Help, Please?

originally posted by: esteay812
This is probably going to be a little different than what you're used to reading on ATS. In fact, if you look at my post history I usually just post some videos of where I live or talk about some mundane things. Tonight was different for me. I went out like I normally do, but I saw a different side of my town than I normally do. I parked in a different spot and that changed everything.

You've heard of homeless people, but have you ever seen what it's like for them to be homeless? I mean, have you ever seen them trying to go to sleep under a bridge, or trying to cook something on a #-lit fire? It is quite humbling.

Now, there are no doubt some of you who have been homelesss and know what I am talking about and there are some of you who wouldn't or couldn't ever understand, but even typing this, I am still in shock with what I saw. What peeople are willing to do to get by. I know what addiction is, I know what it is to struggle,. They had their own subculture going on and the outsiders wer the intrusion.

Seeing this subculture surprised me, maybe more than it should have. There was one guy who seemed to be the king. . . now, I know some of you are going to ask me "how did you know this guy", or "Why didn't you just keep your head down and get out of there?". The truth is, I was leaving and keeping my head down, but this dude was also approaching me.

He was trying to sell me drugs = shocker! Anyway I ended up seeing the people, all jacked up sleeping on the sidewlks of my town. Truth is, they were probaably on drugs or were being controlled by them somehow and. . . it made me sick. That's why I am writing to you guys about it. What can I do to really try and change this? I would like to help these people but they've made their choice, but is there anything I cn do to maybe make sure thaat others don't end up on the street like them? Have any of you tried fix something similar?

I know my typing is jacked up, so please excuse it, but I hope someone will give me insight. . . I'd love to make my place a better place, not only for me, but for the people being ruled by ____.

Sure. Go back there and say loud enough for all to hear, "Is there anyone here who is trapped here who isn't a druggie or drunk that wants to get out?"

Then give that person a safe private studio with bath/kitchenette. Then provide the connections for good employment that they can find meaning in based on their personality and gifts, and provide transportation to it until they can afford their own. Then they can save to get a bigger place/home. People need a safe home, privacy and stable, decent paying employment.

Love/companionship/friendship can be found living on the street or living in a private home. Rich and poor can find this at any socioeconomic level. Love/companionship is up to the individual. Economics is not up to the individual, poverty is not up to the individual. Decent paying rewarding jobs are not up to the individual.

Love/companionship should not be manipulated by economics, being rich or poor, and economics, being rich or poor should not be used to manipulate love/companionship. Love is what it is. Economics is a product of manipulation.

If consciousness was brought to this realization, many would realize doing drugs or getting drunk is now unnecessary due to not needing to alter their state of mind due to humanity coming towards the point of truth. At this point more would come forward and feel secure enough to participate in society being pushed forward by a consciousness of truth which loves genuinely instead of manipulating.

a reply to: WhiteWingedMonolith
I agree with some of what you say but I would not encourage the OP to take that journey alone. The group I donate to does all of what you say, right now to providing the person or family with a foster home.

I am so thrilled that one of the families that was helped, just moved into their own home. One young girl just got accepted into college a few months back, and two of the young men have full time well paying jobs.

The groups has been quite successful and though it is a faith based group, they do not force the participants to accept their religion or to even attend church. I know the person that runs the group and you will never meet a more down to earth, honest, compassionate, hard working, and loving person on this planet.

There are numerous good places to start and to contribute. But you may have a hard time finding them in the phone book. Walk the street, ask the locals who is legit and who isn't. It won't take you long to find out who is in it for the people and who is in it for the money.

I was dropping off some supplies just before the storm and had the privilege of being invited to the hone of the person that runs the group. I was so shocked to see the tiny home that she and her husband live in. You could put two of them on a school bus, but it was cozy, warm and welcoming, add to it that it was tucked away on a lot with trees and dense vegetation, so it felt like you were in the land of the Hobbits. They are definitely not in it for the money.

As you can tell from the OP, I was pretty upset and irritated with what I saw and what is going on near where I live. I know everywhere has people who, for whatever reason, are homeless. What is most frustrating is that there is a "King" of these people. He seems to run what they do and they all seem to just fall in line. Maybe some of them are scared of him and maybe some of them just like how things are when he does his "thing". I'm not sure, but it is very alien to what I'm used to and I still can't understand how anyone can choose to live that way.

I wonder why no one has chosen to stand up and, if they have, they must have failed. Maybe that's why it seems to be a "Go along, get along" type of environment.

I went and talked to the county sheriff a few hours or so ago (He lives 2 doors down), I was somewhat surprised at what he told me, but I can't say I was really shocked. He told me that they are just under-staffed and there really isn't anywhere for these people to go, even if they (the police) wanted to do something about it. He even tried to explain away how they (the homeless community) have an internal leader and it's a good thing for those people - as if it is some sort of way for them to police themselves. I swear, it has been eye-opening, almost like watching an episode of "Vice" about an impoverished 3rd world country.

Thinking more about it, I wonder if I would even be concerned if I didn't happen to stumble through the area? I hate to say it, but I never really cared before, until I went through there. Had I taken a different street and never saw what was happening, I would probably not give a crap still. But I did see what is going on, and I can't seem to forget about it. It is terrible and, after talking to the sheriff, I'm even less confident that, as an individual, there is really anything I can do to effect change on the level I'd like to.

I'm still going to talk to a couple more officials and see if I can get any substantial answer, but I'm not really hopeful they'll say anything the sheriff hasn't said already. . . what a terribly sad situation.

Its fascist and racist to call them "homeless" there are subcultures of the free people of Amerika as they think of themselves. These subcultures do not like each other and see the others as problematic at best. They also see the "do-gooders" as problematic as well. Some consider themselves as people who can live off the grid... Others call themselves simply put houseless, homeless is degrading to them. The homeless are people who care not about the free man life style of choice and have their hands out for anything they can get for free.

Homelessness is growing in both necessity and popularity Nationwide and will continue to grow exponentially in the coming months and years. No doubt the great divide has nothing to do with race, gender, sexual orientation or religion, it has everything to do with economics and police state.

The closing of National parks, the manmade fires, and much deeper issues can be attributed to the coming super storm of homelessness and the plans underway to deal with these issues. It will be the single most cataclysmic event to happen to America since the great depression, this will be "The Great Dejection"...

a reply to: esteay812
Your heart is in the right place, you just are unfamiliar with a life style that is different from your own. We have a tendency when we are content with our lives, to think that the way we live is the only way to live, and we try to fix those that we see as being without. They may not have more because they don't desire more. Their choice.

It is like the story of the super wealthy guy who takes off from his business every year for one month. He flies down to this island paradise. He lives in this tiny hut on a remote part of the island. He does this for peace and tranquility. To get away from the rat race and regain his sense of purpose. The hut is owned by a man that hosts him and takes him out fishing on his boat while he is there. He has done this for years, and on one trip decides he wants to repay the man for his hospitality.

He tells the man he is going to take him away from the island and put him up in a mansion. That he is going to buy him a fleet of fishing boats for him to manage. He told him he was going to make him a rich and great man. He was surprised when the man refused. He couldn't understand why the man was rejecting such an opportunity. The man explained, "I don't think I want a life in your world." "You endure stress and chaos everyday, and only get to experience peace and tranquility one month a year." " I already have this everyday."

Sometimes what we see is just not our reality.

If you want to help those that want help, there are many ways that you can do that. Understand that few of those people ended up there overnight. There is no quick fix for the majority of the people that have gained your attention. To commit to helping the truly needy, is a long slow process that will take time, patience, and fortitude. For both the needy and those that are committed to helping.

I am sure the officials are very much aware of their presence. I am not saying they have written them off, but I would venture to guess that the only time they really put any real time or attention into their needs or problems is when someone complains or around election time.

The sad part is most of our politicians aren't talking about this. They want you to focus on income inequality to help those "poor" people who have a roof over their head and all kinds of commodities they don't need, because those people vote.

Nobody talks about helping the people who are living in genuine squalor in this country.

Data is changing daily on this issue of Homeless in America, the statistics are anything but stagnant! It is a fluid real-time testament to what is happening to the foundation of this once great Country.

www.suitcaseclinic.org...

a reply to: esteay812


Ummm...It's a hard thing to witness...it's an even harder thing to be there with them...

It is a very humbling experience...

What can you do...?

Maintain that connection...realize their humanity is no less worthy than your own...realize also that people in these situations are there predominantly...because they choose to be...

Have compassion for them...in all their heartbreaking squalor...in spite of the intense body odor...regardless of the why's or the how's...







YouSir

a reply to: Revolution9

Thanks for your story. I understand exactly what you are going through. I have seen it hundreds of times. I have seen sincere and sweet people attempt to help those who are "unfortunate" and then be abused and mishandled, sometimes severe by those who you are helping. It gives you a terrible bitter taste and if you are not careful, you will fall and be like the "others" full of hate and deceit.....because that is who you deal with on a daily basis.

There are many who live on the streets that have a mental issue. many have been traumatised.... all of the them need counselling. I remember the good ole days when charitable institutions like "The Salvation Army, etc.... would feed you, clothe you, give a bath and a haircut, good food and a place to sleep and free counselling along with a good message from the bible. It was very effective, with an open heart and understanding for those who have fallen and cannot stand back up without constant help.

You wore your heart on your sleeve. You left yourself open to attack on both a physical and mental plane. These so called Physic Vampires have authority only over those who are unprotected. I like hanging out with them ..... their "Hocus Pocus" does nothing to me and it frustrates them.

My day starts, throughout the day and before going to bed .... protection prayers - (also prayers of thanks and worship) protecting me and my family from mental, spiritual and physical attacks. That my spirit make me "aware" of when an attack is about to occur. Sometimes I get caught off guard but not that often.

The unseen wonders of prayer and its power.

a reply to: esteay812

I understand your concerns, but he simple fact is, for a lot of these people, there isn't anything that anyone can do for them. I had a close relative who was addicted, and an alcoholic, who ended up homeless. Before that, he'd been working, and would drink, and occasionally smoke something not legal and that was it. Then, he apparently decided that wasn't enough, and started on more serious substances. Out of work, lost his home, and many people tried to help. Family members and friends offered aid, and a place to stay. He'd steal from all of these, was completely unwilling to be cooperative, and finally chose to live on the streets, where he eventually died. Nothing any of us tried to do helped. He would listen to no advice. He made his own decisions there, and the addictions aided him in making very poor ones.

Now, that said, there are homeless people who are not addicts, and are simply seeing a run of bad luck, and can use and appreciate help. If you feel so lead, I'd check into volunteer opportunities in your area, to see what you can do.

What anyone can do is make sure their attitude towards anyone is understanding, assuming the other has good inside in various degrees, be positive and realistic, never be negative to someone even if they are negative to you but react with understanding the other has some problem which is done by someone else to that person in the past and the person is just passing it on thinking it is normal.

If you have a job, it's better to donate money to charity which helps the homeless, or any cause of your choosing. It's really simple if you make $3000 a month it's better to work on yourself to increase your income, like spending time on getting more diploma's instead of spending that time on volunteering. You could increase donations which would be of more value than actual volunteer work, except if you need to see results personally or you happen to be such a good person you would inspire and motivate those who need help.

Lastly make a twitter account and follow as many charities as possible. If you need it look at the feed to see what other people are doing about it, like for example Bill Gates the founder of Microsofts campaign against poverty, Unicef, there are so many good charities out there. Be sure to like their work and retweet it, promote it, let the volunteers know people are actually reading about their efforts.

a reply to: Revolution9Oh my-that was hard to read. I could never come close to you-you are a real life angel. And so strong-able to go back in time after time against unbelievable insurmountable odds-what a big, big heart you have for others. In this stale, hard, rude world of me firsts you are tower of unmovable strength and courage.

I wish I was stronger-could give more but my emotional responses hold me back. The hurting children and the pain the eyes of the parents became too much for me. I worked through churches and organizations that seemed to after awhile oblivious to their real needs. They were even arresting people feeding the homeless in St. Petersburg Fl. Couldn't believe it. I still fed the many when I could-especially standing outside restaurants where they weren't even allowed in-fancy restaurants.

America. This stupid kneeling-can't they see those hurting-race shouldn't matter-do something-stop the worthless kneeling-that's only for show and telling others to do something.

I remember when I first moved to Florida and our church spent every Sunday afternoon making lunch bags for the migrants-it was usually their only meal of the day so we packed them as much as we could-standing for hours making sandwiches-filling those paper bags. It broke my heart-I never knew. So much poverty hidden-and they're working hard and sending money to their families-they had nothing. The paper published a study on panhandlers who did it for a living and made good money but still lived homeless. That made people mad. This is a very twisted problem.