What's it like to live in a homeless shelter?
I don't know where you are getting your idea about "homeless shelters". You sound as if you think they are some kind of hotel. They do NOT provide you with meals, free TV, internet service, and "such". They will provide you with a bed to sleep in at night and one meal a day, and that is ALL! During the day, you can't just hang around the shelter; you are expected to be out looking for a job, or working if you do find a job. If you are working, you will be charged "rent" for that bed every night. And no -- they don't allow you to "bear arms" on the premises. The whole idea of a "homeless shelter" is to provide you, temporarily, with a place to sleep at night; so that you will be able to find a job, rent an apartment, and will no longer be "homeless". They don't (and won't) provide you with a place to live indefinitely.
What do homeless shelters provide?
They provide a clean bed a hot meal and a breakfast in the morning .Also they provide mailing address for the homeless ,job leads ,transportation like bus fair or taxi vouchers sometimes even rides .They help you get from emergency to transitional housing .This means a seven day stay to a 3 to 6 month or longer if you are working and getting back on track .They also will take 80-percent of each paycheck when in transitional shelters and hold for you until you have enough to move to your own house apt ect…All of the poeple who stay help keep it clean by being a signed chores so if you leave everything is clean for the next family or person in line .When you are in emergency shelter you will meetothers that are working and there job may still be hiring so there is a lead for you. they will also connect to a place to get interview outfits to go look for a job .Shelters have a lot of connections for the families and stuff to help most of the needs the homeless need.
How much money does a shelter need to house a homeless person for one night?
I’m sure the answer varies widely based on the cost of living in different cities, as well as the quality of each individual shelter.An answer which may be helpful for reference though, is the fact that it costs about $10,000 per person, per year, to give homeless persons homes of their own. By contrast, doing nothing costs $31,000 per year; because living on the streets tends to lead to medical problems requiring ambulances and hospitalization, and also costs money for the salaries of police officers to attempt to keep moving homeless persons away from where they’re sleeping, and then arresting them for trespassing / vagrancy / loitering, leading to even more costs when they get jailed for the “crime” of not having a home:Giving housing to the homeless is three times cheaper than leaving them on the streets$10,000 per year works out to around $27.40 per day. Add in food costs (I’ve seen estimates of around $1.50/meal/person being reasonably achievable), and that’s another $4.50 per day = $31.90 per person/day. Maybe double that to cover miscellaneous costs for toiletries, bedding, water and electricity, and wages for non-volunteer shelter employees, and I’d guess around $60/day/person.
What are the meals like at a homeless shelter?
I was homeless myself for a while (divorce, break-up of the church community I was part of — long story). But I have a couple vivid memories of the homeless food experience.First one was a shelter where I stayed for a while. Breakfast was forgettable, but usually had eggs of some kind, some kind of meat, and I don’t remember what else. But what I DO remember is the cook coming out one morning yelling at everyone threatening to only serve cream of wheat from then on if people didn’t stop complaining about the food.Taught me a lot about the value of gratitude.Second vivid memory was at a downtown church where they served lunch on certain days, which consisted of two pieces of white bread with a slice of cheap bologna and one of those plastic-wrapped “American” cheese slices (unwrapped of course). Best thing I ever ate ;) (when you’re hungry).Oh, I actually thought of one more thing: one day I went for the bologna sandwich deal and they had run out. So, I just had to go wandering down the street wondering if I was going to eat that day. Sat down in front of another church some blocks away praying… Out the door comes a woman who asked me if I needed something to eat. Turns out they had had a party with pizza and had some leftovers. Scored two pieces!From the other side of the coin, some years later I’m back on the giving side and participated in cooking/serving food at one of the shelters where I’d eaten in the past. We would get leftovers from places like Google, Stanford, etc. and repurpose them to serve lunch. Typically we would get supplement that with fresh salad, canned veggies, and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches “to go”, and some kind of granola bar or similar for dessert. Maybe rice or bread alongside. We really tried to make the food as good as we could for them, but being on a (really) limited budget means there’s only so much you can do.There were certainly more experiences, but those are the ones that stand out.Bonus answer: I would say food isn’t the most desperate need when you’re on the streets. For me it was a clean toilet that wasn’t locked first thing in the morning ….
How can I personally help the homeless?
I worked at a convenience store when I was younger and there were always homeless people coming in and buying alcohol and candy with the donations they got from panhandling. I have never given cash to panhandlers since. All donations are given to reputable organizations. We did have somebody ask us for food once. We didn't have any cash with us (we never do carry cash), and we actually had a couple of sandwiches. We felt ashamed for the meager offerings we had, but the people were genuinely grateful. Yes, shelter is a problem, but food and clean water are also necessary. We try to keep something edible with us whenever we're in a public place or in the car. I have heard of people making up brown bag lunches and actually seeking out homeless people--the lunches are made with things that keep and are easy to eat and that keep well--prepackaged apple sauce, packages of snack crackers (the ones with cheese or peanut butter), prepackaged chips, granola bars, bottled water, possibly a piece of fresh fruit, plastic utensils, napkins, etc. If you choose to do something like that, purchasing in bulk from costco or sam's club makes sense...also, peanut butter is a very good form of protein that keeps well. Some people might be offended by being offered food, but if they are, they are. Most people are grateful for the generosity. Good luck and god speed.
Is giving food to the homeless a bad idea?
So I never really understood why people are so mean and rude to homeless people. I know that this varies depending on the city, but in the city that I'm from, the homeless are not violent and won't bother people are quiet and I know some people who will have legit conversations with them (the city is known for having a lot of homeless people, but also having the nicest homeless people). I understand that many people show little pity towards homeless people because some are addicts and whatnot, however, I never understood why people are so rude and sometimes dehumanize homeless people. Many have just given up on helping with their illness or have been unemployed. I was thinking about going around one day and giving the homeless food and water. I know it isn't much and I'm not trying to save the world and I know food isn't their only problem, but I also know that a small gesture can go a long way and making someone happy is a great gift. Should I give food to the homeless? Or would that be a bad idea?
Should I move into a homeless shelter?
This is a difficult time but try to believe that you will get through it. Things will get better.The living situation is not acceptable. You need to get into another place. If at all possible, try to find yourself a roommate situation elsewhere.I’ve stayed at shelters. They serve their purpose and they’re an absolute necessity in every community. However, they are NOT a fun place to be and if you are feeling defeated and depressed, the experience (most likely) will not lift your spirits.Since you are dealing with violence in your home, packing your things and going to the shelter just long enough to find another place is reasonable. In fact, if you tell the shelter workers your story, they will probably tell you they’ve heard variations on the exact same situation thousands of times before. Sadly, it truly is a very common problem.So, do what you have to do to stay safe, but try and focus on getting into a better living situation. That, more than anything, will help you turn this situation around and set you back on the’spiritual journey’ (as mentioned in your description).As for the ‘failure’ - the professional situation you described does not sound like a failure to me (at all). You wanted to work for a start-up, you got the job, moved into the management and then the company downsized and your job was cut. Again - sadly common story. But you have several very strong successes to highlight in your resume and talk about in job interviews - you set a goal to work for a start up and succeeded in achieving that goal. You wanted to work your way up in the company and you got a management position. That’s pretty darned good and nothing to toss away as a failure!Focus on fixing the toxic living environment then, when you are in a safe place, take a few days to just breathe. Focus on changing your perspective. Identify your strongest points, professionally and then get back at the job search.Things will get better.I wish you the best.
Does anyone work during thanksgiving? like serving food in homeless shelters?
Yes. My entire family does. We have our thanksgiving late in the afternoon/early evening so we can help those who don't have a chance to enjoy a family meal. I also make 20 pies each year to take with me for them to serve so the homeless get a real homemade treat!!! We should all be thankful for all we have and that we do have a way to celebrate in safe and secure environments. Helping first and then enjoying dinner at home later makes the day even more rewarding!!!