Innovative idea to help homeless

I thought of an idea to help the homeless people. Instead of giving them money, what about donating food/drinks instead? Isn't the whole purchase to donate change is for them to spend it on food? (IMO). I think it would be more useful because you don't need to worry about them using the money on drugs (this is the reason why some people do not donate their change).

What do you think?

I also started a project to raise money to purchase food and donate them to homeless people in my city. You can read more about it in my blog.

http://hope2homeless.blogspot.com/
Donations would be appreciated to start up this project! For those who would like their link added onto the blog (permanent)

Please take the time to read through it. If there are others who would like to start such a project like mine, please let me know!

 

Thanks! I will contact Dominic.

I'm also open to many more ideas to help the homeless (I've baked a bunch of yummy baked goods and donated them to a non-profit organization last summer, but I was just wondering if any shelters would accept them, preferably located in Toronto)

 

Hi,

I checked your blog out and have a few suggestions (btw most beggars do spend their money on alcohol or drugs):

Firstly: I suggest you ask for donations to be made directly to a charitable organisation like a shelter in Toronto or goods to be donated to a church in the area. Why? People won't trust a lone blogger who doesn't have a track record and significant credibility. By removing yourself as the collector of donations you can achieve a lot more as people will have confidence to give.

Secondly: Don't bother with the Salvation Army, they have plenty of cash reserves and don't need funds.

Thirdly: I'd really recommend you look into doing volunteer work with homeless people. That way when you do have the funds behind you, you will know exactly where best to invest your donations, you will enjoy it and get a lot of satisfaction out of it and learn skills for the workplace and life.

Fourthly: Do some more research either way about what is needed, as food, shelter and education are often heavily funded (depends on the city or country but that is usually the case).

Finally, if you want to have a chat online with current and formerly homeless people and run some ideas past them, visit the international homeless forums... linked off our website: www.homeless.org.au

I hope you don't mind me being so direct, but if you do genuinely want to help than you deserve good plain advice. Hope this helps.

 

http://www.bumvertising.com/

>; )

 

Wow, you brought a lot to the conversation.

 

Nice pic. I'm a Social Worker and the only time I've given money to a homeless person I don't know really well was to someone who walked up to me off duty and asked for money for beer. I gave him $10 and said 'honesty pays mate, good on you.' He ended up sitting with me for an hour after I said I was a social worker and had a great old chat (not counselling) just a great chat amongst people. Then I shouted him lunch and ate with him. During which he said 'you know I can't take your $10 for grog mate' and offered it back to me. But I got him to hang onto it. The payoff: someone (me) treated him like a man and showed him respect for the first time in probably a very long time. If my father was homeless, that is how I would want you to treat him, with kindness and respect. It's experiences like that which help people rebuild themselves.

 

Once, while walking through downtown Vancouver, I was probably 7 at the time, I noticed a homeless person with a dog rested outside on Robson street. At first, I said "wow, that guy must really be struggling cuz his dog and him look pretty ragged." Then after I thought about it, why does he have a dog? can he afford dog food? and I didn't understand...

10 years later, the guy is still on the same corner, still with the same dog begging for money or food. I stopped for a moment and pondered giving the man some food from a local hot dog stand, which are everywhere in Vancouver. I then thought about the time I had seen him when I was 7 and figured that he was just scamming. So I thought about it, what could I do to help this man, who had seemed to make a career out of "Begging" with his dog as a means of leverage over the other homeless people in the area.

As I drove home I thought about it, when I got home I grabbed my laptop and started to drive downtown. When I got to Robson street I sat down next to the man with the dog and opened up my laptop.

I said "Hey there, what's your name?" He said, "I'm Tony". I introduced myself and then I told him what we were about to do.

I opened up my laptop, opened word and started writing the man a resume. I told him that I would be back tomorrow to pick him up and take him back home to shower, shave and get dressed in some decent clothes. We went to the local thrift shop and picked him up a nice dress shirt, tie, slacks and a pair of shoes. Total was 48.00, money that would be soon well spent. I copied 100 resume's and drove downtown with the man. (His dog stayed at my house with my roommates). I told him that we were going to hit every place in the area and that he could spend the weekend at my place until someone called.

The next day, he had an interview with a construction company. Laborer at $12/hr to start. He worked there for a month, then moved out of my house with his dog and got an cheap apartment, over the course of 3 years, his dog had died, but he was now a supervisor with another, bigger construction company.

He eventually paid me back for the clothes that I had purchased for him the fourth time I met him and to this day we still speak on occasion. He is now happily married and has a daughter, age 4. He is living a healthy, happy life in Vancouver just outside of the kitsilano area.

Sometimes all it takes, is a little patience and some effort. I helped that one man as one man had helped me. If you pass it on, it will keep going. Who knows, maybe one day that man (or woman) will be you. Wouldn't you like it if someone took the time to help you?

I know I did.

 

Someone has to.

 

Good point! I may scratch out the fundraising (as it is hard to do, but I'll just leave it there) and maybe try to inspire people to donate in their community (not just Toronto).

I just moved to the city so I'm looking for volunteer work! If anyone knows of any in Toronto/GTA please PM me

 

Wow, you are a very giving person. Taking action would solve the problem much more than just giving them money.

 

True true,

Only time someone got away with some of my money was when in San Francisco there was a couple guys who were asking for money for pot...

It was funny, and most likely honest.

 

Coupons for department stores are the easiest way. Make sure to include non-alcoholic - tobacco etc..

Some churches offer great services
They build small houses, 2 rooms for as little than $ 2,000.00
They must pay back I think within a timeframe of 30 years. They also make sure that they can't sell the land, houses.

 

hi,sounds interesting .i too agree with u its better giving them food rather giving them money

 

In my area we have a monthly collection of old newspapers from our building neighbours.We then help the needy by spending the money from the collection.We also collect old clothes and distribute them to the poor.All this is done on a monthly basis.