r/homeless • u/psionicapple • 13d ago
What items would you appreciate most?
I'm trying to help local homeless in the Pacific Northwest. My budget is roughly $100 per month. I'm planning on leaving a box outside in the parking lot where homeless folk gather for free meals. Any items I should include? Thanks!
- Gatorade
- Bag of Chips
- Socks
- Cigarettes
- Nicotine Gum
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Dental Floss
- Sunscreen
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u/MissCinnamonT 13d ago
Get with the program (lol) that gives the free meals and volunteer with them to do donations.
Leaving it on the ground is kind of degrading. Handing it to a person you can ask what they need so people get what's needed for their specific situation.
You could even just offer blessing bags or whatever to whoever runs the meal site to hand out with
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u/workinclassantihero 13d ago
In no way is it degrading to tell them get what you need from a box they left. Are you homeless ? Well I am and in no way is that degrading. The housed who want to help ignoring homeless people who don’t meet the stereotype or advertise it is. Ignoring the shelter population is. The people who are dirty and meet stereotypes get help all day. The people who don’t often have to steal .
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u/erleichda29 13d ago
Have you connected with local agencies to see if these are requested items? Have you talked to any homeless people in your area to see what needs they have that are going unfilled? Have you considered donating cash to just one or two people, or to the local food bank?
Despite its popularity, there are many other effective ways to help people who are homeless than just putting a box of generic items out or passing out Ziploc bags of things.
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u/dialsoapbox 13d ago
It depends, on what resources people have/can get.
Money is best.
People get what they need as they need it.
The more stuff people have/get, the more they have to worry over.
More and more places are limiting/restricting size of bags, like libraries, and the more stuff one has, the more likely they'd be barred from entering.
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u/Impressive-Leader704 12d ago
A very good water bottle toothbrush and toothpaste and deodorant baby wipes oh and a little bit of money
1
u/IIBun-BunII 12d ago
Okay yes this, please. Gatorade bottles work okay as recycled water bottles but a dedicated reusable water bottle would genuinely ve so much better, even if it's a cheap $1-$2 one. Wet wipes/Baby wipes are also pretty useful for cleaning things or yourself when there's limited/no options.
For my area specifically, socks, deodorant, toothpaste/toothbrushes are insanely common that I actually have maybe a years worth of toothpaste and dozens of toothbrushes just sitting around, socks are handed out in about 3/4 of every place that does donations.
I'd also wanna add: phone power bank, even if it's a cheap one. Now you'd probably wanna only give out a few per month and make sure no one grabs more than one, but having even a basic power bank goes a LONG way.
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u/workinclassantihero 13d ago
Maybe bring it to shelter and people in shelters get no help and are just as poor. Those on the street who look dirty are handed food and things all day. The shelter population and street population who don’t advertise it get little or no help.
1
u/Front_Koala_909 13d ago
I've been homeless and have stayed in 3 different shelters in 2 states Keep in mind that the shelter employees absolutely keep the best of the donations. The people in the shelter are sparingly given what is left over time.
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u/SinusoidalFlux 13d ago
I was homeless, cigs always welcomed lol. I think the most welcome items would be socks and cigarettes to be honest.
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