cash or beer but I offered a beer from my 12 pack they turned it down and said they quit drinking it really made me feel like crap and gave me a new perspective those fake dollar bills with Biblical scripture on them doing as a tip is already scummy F doing so to homeless is the antithesis of Christianity that last sentence is so truthful Jesus warned us of people who would do terrible things in his name he said There Are No Children of his for Thanksgiving I saw a couple hand a turkey to a homeless guy that was panhandling sounds sweet right except it was rawdy frosted meat and he had a to stop panhandling for cash and get in the bus to go back home or be the Mead goes bad I was homeless and a guy threw a pack of razor blades in my lap and said do the world a favor so I did I used them to shave to help me find work a month later I was in a caravan with a job to go to six months later I had a car now I live in an apartment complex and have a full-time job that is amazing I was asked for cash by a homeless woman at a gas station recently I didn't have any and told her so asked her if there was anything in particular she wanted from inside and her response was cigarettes so I bought her a pack of cigarettes that is literally the first time in my 30 plus years I have ever bought cigarettes my so smokes and will give a cigarette to the homeless person that asks so told me that not only does it function as expected but it also functions as currency among the homeless and a means of gleaning trust and Goodwill The Familiar ones may abstain from messing with our stuff or sometimes return that Goodwill as Guardians that prevent others from messing with us years ago I was nipping to my local supermarket and there was a homeless dude with a cute dog curled up next to him mindful that any money I gave him may be spent in wisely I said I'd get his papa some food at which he responded oh for Frick's sake can you not astonished I was about to have a freaking meltdown on his butt but he held up a finger and pulled a background from behind him it was rammed with tins of dog food clearly from other well-meaning Shoppers closing the bag back up he sighed heavily and exclaimed for the love of God can you just buy me a freaking tin opener I've been told to donate canned food with pool tops for this exact reason this is a really helpful and insightful post I am currently doing a fundraiser to make care packages for the homeless and need to know what not to get I'm an NYC there's the homeless one should avoid like the plague and then there's the homeless who one can approach and give food or a few bucks it bothers me to say that as a New Yorker you develop the saviness and instinct to size up the different really freaking fast I'm a train operator the ones you give food to are the ones who are keeping to themselves and sitting the corner the ones you don't give to are the ones actively asking ninety percent of time I see them shooting up H near the 10 comaka or like you said The Crazy Ones I started to have to keep cigarettes in order to get homeless people off of the train I will never forget when I was about 18 I was walking in downtown Atlanta with my mom she gave a few books to every single homeless person we passed by I was like Mom you know they're probably just gonna spend it on drugs or alcohol she simply said that's none of my business just so matter of factly put me in my place and really made me think this is also the same woman who left her 100 cash back in the self-checkout at Target by accident and didn't even go back for it we were still in the parking lot when she realized because it made her happy thinking how someone's day just got better when the next person used that checkout and my mom man she's just better than me period I saw a comment on Reddit once I said something like what they do with their money says something about them but my judging them or refusing to help says something about me internet Fame stop recording your good deeds to get attention if you wanna help someone out just help them in Islam they say Good Deeds that are done in secret are worth more than observed ones saw a guy sell a hatchets to a crazy homeless guy for a dollar at a garage sale in Venice Beach once I'm like dude that could end really horribly a hatchet is a useful tool I think a more useful question may be what is something you should give to a homeless person but for this I live in a small city with a high percentage of homelessness the local shelter around here recommends some great items to store in your car travel size hygiene products new toothbrush toothpaste Etc emergency space blankets travel pump shows chapstick thermal socks reusable water bottles non-perishable food items I am homeless I never ask for handouts or use food banks or anything like that from my experience over the past year not every homeless person has easy access to showers bathrooms Etc simple small toiletries travel soap travel toothpaste brush deodorant Etc can make a big difference I am luckier than many I work seven days a week and pay my way I stay in hotels several days a week and Alternate with my car on days where I don't make the money I need to or when my other bills medication cell phone Etc are you I have been a working homeless person for one year I never thought this would be my life I work seven days a week but with expenses so high trust me it is way more expensive being homeless than having a cheap apartment since you have nowhere to store cold foods Pantry items Etc I have been trying to save the money I need to get an apartment first last and security since the 18th of October 2020 and I am still 1 500 away it took me 14 months to save 500 1 500 is a drop in the bucket for so many people bid for people like me that is a life-changing amount of money if you decide to help a homeless person remember not every homeless individual is on drugs I myself am nearly 10 years drug free a couple dollars can mean a meal medication soap toiletries and for women tampons pads things that allow us as homeless to still have dignity I've always been told don't give homeless people money because they'll spend it on drink drugs I get that but I also think if I was on the streets especially in Winter then I'd need something like that just to survive so I usually do anyway husband was homeless drug addict he always gives them his change paying it back he says I have snuck out food at the restaurant I worked it once or twice sometimes I'll take the mistakes home to eat we had some good steak bargology skewers I had those in some extra fried rice this man was walking by while I was leaving work and asked for money but I only had the food but he could have it he was happy to get some decent food and thank me for it same for another guy there was Art of homeless where I worked JT was a cold day and he didn't have a coat and I had gotten a huge woman's fur coat fake but the person was gonna trash it in my car still cause I was gonna donate it I offered it to him and he said heck yeah and bonus that it fit over his backpack I saw him skating by multiple times wearing that coat had a friend that gave an apple to a homeless dude as she walked away he screamed I don't have any teeth and then threw a perfect strike to her head with the Apple here's a valuable info if you give someone something homeless or not it doesn't mean you can argue with that person about how they've used it if you give a homeless person money that's his money from that point on he can spend it whenever and however he wants to I don't care if he buys drugs or liquor what I don't want is an old lady with a broken arm due to a desperate individual looking for a fix recently her person in my local Facebook group was having a huge public meltdown because she donated some clothes then found them for sale on Marketplace they were items like stiletto heel shoes and they were asking 5.10 each maybe a person who is relying on clothing donations needs money more than they need a clubbing outfit socks underwear thermal undies long johns gloves and hats bar soap this stuff will make their day since it's just Basics and easy to tote also if you're feeling overly generous jackets and basic shirts I know it doesn't sound like much to most but honestly the basics are the most sought after a beating I know it sounds obvious but the internet is full of videos of people beating up unsuspecting homeless people for the fun of it food that isn't sealed or wrapped up unfortunately there are crappy people out there that do horrible things like put glass or tax in food and then give it to homeless people if you want to give them some food your best bet is something in a sealed container and in general homeless people need food a lot less than they need other things like hygiene products whether appropriate clothing a smartphone or money for data if they already have a smartphone Etc food is typically something that homeless people can get quite easily if you are new to the channel you can subscribe I publish new videos every day until then check another video [Music] bye for now

Channel: Updoot Studios

Views: 9,417

Keywords: homeless, homeless people, living on the streets, on the streets, giving to homeless, #updootst, updoot, updoot reddit, updoot everything, reddit on tap, toadfilms, pewdiepie, reddit, askreddit, funny reddit, reddit stories, top posts, reddit top posts, reddit cringe, comedy, reddit compilation, /r, r/, r/askreddit, top posts of r/, askreddit reading, best reddit posts, top posts of all time, people of reddit, askreddit question, ask reddit, subreddit, sub, reddit stories 2023

Id: _NteimBkbXA

Length: 18min 32sec (1112 seconds)

Published: Tue Aug 01 2023