Have you ever been Homeless?

What prompted this question is this article I recently read.

www.reuters.com...

Technically, I have never actually been homeless. However in my 30's, after a painful and financially devastating divorce, left with only my clothes, a dog and a Ford pickup I lived on the road as a gypsy, traveling the American southwest, working at any job I could find and living in my camper. In retrospect it was a very matureing experience but I was so devistated by my divorce that all I could do was whine and feel sorry for myself. And drink.

I would like to hear of others experiences, living on the road, jobless, at wit end, and how did you deal with your situation, emotionally, physically, spiritually.


[edit on 27-7-2009 by whaaa]

reply to post by whaaa


No, I've never been homeless, but here in New orleans we used to have homeless communities infront of City Hall. They were in the thousands especially after Katrina, many took root at City Hall and they were forced to move to under a bridge because City Hall said it was bringing a bad look to the city (The 500+ outside city hall). Go figure, the city says they are broke yet they are buying all these political vehicles to replace the year old ones and of course they are moving city hall into the city, which is costing millions of dollars, that is apparently coming from the cities money and our taxes of course.

And lets not forget our crooked polticians. They are in the middle of a huge scandal right now with the Majors Office. if they find evidence on him, he may go to jail for a long time. Along with Bill Jefferson and a few others. Crooked politics is hurting New orleans bad, but I am sure it is worse in other areas. We have a lot of homeless people, but I think Florida has more then us and I know other cities have much more then us.

The article says hundreds, but it was much more then that, when the attention got louder that the homeless were setting up shop. Eventually, the other homeless people took shop up their as well.

Homeless in New orleans seek help from city hall

New York Times reports: Homeless In New Orleans

Needless to say you can thousands of articles on N.O and Homeless people. Its sad really.

EDIT to add Star and Flag.

[edit on Jul 27th 2009 by TheMythLives]

reply to post by whaaa


I was a couple of times, except we stayed with friends each and every time so I don't really know if that qualifies. Once we were forced out of the house we were buying from Hubby's mother cause she died and the will was nonexistant or probably ripped up by his awful sister whom forced us out of the house, One was we were unable to pay our rent and got out before they could evict so our credit wasn't ruined, then the last time the county took over the rental we were in so they could put in a jughandle and we were forced out by the county. Three different reasons and we never saved up any money, so we had to go to friends' places.

Yes I have many times in my youth been homeless. I would either stay with girlfriends or guy friends, but somehow always maneged to survive indoors.

However the memory which strikes me as the most significant was when I was around 16 years old and had run away, I had been living with friends for weeks and finally ended up with a guy who had a home but was as broke as me. We had no food.

So after having gone 2 weeks without anything but water, I set out to head home to family as it was thanksgiving.

Walking through neighborhoods I could smell turkeys cooking, pies and all the trimmings, man I was starving!

This was in California and a hot day. I started thinking about maybe running into a house and stealing a turkey and running.

I just about had the nerve up and saw a family gathered around a table, young and old alike, I could see them through the big bay window to their dinningroom.

I just couldnt do it, just could not take their dinner. So I finally made it out of the neighborhood and found myself sitting at a bus station bench with no money, and starving to the point of tears.

I looked over on the ground and there was a picture of a Jack in the Box hamburger, glossy print, a big juicy cheeseburger with the works. I picked up the paper and carefully pinched out the burger, and actually ate it.

reply to post by antar


What a touching story...you are truly a hero for not stealing that turkey!

Never been homeless, but with LOTS of siblings and a dad supporting everyone financially, it sure felt like it!

im going to be homeless in about 3 or 4 months, i think i'll do okay in terms of finding somewhere to live and mentally im quite self reliant so a lot of it is going to be changing my mindset from the familiar constant of having a home to being more changing and ready to replan if something goes wrong.

I believe the pc term is "RESIDENTIALLY CHALLENGED"...and yes I have been homeless..in Colorado in the late fall early winter and it was scary....I lived on the streets of a few weeks then in a friend's van that didn't run..it was next to their apt..and I got a shower for $1 @ their house...Stood in line at the local food bank early on Monday mornings..with the mentally ill folks..It was an humbling experience..and good for my soul in the long run...I learned a lot a bout humility, the value of living and working with the poor...and having faith in a power greater than myself..belief in The Great Spirit got me through many trials and challenges..I was never really hungry always had hot coffee and smoke..and a (reasonably) warm 18 degrees, dry place to sleep and friends..one even found me twice a week and let me wash my clothes at his house, fed me and gave me a knife, mess kit some MREs (meals ready to eat) military food..etc and warm clothes...I earned the spiritual gift of gratitude..(wanting what we have not just having what we have) and have never lacked for a thing I needed since then..good kharma helps..the experience restored my belief in the goodness of people/strangers.. Acts of Random Kindness and the value of REAL TRUE FRIENDS.

I hope this doesn't offend any of our ATS members that have been unfortunate, but I truly believe that if you live a good, honest life, it is impossible to become homeless!!!!

I have gone through the typical scenario, divorce, left with dog and truck and country song..........but I literally had friends arguing over where I would stay!!

I have had a house foreclosed on, but I had family members arguing over where I would stay!

I had a great-aunt and great-uncle that could not have kids of their own. They outlived all of their brother's and sister's and in their nineties, they had no direct family left. My mother and father built them a "mother-in-law's" suite, and they stayed there for a few years!!

If you find yourself homeless it means you have alienated all the people in your life that could have helped you! It means you have not made good connections, or treated people well. It means you have made poor economical and social decisions.

I know that it happens. And it is very unfortunate, but I cannot possibly see anybody that I personally know, ever becoming homeless! In jail maybe, but not homeless! My network of friends and family would never let that happen to any of their own!

If you are worried about this happening to you, begin to treat your friends and family better! Reach out and help those around you, because you may need help someday!!

That was such a sad story antar,i don't know if i was that hungry i could restrain myself.How did you manage to get your life back together? if you don't mind me asking that is.

reply to post by getreadyalready


I hope you don't mind, but i disagree with you, thats like saying that if your a good person you are not going to get murdered. Things happen and things happen and things happen. What about the Great Depression? I assume they alienated everyone in their life as well? I do not think its everyyone fault that their homeless (sure their are some that drove themselves their, but that applies to everything in life), because S... really does happen. Its unfortunate, but it happens.

[edit on Jul 27th 2009 by TheMythLives]

Originally posted by Solomons
That was such a sad story antar,i don't know if i was that hungry i could restrain myself.How did you manage to get your life back together? if you don't mind me asking that is.

Well it was probably my spiritual quest and good morals even being out there homeless.

I did not know about welfare or community outreaches, churches and the like.

I have many more stories of being homeless but that one like I said is the saddest and most pathetic.

Some of the most challenging were in the snow, living in the forrests and my car, which I drove with no licence plates nor did I have a liscence.

I did not even go legal until my 30's. Did not want a liscence, figured if I got caught I could either talk my way out of it or pay the fine.

I did walk away from a few cars if they broke down or even ran out of gas.

reply to post by getreadyalready


Just wait until the next phase hits you directly. We who are more tollerant of the real world will fare much easier. Not that we will not suffer too, but we will be past denial and shock.

Being on a survival level takes alot more than you could ever imagine.

I could barely read your full post as it is nonsense imho.

reply to post by antar


Whoa A, your life reads like a movie script.....

Any other experiences you would like to share?

in the minds of many i have been on and off for 25 years. although i consider my motorhome, and whereever i may be parked at the time my home.
in america, if you do not have a permanent address you are considedered homeless.
checkout the southwest in the winter. millions of homeless, many by choice, but now with the economy, many not by choice. it is just much easier living conditions in, say febuary, than being north.

Never been homeless - done my fair share of sofa surfing though! One place was getting pretty rough, it started out nice enough, some people moved out and some moved in - when the drug use within the place got serious (ie needles) Then I had to get out - got my self tested too just in case (I never got stuck to my knowledge and I never injected any drugs... But ya know, too many beers and I could of sat on a needle in the sofa and maybe not noticed... BTW clean of everything! and that few months was like 8 years ago now.

Quite a few times after being out all night (when the weather is nice) I crash out until the buses start running again - I know this city very well so I can find safe places - but that's a choice! I live about 6 miles from the club centre and I can walk it if I'm not too drunk!

I even know plenty of places where I have worked in the past who will feed me or hide me away if it's raining

Originally posted by TheMythLives
reply to post by getreadyalready

 

I hope you don't mind, but i disagree with you, thats like saying that if your a good person you are not going to get murdered. Things happen and things happen and things happen. What about the Great Depression? I assume they alienated everyone in their life as well? I do not think its anyone fault that their homeless, because S... really does happen. Its unfortunate, but it happens.

The Great Depression (or the current one before long) is a little different story. When everybody you know is in the same boat, there are not a lot of options!!

Otherwise, you are describing a series of catastrophic events, similar to a plane crash! Sure, it can happen where an entire series of unfortunate and unforeseen problems deplete your entire reserve of money, resources, and friends. But this is the exception, not the rule! What is the statistic for plane crashes? One in a 6 million or so?
www.planecrashinfo.com...

So, if the same unfortunate statistic applies to homelessness, the US should have about 58 homeless people in the U.S. (1 in 6 million)

I can live with that number!!

Of course it is unrealistic, but so is the 3.5 million we are estimated to have!
www.washprofile.org...

No.

I am blessed enough to have many family member's homes I would be welcome in should hard times fall. And they in turn are welcome in mine.

reply to post by whaaa


ok one word of caution about eating oranges... Once having not eaten in again a couple of weeks, I went to an orange tree and picked the biggest juiciest sweet oranges I could find, eating 13 of them I was in heaven, for about 10 minutes.

I found myself down on my hands and knees clutching my stomach in sheer and total pain. It tore the lining of my stomach UP.

To this day I cant take aspirin or eat red meat of any kind. I get heart attack symptoms and start to sweat and the stomach hurts soo bad I get sick to the point of vomiting.

These was a time my life because of a few bad relationship-choices that I found myself going to work "early" to get cleaned up and even for a few weeks, "shopping" at a local mall so that I could use the ladies room to get ready for work.Everything I had was in my car or work locker.
I simply took another job and struggled along until I had enough cash to find another place to live.Back then,may young people "struggled" in such a way,didn't mean it was easy,it meant you were making your way and sometimes "rent" just wasn't viable.We didn't get assistance,we got another job even if it was waiting on tables or cleaning offices after hours.

When you "leave in a hurry",you don't always have a well thought out plan,LOL!

Things happen in life to people and currently there are MANY who have fallen on hard times because of no other reason than circumstance...too many.

I helped serve on a soup-line in LA recently and my heart was heavy: most in line were families and people who had lost their jobs,not "low lifes".
They simply didn't have many options in this economic climate.


[edit on 27-7-2009 by irishchic]

reply to post by getreadyalready


What are you talking about... The worst thing is watching your money dwindle away and knowing your going to be homeless and their is nothing you can do.

But I am not sure what you were talking about? For instance what about this: People who paid for medical supplies and hospital stays to survive are now homeless 9Especially for cancer therapy and tumors). How is that their fault? Just curious, because according to your logic, they should either die or get a job when they can barely fuction...



I'm not trying to be mean, but your understanding makes no sense.

[edit on Jul 27th 2009 by TheMythLives]