You must reply this to this thread, because I have an idea,... help is needed.

reply to post by Rocketgirl


Hey, now that sounds kinda fun! I'd even share my sodey pop
and frozen pizzas for a wild, er..crazy woman!


I'm kidding!

Great idea OP!

This is easier to do if you know the person. You might still get screwed, or the person might end up feeling taken advantage of.

Further, just because it is a woman doesn't mean your children are safe with her. Women are far more likely to be hidden abusers, and they direct towards children usually in this case.

Visiting a social worker who works with people in disadvantaged situations might give you some better ideas on how to make it work, and perhaps how to avoid the biggest pitfalls.

Hey OP, I bet if you visited tent city you would want to help so many out!
If you met them and heard their stories, you would realize they are just like you and me, just had a bad "run of luck".



[edit on 25-3-2009 by dodadoom]

Which is more important, gaining a best friend for life or fretting
over a hundred dollars or something they may possibly steal?
They would appreciate what you are doing!
If they dont, take 'em back to tent city where they are apparently
very happy then!
You may SAVE a life! Or a whole family of them! Best wishes to you!

[edit on 25-3-2009 by dodadoom]

My suggestion would be to buy a cheap house for a family, and they do repairs/maintenance and so on instead of rent. A tradesman family, say, where for some reason he/she can't go to work because of sick child or wife or some other problem. And the bills are piling and they don't know what they're gonna do.


Once you bought the "tradesman's dream" you could advertise in the trades employment section of the newspaper.

The value of your property would increase, and you'd be helping them out as well as making the tradie feel like he's still useful?

reply to post by undermind


thats actually a really brilliant idea...instead of waiting for jobs to be created, those that are very comfortable where they are with their money can create their own jobs for the less fourtunate doing that

OP: i think the differance in you and the others who are getting on your case is you still have a little faith and trust in humanity....

reply to post by Doomsday 2029

Star and Flag man, well said.

I think you do not have to bring in someone you do not know into
your house.

Go to your local jesus house or volunteer crisis center etc etc,
and do a little volunteer work for a few days and talk to the
coordinators and find out who the really good ppl are in their
perception and who are the thankless demanding unhelpful ppl.

You offer some help when you can on one day off a week, you meet some
ppl and and get to know them and talk to the other volunteers and
coordinators and get an idea of who you can trust.

Then you make your offer, its done semi-often here where I live.

This could really help a lot of decent ppl that have fallen on hard times.

Good Luck with the plan, it has a lot of merit.

Good Luck to you all !

Originally posted by CapsFan8
They are succeeding...they have put the fear of our fellow man in us. They can control us if we cannot work together. It is not each other we should fear but the ptb and the chaos they will create in the near future.

Yeah, as I said in my post get to know some ppl at the local shelter
and you can pick who you wanna help.

Some places are just women's shelters.

If you want to know if they have prior criminal activity you can
look into some kind of background check.

Problemo with short term solutions is that they have very limited flow on effect.

Living in someone's house, I mean I haven't been able to live with another human since 1997. People are CRAP to live with, especially if they think you should feel privilaged to be there.

Originally posted by dowhatyoufear3
reply to post by undermind

 

thats actually a really brilliant idea...instead of waiting for jobs to be created, those that are very comfortable where they are with their money can create their own jobs for the less fourtunate doing that

OP: i think the differance in you and the others who are getting on your case is you still have a little faith and trust in humanity....

Well, house prices are rock bottom right now, especially around small towns and in some country areas, as well as cities like Detroit. But people are still going homeless because they just can't afford the rent. On the other hand, people tend not to "put down" the rent, rent stays the same because the owners borrowed at a certain (high) rate to buy the property.

Now this idea "improvement rent" is good because it keeps people living in those areas which they would otherwise leave, spending locally, in schools and so forth. The owner of the house gets a tax break (no rental income) while their property is improved. Win. Win.







[edit on 26-3-2009 by undermind]

Hey doomsday, if you want to become a socialist that's your business and your right. You invite anyone in your home that you want ------ BUT ----
DO NOT try and force or tell me that I have to do it.

Call the White house and ask OBAMA to take some people in while your at it.

I don't want anyone in my house but my spouse and kid. I don't want to feed or clothe anyone else....why should I?

And my house is freak'n big - 5 bedrooms - 4 bathrooms - 2 living rooms -2 - dining rooms - 2 kitchens - 3 car garage - a full finished basement - screened in built in swimming pool with hot tub - in total 6,000 square feet.

I earned it, I built it, I pay the bills and I maintain it. I DON'T HAVE TO SHARE WITH ANYONE - COME TRY AND MAKE ME - AND I'LL BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT AND ANYONE ELSE.


AND HERE WE HAVE ANOTHER REASON WHY ATS IS KILLING ATS.

IF YOU WANT TO BE A SOCIALIST - GO TO FRANCE OR SPAIN - GET OUT OF AMERICA.

Originally posted by dodadoom
Ya, where do we all sign up?
Theres plenty of food out here on the farm.
Theres also plenty of work!!!

Plus...
it's good for ya, feels honest and you get a nice tan!
Too bad we are so untrusting, I am also.
Maybe we could put in a clause:
you commit criminal acts, you lose pieces and parts!
You know like other countries do? Screw the courts.
(That should deter a few, hee hee! shhh)

P.S. Only hard workers need apply
Ill be along shorly..
Please u2u me an address!

[edit on 25-3-2009 by dodadoom]

Originally posted by tomfrusso

I don't want anyone in my house but my spouse and kid. I don't want to feed or clothe anyone else....why should I?

And my house is freak'n big - 5 bedrooms - 4 bathrooms - 2 living rooms -2 - dining rooms - 2 kitchens - 3 car garage - a full finished basement - screened in built in swimming pool with hot tub - in total 6,000 square feet.

I earned it, I built it, I pay the bills and I maintain it. I DON'T HAVE TO SHARE WITH ANYONE - COME TRY AND MAKE ME - AND I'LL BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT AND ANYONE ELSE.

I think I may have missed the part where someone tried to force you to open your home to strangers. Can you point out the post where this was suggested?

The tone of your post would certainly suggest that you feel it possible that the govt will be attempting to force you to do this...I just don't know what is causing you to believe this....

I think the OP is to be commended for his willingness to do something for someone struggling during these difficult times. There is something deeply satisfying in giving to others. Unfortunately, there are also pitfalls, which have been discussed here also.
Let me share my story here as another viewpoint.
I have been out of work for almost a year. I have worked my entire adult life. I live in a small town of around 1000 people. I am not on Welfare, Disability, Unemployment, Food Stamps or any other Gov't assistance, although I did collect Unemployment for a little while.
I had little in the way of savings when I was laid off. I am single, no kids. I have a dog. I was renting, paying $900 mo. I had satellite TV, DSL, pretty much all the things most people have. I had 0 debt. No credit cards, my truck was paid off.
I had been a bartender, my reported income was under 10K for 2007, but with my tips, I made close 50K that year...not alot, but enough for me to be happy.
When I lost my job, because of the few services in my area and the fact that things are seasonal here, Finding work was next to impossible.
So I did stuff like help my neighbors shovel snow from their driveways, (I asked for donations, and for the seniors I did it for free), I always liked doing leatherwork, so I started making pillows, purses, biker vests, whatever and selling them, I washed peoples windows for donations, stuff like that.
After awhile, people in the community would come by my house and ask me if I wanted to make a few $ for cleaning their construction site. I was asked to tend bar for numerous Xmas parties, a Superbowl Party, at a Car Show.
More times than I care to recall, I'd walk out my front door and there would be a bag of groceries, or a 40 lb bag of dog food. I have had numerous "anonymous" deposits in my bank acct. for amounts of $20 and a couple as high as $500. Friends of mine that hunt would give me the brains and hides of their kills for me to tan and therefore, I'd have more material to work with.
I have always been active in my town doing things like helping organize our VFW's Easter Egg Extravaganza and stuff like that, And I still try to do things to give back to my community. I feel I cant do enough.
I have since sold my truck, bought an RV which is where I'm living now. I park it in an RV park here in town. I was parked in the nearby woods for a bit, having to move every 2 weeks until the owner of the RV park invited me to move there. I spend about 10 hrs a week helping maintain the place for my rent, electricity, water and internet.
My point here being that it truly does take a village. People have been willing to help me because I have been willing to do what I can to help myself, as well as others.
I cant give enough back to all who have helped me, and they have told me they wouldnt want me to, that helping was its own reward for them. I just hope that I can help others in the future as I have been helped.
I have found a new job in another state, where I used to live. I will start next month. I hate to leave all the good people here, but I really must go where the job is.
I feel that if each of us finds someone in our communities that is in need and we "adopt" that person and do for them what we can, the rewards are unfathomable and kindness and charity beget themselves over and over and over again.
I know I will be finding someone in need to adopt...I owe it to my community.
Peace

I think this is about the most important relevant and useful thread I've seen on ATS; it makes us step away from just thinking of ourselves for a moment and makes us think how we can get thru the economic crisis together. I didn't notice but I hope you got an applause for this.

reply to post by Elostone


Your story gives us HOPE and I hope we hear more like them.

Pointless second line.

To me it sound's like the Op's guest would be more a indentured servant to be honest.

Watch his kids
Cook his food
Wash his draws lol

And she would have to watch her kid and find and hold a full time job.

Sound's to me like he would making out like a bandit.

and it would never work.

I think its a good idea to do this. We have rental property in the mainland and we have chosen to lower our rent for our renters who have lost their jobs and are having a hard time. If there rent is late we just ask them to catch up when they can. We know buying food for them and their children is more important then the rent. We have no mortage on these rental properties so we are able to be flexible with our renters. Its not much but we arent kicking any of them out.

I am a single teen mom, i have no job officially (just odd jobs here and there), and i am a full time student. i don't smoke or drink, and definitely no drugs. I am actually looking for something like that right now, but no one in my area is as generous or considerate as you.

There are many people in my situation. i graduated with at least 10 girls who are in my exact same situation. We thought we could handle it, but with school and the economic crises on top of everything, it is getting harder and harder to make ends meet.

I think your idea is GREAT! just make sure to find someone who is good, do back ground checks and get all the facts about them. but i wish you the best of luck and i hope more people are willing to do this sort of thing. as if people don't want strangers, then maybe extended family or blended families could start sharing closer quarters in this tough time.

reply to post by Elostone




good for you....

but the harsh reality is that your community can only offer the level of help/support/bending-over-backwards for ONE such person, & you were the first to fill that category.


your environment, a community of 1,000, is where people can be eglitarian
and magnaminous to a person --- for a time, but even a year will wear thin on the others who are struggling too.

There are some people who have used the strategy of feigning mental 'slowness' as a way of adapting to the environment they are in


others have used the electic, strange-but-harmless 'artist' as a device to beat the rigors of Social-Darwinism.


the bottom line is, that only a handful of individuals can sculpt a niche in the community as you have done...and in a town of thousands there might be social rings that might allow perhaps 4-5 such as yourself to sustain themselves....
keep in mind, to my mind & likely the general opinion: your situation is not thriving career choice, but is only an interlude.

real life is sure to balance out the recent past you've experienced


good luck,

reply to post by Doomsday 2029


I think you have a great idea. I live in San Francisco and own a large 3 bedroom flat and have had roommates for years. Some of my experiences were good, some not so good. Just have a rental agreement drawn up. Make your expectations clear and get to know them a little first. (Oh..And ask for references..as many as you can get, and call them)

I say good for you!