Homeless in the lifestyle

Homeless in the lifestyle (Full Version)

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icantsay -> Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 12:36:24 PM)
This is a very real and personal issue to me. It's been 50 year's since LBJ declared "war on poverty". I know what it's like to live in poverty and being homeless. It sucks and there's nothing funny about it. While I am moving in the right direction to get myself out of this situation, I realize the homeless aren't just the old guy under the bridge anymore. I am curious how people here in the Lifestyle honestly feel about homelessness. I read a good article on this the other day. Lack of service's is one issue facing those who are homeless but there is another issue. The perception that the homeless has to face everyday from people in society. I am using another username here on collarme, just because I don't know how people here on cm feel about poverty. I am curious though. I came across a few tough time's in my life but I am digging myself out. However, I see many on the street's, who sadly have nowhere to turn at all. With the USA being the richest country in the world, it's sad to see people suffering for no good reason. Some people may choose to live like that for whatever reason. Maybe drink's too much, mental illness,etc. However, I can't imagine the majority would want to live like that. Who would?

HipPoindexter -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 12:41:41 PM)
My answer: I feel heartbroken when I see a homeless person. I feel outraged when the homeless are made into cheap punchlines for shitty jokes. I feel like no prosperous, civilized country should allow anyone to suffer on the streets. I don't buy bullshit bougie arguments about personal responsibility and pulling oneself up by one's boot straps. My prediction: This thread is going to get super-gross in a big hurry.

icantsay -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 12:44:46 PM)
Sadly, your probably right. But to keep ignoring this issue isn't doing any good either. Let the hater's hate. If it's not this, some will hate another group of people. It's the process of bigotry. Just hate to hate. Let the chip's fall where they may. My prediction: This thread is going to get super-gross in a big hurry. [/quote]

SailingBum -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 2:07:34 PM)
It's easy to discuss a issue. What are you doing about helping the homeless. How much time do you spend each month actually doing something positive to help them? Just curious. BadOne

HipPoindexter -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 2:10:08 PM)
It is part of what I do for a living. Of the 55-60 hours a week I spend at work, probably 10-15 are spent interfacing with homeless shelters and other programs. quote: ORIGINAL: SailingBum It's easy to discuss a issue. What are you doing about helping the homeless. How much time do you spend each month actually doing something positive to help them? Just curious. BadOne

SailingBum -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 2:16:22 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: HipPoindexter It is part of what I do for a living. Of the 55-60 hours a week I spend at work, probably 10-15 are spent interfacing with homeless shelters and other programs. quote: ORIGINAL: SailingBum It's easy to discuss a issue. What are you doing about helping the homeless. How much time do you spend each month actually doing something positive to help them? Just curious. BadOne That really doesn't count in my book, after all you are getting paid to do it. How much time do you volunteer to causes that matter to you? BadOne

HipPoindexter -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 2:19:05 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: SailingBum quote: ORIGINAL: HipPoindexter It is part of what I do for a living. Of the 55-60 hours a week I spend at work, probably 10-15 are spent interfacing with homeless shelters and other programs. quote: ORIGINAL: SailingBum It's easy to discuss a issue. What are you doing about helping the homeless. How much time do you spend each month actually doing something positive to help them? Just curious. BadOne That really doesn't count in my book, after all you are getting paid to do it. How much time do you volunteer to causes that matter to you? BadOne Ha ha ha.

kalikshama -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 2:34:36 PM)
I used to help out a friend who was homeless. I used to bring him meals, give him rides, help him look for work, etc. However, I think I would have made a far more valuable contribution if I was working somewhere that 10-15 hours per week were spent interfacing with homeless shelters and other programs.

Rawni -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 2:37:44 PM)
Eeekkk... I directed a homeless shelter and I do believe that the way 'we' feel about homelessness, is about the same as anyone else. In my speeches, I often asked... How many pay checks are you away from homelessness? That was the biggest response creator I could come up with, besides making the homeless real to my audience. I actually introduced them to the people that were currently in the shelter. This is so and so... this is their story. It was nearly unbelievable the people we had in the shelter and I am not just talking street people. The average homeless person willing to go to a well run shelter, were women and children that had a divorce, break up, poor life skills, addictions to love, poor family history and so much more. It was rarely addictions for women other than that man thing. However, I had nurses, a former police officer and many that had once held decent jobs and never expected to be where they were. I ended my career because of my health, but I ended up needing a shelter and assistance as well. I still struggle to stay housed and fed after nearly a decade of taking care of my son. I've moved three times since the end of July. I am so close to homeless that when the electric went off today, I thought I would be. Go figure. I am two months in advance with my rent trying to make sure I can survive with only nineteen dollars a week for my meds, food and all needs after my rent. I guess I shouldn't respond to a thread like this so close to a scare like that (lol), but it is real. Too real for some of us.

SailingBum -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 3:01:34 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: HipPoindexter quote: ORIGINAL: SailingBum quote: ORIGINAL: HipPoindexter It is part of what I do for a living. Of the 55-60 hours a week I spend at work, probably 10-15 are spent interfacing with homeless shelters and other programs. quote: ORIGINAL: SailingBum It's easy to discuss a issue. What are you doing about helping the homeless. How much time do you spend each month actually doing something positive to help them? Just curious. BadOne That really doesn't count in my book, after all you are getting paid to do it. How much time do you volunteer to causes that matter to you? BadOne Ha ha ha. I have quite a bit of experience in helping ppl less fortunate than myself. Something like 20 years or so. And your response really doesn't surprise me as I've discovered quite a of of the ppl that work for non profits are clueless. BadOne

Rawni -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 3:12:12 PM)
There are clueless people everywhere in life. Just like your comment Badone. I never thought I would be calling you on something, but here I am. Because someone gets paid to assist... does not mean that they don't do other things. From what I have found with many I worked with, paid and unpaid... we all did more. Talk about working around the clock. You think a non profit is paying us for all that time? I literally got two hours of sleep per night for many, many years. Come on now. Anything... any amount of time given to help those that need a hand up... is good time. Why jump on someone because you feel they are doing it wrong.. when in fact, one minute with the right person can be life changing.

popeye1250 -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 3:15:17 PM)
Can'tsay, I've donated money to four homeless shelters for quite a while now, in one case about 35 years to one in Boston, Mass. I've also volunteered through one of those Irish "secret societies" that I belong to to work in soup kitchens (I think they call them "community kitchens" now. I'm not much for "govt intervention" in anything but this is one problem we shouldn't have in this country! This is only one of probably 1,000 reasons that I am totally against any type of "foreign aid!" The lion's share of which is stolen anyway! I just can't see any citizen living under a bridge in this country while some asshole in a foreign country is shuttled around in A Mercedes Benz paid for with our tax money! And I've told a bunch of people to call their congressman and tell them not to vote for any kind of foreign aid.

kdsub -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 3:39:34 PM)
I hope you will not take my comment as a personal attack because it is not meant to be. In my opinion there is no excuse for extended homelessness in America. Those that find themselves in that situation have only themselves to blame. I understand there are many reasons to be homeless and I’d bet the most prevalent is drug and/or alcohol abuse. I do feel sorry for the homeless and hope they get the aid they need but those that are homeless for years and years choose by their own actions to be that way and deserve no sympathy from me. Now when they decide to help themselves then they deserve a helping hand to recovery. Butch

angelikaJ -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 4:02:50 PM)
So the people who are homeless because they are mentally ill are to blame? Laying that aside, your notion that all the homeless are that way because of drug or alcohol abuse is not accurate. There are homeless families for which drugs and alcohol simply don't play any part at all. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/12/homeless-america_n_808339.html

searching4mysir -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 4:08:28 PM)
I've worked with the IHN (Interfaith Hospitality Network) to help provide meals for homeless families in their program while they are staying at my church (they spend a week housed at houses of worship, rotating between them. During the day the kids are in school and the adults are in various programs to help them find stable work and housing). Is there more I could be doing? Probably.

kalikshama -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 4:10:42 PM)
My church helps the homeless, especially this time of year, and I give time and money to my church.

Rawni -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 4:13:13 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: kdsub I hope you will not take my comment as a personal attack because it is not meant to be. In my opinion there is no excuse for extended homelessness in America. Those that find themselves in that situation have only themselves to blame. I understand there are many reasons to be homeless and I’d bet the most prevalent is drug and/or alcohol abuse. I do feel sorry for the homeless and hope they get the aid they need but those that are homeless for years and years choose by their own actions to be that way and deserve no sympathy from me. Now when they decide to help themselves then they deserve a helping hand to recovery. Butch There are many reasons for extended crisis in a persons life. The system wasn't created to actually work. It creates jobs in many agencies, mostly government and these systems rarely work for all. They may work for some, but many slip between the cracks. I am just such a case. Chronic illness... it could be any kind of illness. So you think that they just go get disability, right? Wrong. Some fall through the many, many cracks in that system and if you have worked in this area and know the system enough to argue it with lawyers, senators, social workers, etc. such as I have, and win... you might hear me or even ask me a question or two. Some have illnesses that the medical community do not understand. I just spoke to someone last night that the medical community is failing. This is a very serious situation and she could end up homeless... but most likely could end up in a nursing home, which would shorten her life and add no quality. She is functional, but oh darn, can't afford to get to the hospital she needs to go to as the average one cannot help or figure out what is going on. That is my story. Rare and strange illnesses. One not even taught in the US which means... good luck with that disability case partner. Then we have the mentally ill. Do I need to explain how that doesn't work in this country? Then we can talk about shelters! Oh that's a fun one. Let's see... in by night, out by sunrise... doesn't matter how cold it is. Doesn't matter what you need in services.. some have none other than that. Okay step up to a better one. Overloaded, overwhelmed, too many people, too many cases, heart break all around as you watch vets of our mighty nation go in and out the door. While the mentally ill, you can do little for because there is no where to send them. The police bring them to you. Step up again... okay now we are talking well run shelters.. you still have undesirables.. theft, abuse... time limits of stay, etc. I have seen more money go out the back door of these places.. than to the people that actually need the help. Job search is laughable in most places. They hand you a number to the unemployment office... how do you get there, what do you do and gee... your clothes suck and you have no home address and you have no phone... oh yes, someone will hire you. One can get trapped in that system because the system fails. Period.

kdsub -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 4:15:03 PM)
I did not say otherwise...I was just stating what I felt was the most prevalent reason for homelessness. I am all for better mental illness treatment but that is a separate issue. Those severely mentally ill have on the whole had opportunities for treatment... such as being picked up by police because of their actions. Now if we had the proper treatment facilities we could keep the majority off the streets. As for the rest there will be times of temporary homelessness for those other reasons you speak of but their is no excuse for that homelessness to be long term. But as in any discussion of this kind and any law or safety net you must speak in generalities and majorities not particularities to have even a chance of working... That means to prevalent reason for homelessness must receive the most attention and weight. Butch

Rawni -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 4:19:50 PM)
Let's start with our vets then. Move on down to those ill... oh but we can't always know what their illness is and while they fight for years to get help... they get to see what is it like in our bigger cities with services for a few when there are hundreds, if not thousands looking for the same. Then lets move to the families that didn't fare too well in this economy. Kd... Unless you have have directly worked with these people and know how long it can take to get that hand up and then to actually make it a reality and work it so that it never... you think... happens again... you're talking from assumption.

shiftyw -> RE: Homeless in the lifestyle (1/10/2014 4:24:20 PM)
I donate food several times a year. I think we as a nation- have a real problem. It kills me to hear about the problem especially when it comes to amount of homeless veterans we have, I think that is DISGRACEFUL. I also think we have a real issue in this country on handling "mental health problems". There is a ton of stigma, ignorance, and it is made to seem like it should take a backseat to everything else. I just (and I'm not trying to be snarky) don't fully understand why it matters what this specific community thinks of it?

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