Homeless Needs

The Kinds of Items Homeless People Really Need

By Thomas Hansen, Ph.D.

 

I have been asking homeless people for a couple years now what sort of things they really need.  Some friends of the homeless do not like to give cash away… afraid that the cash will not be used for items that are not helpful.  I make no comments on that here and simply say I hope all people can find ways to help other people, be they homeless or poor or in some sort of need.

When asked about what kinds of items are best to bring to homeless people, I get other comments before I hear a list of items.  Right away, they tell me that it works out best if the person bringing them a donation they have asked for.  For example, if a helper is near a grocery store, they can ask what the homeless person might like—and things they do not like.  

The homeless person can respond with a couple different options—thus giving the helper some idea what to spend, what to look for, etc.  The homeless person can also ask the helper to avoid foods or items that are problems for them. 

Examples of foods and drinks to avoid giving homeless people (without first asking) would be: no cheese or milk – for people who cannot have dairy items.  Other examples: no chips or popcorn – for people who cannot have sodium.  Still more examples: no red or purple grapes or plums or cranberries or other dark vegetables or fruits for people taking blood thinners (these foods interfering with their medication).

Some types of things that are helpful from a grocery could be bananas, apples, aspirin, fruit juice, vitamins, bagels, canned fruit, and yogurt.  All of these are sensible requests and have to do with the health of the homeless person.

The helper can ask the homeless person for some recommendations – and foods to avoid.  Also, the helper can say, “I’m going to be in the produce section… any interest in some fresh fruit?”  Further, they might want to say, “I want to buy you something that costs $5 or less… can you think of something they would have in this store that would fit that?”

Sometimes helpers simply do not know what to buy… so they wind up buying the homeless person snacks like chips and candy… two items many people cannot eat.  The snacks get thrown out if they cannot be traded for some other item once the helper has walked away.  There are of course many other items such as a cup of coffee (sugar?  cream?  black?) a helper can purchase.  A large coffee at many standard “to-go-carry-out” shops will be under $5.

Sometimes the homeless person needs other kinds of items nobody thinks of.  Some random items I hear people need are: postage stamps, breathe mints, toothpaste, wipes, tissues, fingernail clippers, deodorant, body spray, cologne, phone chargers, and ink pens (good ones that work!). 

Homeless adults will often need (and not know how to ask for) women’s paper products, condoms, Midol and similar pills, coupons for deals at fast-food restaurants, and of course gift cards for sandwiches and coffee and muffins.  Homeless children will often need small notebooks, crayons, pencils, pencil cases, small backpacks, juice packs, and healthy snacks with fruit, cheese, and crackers in them.        

All the people I have spoken with have said, “Why don’t people just ask?”  Many homeless people have diabetes or bad teeth.  They simply have no use for candy bars and caramel corn.  One homeless woman I spoke to said, “I got more pretzels today and do not know who is going to chew them for me.”

People have often said they feel like they will appear unappreciative if they do not accept certain foods or items.  They are afraid this will upset the helper who will go on to help other people instead… or worse yet will go home and give up on trying to help at all.

Communication is the common theme in the examples above.  Treating others with dignity – all people, not just the homeless or the veterans or the helpers – is terribly important.  Now more than before, people must pull together and try to communicate.  Said one friend to me recently, “This virus has strained friendships, made people crazy, and driven families apart… we must hold on and come through this big challenge!”  

Let us hope we will all become better communicators.  Let’s help each other, and listen to each other.  When people are hungry, let’s buy them a sandwich.  When people need a cup of coffee, let’s remember that almost anyone can become homeless in a very short time… such as when they are getting no pay checks and wondering what happened to them.