Homelessness
- Sarra Garrettposted 12 years ago
0If you found yourself homeless, I mean homeless to the point of no job, no car, no home, no family and no friends. What would be the first thing you would do to start being a survivor?
Learn to grow and harvest food, probably. That's the most basic of survival skills. I'd probably fasten a shelter from some store's dumpster; stores throw out all sorts of stuff from cardboard, to rugs, to furniture, to food (yay!)
I'd probably live behind a store if I were homeless, come to think of it. Of course if I was out in the country I'd probably learn to hunt and farm instead.Using cardboard makes the perfect shelter as well as newspaper to insulate yourself with. However, you can not live behind a store, it's against the law and you would be chased away for loitering. You would have to live under a bridge or someplace where you can't be seen. You also have to be careful when dumpster diving for food as if you get caught you get jailed for stealing. Gives you something to think about doesn't it. Good Answers though!!!
Yeah we called the cops all the time on dumpster divers when I worked in retail.
So...be sneaky about it, and don't get caught! There's GOOD stuff in those dumpsters!
The first thing to do is create a list of where the nearest soup kitchens are so you can plan your day around their locations. Been there -done that!
What happens when the soup kitchen runs out of food before you get inside? You need to be prepared for that. You can't just stay in one spot all day long you have to keep on the move. Wouldn't you eat every other day so that others could eat as well?
Food banks and churches who serve meals are plentiful around my area. I doubt that anyone in Central Virginia is hungry. They may not have steak everyday but they have food.
If this is the situation, and you've managed to find internet access and are attempting in whatever way you can to increase your income and better your surroundings, you are already a survivor. The only way is up.
Really? Just because I have temporary internet access doesn't mean that I am on my way up. I can only stay here for 2 months in a campground. I have no car, no job no clothes but what is on my back and live in a tent. I don't make any money on the internet but I try and in most instances you need a telephone which I don't have. Yup, on my way up alright. (she says scarcastically) I am however a Survivor!
I meant that when the situation is this dire, there is only one way, and that is up.
I appreciate your optimism Holly, but it doesn't work that way. There are two ways: Up and Down. You can only stay up for so long then you end up loosing hope and giving up. I'm trying not to give up right now. This is real!
I know it's real and I know it's a rotten situation that you are in, no one should be left to camp in the freezing cold weather and then told that this can only be a temporary measure anyway. I don't know how it works in the US, so forgive me if this sounds like a stupid question, but are there no temporary shelters that you can access? I know you have dogs, I read it on your last post, if you could find temporary shelter is there no animal shelters which will take them until you get back on your feet?
The closest shelter is 50 miles away. Shelters are very very dangerous. They provide nothing but rape and even murder so I would rather live in a tent with my dogs and my .12.
In that case I can well understand why you'd rather live in your tent. At least with your dogs and .12. you have some protection.
exactly. Plus, when I run out of food I can hunt turkey, duck, geese and deer if I had to.
Well as I said, there's no doubt you're a survivor, I suppose the most pressing issue now is where you can camp after you have to leave this site. As well as making sure that you have enough clothing and blankets to keep you warm. If you lived near me, I'd tell you to come stay here till you get back on your feet, dogs too.
Thanks Holly, I haven't figured out where I'm going to go yet. I actually need to move now while the weather is still good.
Ok, keep in contact with us, Sara. let us know if there's anything at all that we can do to help.
No one has really answered my question. I don't want pitty. I want to know what you would do if you found yourself homeless with no place to turn to. Are you prepared to live on the streets? How would you do it?
City Sreets are not a good idea, smaller town would be safer and keep looking for work. for work is love made visual.
You need to read your HP bio every morning and every night.
The government in the USA gives out cell phones and up to 250 minutes a month-all free. Anyone who is living in a tent - 50 miles from civilzation is "Choosing" to live that way.
There are other towns to go to and start over.Oh really? Where do I get one of these Free phones you never mentioned it? Don't I have to have an address? How am I supposed to get one if I can't get to town? Once I get one of these phones what am I supposed to do with 250 free minutes? Who am I supposed to call Ghostbusters? How do I get more minutes on my phone if I get a job on the phone?
I do live in a town, it's called Morse Bluff. The nearest town is 5 miles down the road and there are no jobs. There is no public housing my friend. No public transportation. I used to have a farm. I live 50 miles from Omaha and Lincoln where the closest shelters are located. Uh, but I don't feel like getting beaten, raped and possibly murdered . I do not choose to live in a tent. I have no other place to go.
I'm glad you live in a big city and have a job and a car and a warm home to go to everynight and are able to take a long hot shower. I also know you are shallow and only think of yourself and have never in your life ever helped another person in need.
I am sorry you are so blind my friend as to what has happened to our country and the amount of people who are homeless without shelter. You know, there are long white canes with red tips that can point you to some.So you're glad I live in a big city- Wrong! I'm in a rural area living in a substandard house. yes I can take hot showers or use the cold water hose in summer like I did for 5 years. As for a car- nope - you see because I sincerely believe in helping people- A car got totaled that was in my name by a family member, that wasn't supposed to be on the road. Want to guess who got charged for insurance. Got another car- family member took it to town got rear ended, car totaled. Guess who got charged again by Motor vehicles dept. can't afford another car and if I want to run my house there is no money for another car nor to pay 1k to DMV.
I know all this is going to be made public but right now I don't care. I'm in these writing sites to pay utility bills. I know many people who are homeless I've tried to help many of them- but they're like alcoholics or drug addicts - they have to want to help them selves. I've been used and walked on so much that recently I decided to discontinue theopen door policy!
After living through over 20 years of physical, mental and emotional abuse(wanna see the scars?) by ex's I'm proud to be managing my substandard house. I've spent all of my 66 years helping other people and ignoring my own needs. the door is closed- end of story! unless you have another accusation.
gee I forgot Safelink wireless will give you a free phone and put 60-250 minutes on it every month. You can thank Obama for that. they use them to track people.You started it by telling me that I am choosing to live this way. As far as you letting someone borrow your vehicles yes you are responsible for the losses and if you need to know why just ask I'll explain it. I was insurance for years. I'm not accusing you of anything. I'm telling you the truth about your SSI and your hot water and your bed etc and what you are allowed to have through the government.
Wanna see my physical and emotional scars? Let's compare them to each other. You attacked me I am just countering what you are telling me that is available. So what about the free phone? Where do I get one? You still haven't answered that question.
There is no shame in trying to make extra money writing on these sites. If I wrote better I would be making money myself, but I don't. I would rather be living in a sub-standard house than in no house at all. You are blessed and don't even know it. Be thankful for what you have and stop telling me that I am choosing to live as I am. I'm freezing my ass off and sleep on the ground. Have you ever been to Nebraska? There is nothing here.
And by the way, I know what I have in my HP Bio. It's true, there isn't anything I can't do as there isn't anything I can't learn. I just need a job and a way to get there.
Find shelter, if that means a lean to then so be it. Find a water source, dehydration is your worst enemy. A food source, fishing,hunting,trapping whatever it takes. These are the things I would do first.
Apart from monetary necessity for medical items and rent, there really is a gorge between homeless and hopeless. As KK said, grow food. It takes only 28 days for most small foods to grow to harvest. Larger foods like wheat take 84 days. There are fresh water supplies//streams nearly everywhere or not too deep that they cannot be welled, so sanitation, drinking water is not much of an issue. The largest issue is shelter, and this is a tough area, because squatting is illegal in parks, protected forests, etc, where some of the best 'tools' for shelter//elemental protection exist. It is also an issue because nearly half of an average persons income goes directly to this 'asset'...
It is nice that VOA or other faith-based charities offer assistance, but too often it becomes a leaning post for many as does federal assistance programs. Truth be hold, I was homeless for about two weeks at one point, which pushed me hard and into a temp job [roofing] in winter. roofing, me? An intellectual, successful executive chef? Yes, its true. I didn't know the difference between a tack nail and a shingle. But I got up on that latter and hammered my @ssets off in 25-30 degree weather, when some 40pp career homeless turned down the job. In two weeks I managed to stabilize my situation without family, friends or other assistance, less a single daily meal from the volunteers. Ironically, the gentlemen who hired me had been in my shoes a year earlier. He did not know I was homeless until after the season finished, and I mentioned it over lunch, which I bought him to say thanks!
So, where would I start:
1. prevention -downsizing lifestyle, sell off the stuff and keep cash in reserve -or in an interest bearing account.
2. keep a sack of seeds, roots, etc for planting ; learn about nature and the massive variety of things she has us to use from acorns to leaves, trees and even flowers for food and shelter usage. [this part was easy for me, as i had coursed in forestry, botany for my culinary degree]
3. break out of the "job block box" and do whatever is available to keep cash on hand [one way is to work night shifts or graveyard in winter or days in summer when the elements are at peak]. Also, check into your employment benefits availability.
4. avoid extensively using federal services or homeless groups, because in many respects they can pull you down mentally else leech off you on the way up and out.
** ps, job wise, I know this sounds insane, but check for recently built homes and offer to do post-construction cleaning. A friend of mine did this and she ended up building a 15 employee company in Illinois. Yup, from homeless no-mainline job skills, to earning six figures a year washing windows and counter-tops.
** there is also hotel services, waitress, bar-tending even cruise ships offer room/board and excellent pay too for 10 month contracts.That would depend on the situation: if Sandy superstorm just hit - everybody around you is homeless also. But if a personal disaster - then that's a different story.
Can't depend on shelters (full) or split up married couples. Would have to go single and look for others on the street who can steer you to where to go for food, help. But no charity is going to put up a deposit for home, electric, gas - only if you have a cut-off or eviction notice.
Use somebody's house as mail address, cell phone, go to friends place to shower and heat up something in the microwave. Find out all the services in the area from more experienced homeless. Keep hidden from cops, pretend I'm religious in order to be left alone and not chastised for making "poor life choices" and other blame the victim tactics by do-gooders who feel morally superior to the poor.
Hope and pray for change for yourself my friend. Me too has been there are done that. And I know most days that if things continue then I could go there again.
I would try to find somewhere where I could receive board and lodging in return for work.
For example, I would investigate:
Residential communities of people trying to develop alternatives to life in a nuclear family.
Schemes such as World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)
Programmes enabling people to volunteer as a live-in carer for a disabled person.here's the problem. Do you live near one of these facilities? If not how are you going to get there?
and if you are homeless no one is going to hire you to work at a home for disabled persons.
Maybe it is different in the UK, but I once knew someone with no job and no home, who underwent thorough vetting with a voluntary organisation (CSV - Community Service Volunteers) and was accepted as a live-in helper in the home of a disabled man in exchange for board and lodgings and a small amount of pocket money.
He stayed there for a couple of years and then moved on to better things on the strength of his work experience as a carer.That is great for him! But there are no organizations like that where I live. The question was what would you do if you found yourself homeless. The reality of it is that most people have no idea. They have friends, family, don't live in America right now and have a job.
Writeangled, You've just given me an idea. Emmaeus. They have places all over the world.
Being an artist all my life, almost went homeless a few times. There is no tent cities in Canada, mission shelter are too dangerious in my books.
I got a 85 week grant to build off grid mini home and design a homeless home you could build for $100.
Just find a farmer with water somewhere and offer to do some work for themI have water. Farmers here are in the middle of a drought and most crops were destroyed including the irrigated fields. They may have a home but it's been in their family for generations and is paid for, but they don't have money or jobs to offer due to the drought. Even ranchers had to sell off most of the cattle due to the increase in hay and grain prices. The cattle in feed lots are currently not eating like they should be. They are eating a mixture of hay, some high protein grain, and gluten which is a byproduct of the ethanol plants. The price of beef has skyrocketed in America and will be going higher. I've already tried to get a job on several feed lots as they house their help however no one is hiring.
Good idea though. Thought of it. I'm asking you what you would do.Mosting building sand and snow sculptures worldwide, now builded off grid cabins and mini homes
Your area, sound like the second wave of the great depression. It would hitch hike to another area where there is jobs. Most homeless people do not survive a full year exposed to weather conditions.
Keep knocking on doors, and don't be too proud, There is always someone out there with enough money and heart to take you under their wing.America IS in another Depression! Of course our government doesn't want to admit it and we just got screwed with the reelection of our President. Anyway I have no problem in living in a mini home or a corn crib for that matter as I have seen some of them utilized as homes and think they are cool. I am a minimalist anyway. However, as far as hitch hiking goes no one will pick you up AND I wouldn't accept a ride anyway as you don't know why kind of creeps are out there.
I did ask a farmer if I did chores such as milk his cows could I stay in the barn. He wanted more than me just giving him a hand on the farm.....know what I mean. I would rather live in a tent.You can do it if you really want to- but first you have a reason to want to. You've come up with every excuse there is.
Several years ago before Iwas able torent a home- i lived in a camper in my first ex's back yard. There were many nights I went to sleep hungry. I held out until my social security kicked in(5 years) and then I rented a house. It's a constant struggle but I'm making it.
We don't have to deal much with killings and rapes around here so maybe you should head closer to the East coast.I have no excuses that I am giving. Do you want to drive here and give me a ride to town? Huh? You said the magic word SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK. Ah.......now I know how you are living comfortably with a warm shower and hot meals and a soft bed at night.
I don't have Social Security. I did get a ride t the food bank and I have my hunting license which I had already purchased and is good until the first of the year. Ah, you lived in a camper at your ex's house. So, you weren't homeless without any help were you.
So where do I get one of these free phones? Oh you have to be on Social Security????? Well, guess that get's me out of that loop.
Rape and murder are everywhere, small towns and big cities. I'm a disabled veteran and don't even qualify for free government goods so WTF!!!Sarra: You said you are a veteran. There is a big push on the part of the VA in recent years to get folks like you out of unfortunate situations like you are in right now. Maybe you've already explored this option, but if not maybe you can get in contact with the local VA Homeless Outreach Coordinator and see if you can get some help.
http://www.va.gov/homeless/
I wish you the best of luck and send prayers your way.
@Sarra. No I'm not prepared. There's a different culture in this country, were not necessarily taught how to hunt and fish, those kinds of basic survival skills. And in the city where I live, if we tried to pitch a tent anywhere other than in our back gardens, we'd probably get moved by the police. If I were in this situation in this country, I'd try to seek aid from a women's shelter.
You just gave me a great idea for a hub. Thanks Holly! I'll post it tomorrow. Have a great afternoon.
Good, I'm glad. You have the best afternoon that you can, Sarra.
Was that not your reason for starting the thread., to glean information!
NO MY REASON FOR STARTING THIS THREAD WAS TO ASK PEOPLE WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE HOMELESS. AND NO ONE COULD ANSWER THE SIMPLE QUESTION. .
I ASKED A QUESTION ONE TIME IF YOU COULD SURVIVE IN A CAVE IF YOU HAD TO AND I GOT MY HEAD BIT OFF. SO YOU KNOW WHAT..........TO ALL THOSE WHO THINK THAT FINDING WORK IN THIS ECONOMY IS EASY, LET ME SEE YOU GO OUT AND TRY IT. BUT YOU HAVE TO BE HOMELESS FIRST. DO YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO STICK IT OUT IN A TENT IN THE WOODS? 99.9 % OF YOU DON'T BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE SCARED OF THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT.
THIS IS NO JOKE PEOPLE, THIS IS SERIOUS. I ALREADY KNOW HOW TO SURVIVE AND PREPARED MYSELF BEFORE HAND. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SURVIVE WITHOUT YOUR SSI CHECKS? OR YOUR DRUNKEN DRUGGIES WHO TAKE YOUR CARS AND TRASH THEM?
DON'T TELL ME THAT I AM CHOOSING TO LIVE THIS WAY WHEN I AM NOT CHOOSING TO LIVE THIS WAY. ENJOY YOUR HOT SHOWERS, CLEAN TOWELS AND TV DINNERS WHILE YOU SIT BACK IN YUR COMFY RECLINER WATCHING YOUR FAVORITE SHOW TONIGHT. THEN DON'T FORGET TO TURN UP THE HEAT ON THE THERMOSTATE BECAUSE IT'S GONNA GET COLD TONIGHT.How dare you use what I shared against me.
I have some suggestions for hubs for you to write if you haven't already. Survival in the Wild, Foraging Wild Plants, How to Shoot a Gun, How to Hunt Wild Game, hubs about fishing. Write lots of survival hubs and you might help some people facing what you are and hopefully you can earn some money from them.
you are really nasty you know that. I'm not gleaning anything. Holly mentioned something of which I am going to write a hub about as it was a good idea she mentioned on the subject of being homeless. so glean this.
Right after growing out of foster care I found myself homeless for 2 months with no car, no job, a small bag of clothes, toothbrush/paste, and soap, and $100 to my name. I used half of that money to buy a sleeping bag and cheap tent. I put up shelter at a local campground that let people tent camp free. I got a POBox so I could at least have something to write down on job aplications. For food I dumpster dived. While it may seem gross to many I quite often got bags of chips, wheat crackers, oranges, apples, and canned foods that otherwise would have gone to the dump. Thankfully the small town I was in was looking for a cashier at the local gas station. My second week homeless I got a job there. I moved myself into a hotel by 2 months and a small (and pretty gross to start with) house by 4 months. We disn't have soup kitchens in our town. Once a week there was a place that gave out a small bag of breads and canned items. If it wasn't for dumpster diving I probably would have starved. Very thankful to be in a better place now where I can afford to help others going through the same.
Peeples:
Congratulations, you had the desire to get out of the poverty rut and you did. I wish you all the best in the future!Actually sarra that community I was living in is doing better now than it was 10 years ago when I aged out even though they only have a population of 1400 and are very rural. Granted all areas are not that great and I do see many who still live the life of homelessness (my mother and father currently by choice). The sad part is that I live in a different rural town now that has people without homes, yet there are mcdonalds, burger kings, and multiple gas stations always hiring. I don't understand it. I don't understand why these people aren't hired for the positions that are open.
Because they are homeless that is why they are not hired. You have to have an address in order to collect a paycheck. Plus, the owners don't want a homeless person working there due to the liability of stolen goods from the restaurant or cash register. There is NO break!!!!! This is the new reality. Read my hub about homelessness being the new leprosy.
I only know of one person who chooses to live on the street. Me, I don't choose this, I don't have a choice. I know you have been homeless and I have been too once before when I was 30 years younger and I joined the Army to get out of being homeless. Try it at 50 it's not easy.
It's easy for people to sit back in their comfortable easy chairs and say: "Oh they choose to live that way" "There are jobs out there if they try hard enough" "Knock on doors I'm sure someone will give you money and a room to stay in"
There should be a reality show called Homeless in America and challenge these rich corporate assholes to live in a tent in the cold for 1 week and see how they fare.I have heard, though never personally known someone, that many people put down addresses to PO Boxes or Churches when they are homeless.
Oh don't get me wrong I do agree that it is hard. My parents are 67 and 50 years old. They do it by choice because of their choice to commit crimes/refusal to even look for work/refusal to be part of the normal world. That life has made my mother very unhealthy.
I do have to say though that sometimes when in a situation like yours morals have to be compromised at times to get ahead. I have known several people who got back on their feet but sadly had to commit minor crimes to do it. My humble advice to you is don't tell potential employers you are homeless, provide them with a previous address, check your city laws about dumpster diving (in 1988 the supreme court made it legal to dumpster dive as long as it was not posted to stay out), get a hen (for eggs), and check out your local craigslist for barter opportunities (they have a section where people can barter their services for product or cash). I'm sure with your age on me you may be wiser than I in this department, but I figure it can't help to post these ideas for others who may have not thought of them that may stumble across this thread while in need.
I agree with you. If only people really knew what the homeless face it would be harder to judge.Good ideas my friend. However, I am not about to steal from a farmer in order to have an egg to eat as they may be hungary too. That's why they raise chickens. I am also not going to break any laws nor get shot for trespassing.. As I stated, I have food and I hunt so food is not an issue. It's a home that is an issue and without a job you can't have a home.
Here's the cycle. No public transportation, no car, no job, no home. I have no problem in 'fibbing' on an application however, there are no fast food restaurants where I live. These are family run businesses and they are barely staying afloat. We have gas stations, however, the towns are so small that #1, friends are hired before anyone else and if you have a first job, you'll be hired to work as a second job. Make any sense? Absolutely not!!!! But that is the way it goes. Plus, you have Age Descrimination. I worked as a short order cook in a little restaurant. Did you know that I lost my job because I could get more food cooked than the high school kids could when they worked, I was making them feel bad, they complained to their mommies who also worked there thus I got fired. Well there's a find how do you do for doing a good job.
You know what. I'm just about ready to throw up my hands and say F it.
- Sarra Garrettposted 12 years ago0
not one person on here get it. you all think this is a joke. buy a chicken? with what???????? where in the hell am I gonna keep a friggin chicken?
food is not an issue
a job, a car, a home is the issue.Food may not be an issue for you but it is for many and chickens are given away free all the time on craigslist. So are many other things that can be sold for money to provide housing and a car. When a job is not an option people must improvise. Freecycle, craigslist, local yahoo groups are all resources for free items that you can turn around and sell to be able to afford a rent payment in a rural area. Again bartering is a large option being able to use the skills you have gained through your years to get things of need. You say food is not an issue, great then start with the other options. You sound as if you have given up.
Please don't take your anger out on others trying to help.
Chicks are cheap...like $20 bucks...Although I agree that finding a place to keep one could be hard, although I do see portable chicken enclosures (very small, 1 or 2 chickens) around.
I'd also like to point out that you could get a few hundred bucks from selling your computer.......Sarra,
I've just found something on the internet, and IF, there is a branch near you they may be able to help out with a job and accommodation or put you in touch with an organisation who can.
Years ago I worked with people who found themselves homeless and I referred quite a few people to them and they did help. Basically, they work with the homeless and they offer them work in return for accommodation, 3 meals a day and a very small wage. They are an international organisation called Emmaus.
They recycle old furniture and sell it to the public. The workers either work in the warehouses, the kitchens, drive the vans during house clearances, there's all kinds of work that they do.
So far I've found that they've opened in Maine and Northern Carolina, but I know that's no use to you because it' s miles away. Having said that, the website has not been updated since 2009 (I doubt the website is their main priority)
Here's some information about the one in Maine, just to give you some idea of what it's all about http://www.homecoop.net/volunteers/volunteers.html
It appears that they also want people with experience of working on a farm or carpentry, weaving skills etc. There should be some contact details on there. When I've tried it just sends me to the UK branches, obviously because I'm in the UK.
They might be able to put you in touch with someone in your own locality who can help with accommodation in return for work. Might be worth a try.Okay, I honestly don't understand how you can say that--all these folks have been offering advice on what they'd do if they were in this situation!
Anyway---I found this link when I googled "nebraska community housing homeless": http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src … g/homeless .
This is the first paragraph:
Looking for Homeless Assistance?
If you are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or know someone that is homeless, help is available. HUD, along with many other Federal agencies, funds programs to help persons who are homeless. Local homeless assistance agencies provide a range of services and assistance, including emergency shelter, food, housing counseling, and job training and placement assistance. For general information on available resources, please visit the Resources for Homeless Persons page on the HRE.
My husband works for a similar county agency here in Ohio, and the program is wonderful for people needing help.
I am sure that there are many steps , but if you're interested, you can start there, at least, and see where it will take you--I'm sure there is probably an email address to contact them.
Good luck.The Salvation Army helps homeless people get into homes too.
I was there years ago. This is what I did. I went to a Catholic Church. They have a St. Vincent de Paul's program in my state that helps out people in dire needs. The volunteers at St. Vincent de Paul even gave me information on other places where I could go for more help, even for dog food.
I also went to the welfare office and they gave me emergency food stamps and medicaid. They also put me in a program where they helped me find work. Goodwill industries has a "Four Wheel Program" in my state and they helped me with getting into a car for $50 a month.
I rented a mailbox for $17 a month that shows a physical address so you can put down on job applications. I also got bus passes but I can't remember if it was the welfare office or the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Like I said, this happened to me years ago and things may have changed a bit, but there are resources out there that we normally don't hear about until we get in touch with the right people. I pray you will have victory over your situation. I know it is rough to go through this.Sarra
Tia Ivon and some part from TomCor has a pretty good plan there.
I'm not into praying to Churches, yet when it comes to survial, I'll do anything to live,except blow old men in dark alleys. I have hitch hike all over the world in my youth. It is a risk, yet better RISK than the one you are on, right now
Where I come from, homelessness doubles every three years and the Gov. claims 75% of homeless people are mentally ill. Get off the streets before winter sets in or you can lose your mind and then you could die. The Gov., greedy rich or the Army do not care if you live or die, you must.
If you lived in Canada I would more likely help you out , if you were here.
I have been homeless for over four years. With that being said, I do not support, promote, the homeless culture, institution, or it's people. Frankly, I despise other homeless people, not necessarally you. I also despise the faith based charities taking care of them, liberal social workers, and all. I am not like the other homeless people at all. I have a storage unit in Antioch with lots of stuff. I live in a totaled out car full of stuff, which is my house. It no longer runs. I have a phone, a food stamp card, a voter card, a post office box at the post office, all of my cards and paper works, and my birth certificate can be ordered. I have a job and I work every chance that I get. There is a critical housing shortage in Nashville. The waiting list for Section 8 is one and a half years. I rented a slum for 15 years, and frankly, I never want to go back to that. I have no real problem being a cowboy on the range. I am looking for additional work. Homeless people are generally addicts, convicts, felons, regular habitual offendors, free loaders. Many of them are mental. People who take care of them are enablors. Normally it has to do with public recognition, media attention, stoking the faith demographic, and tax write offs. I avoid these places. Come to Nashville. They will feed you four meals per day, if you like walking marathon distances. If you can do it, they have seasonal and temporary shelters. You can also find clothes and hygiene items here. We have homeless people coming here from Europe and Australia. Word got out. Nashville is inundated. We trip over the homeless down town. There are hoardes of them, thousands of them, everywhere. They are the nastiest, both physical and socially, people you can imagine. They throw dirt down everywhere they go, socially and physically. There is always a mess going on near them. These types are terribly irresponsible, and also prone to vandalism. You can get a hand out in Nashville though for sure. Your not going to get real help. You will get a hand out. I am dictionary homeless, but I am not one of them, at all. I want out of that whole loop. I believe there is a site called thekeyalliance.org. Click on "where to find help." This is if you want to move to Nashville, which it seems to me most homeless do. My suggestion is, work a lot, and get out of the loop. Camp out maybe, but get out of the loop. Oh, I forgot to mention, I have a clean criminal record. I have met maybe 10,000 homeless. As far as I know I am the only one with a clean record. Yeah, get outta the loop.
Good, keep clean, jobs would be hell being both homeless with a record. You you still homeless?
Hey there, are you talking to me or her? I am absolutely homeless still. I can pass a nation wide federal background check, and local. I am going to work in the morning at secret job secret location. Cleaning up is hassle. And I was just harrassed today by the cops, and they ran my local stats and i.d. Not sure that Apartment life would fix any of this. Something is bound to happen. Saving up for another car-house. I have friends who want to be room mates. We'll see what happens. I am just worried about work. I want to work more and get a second job too. It will be okay.
Hey, Sarra, if you get this, sorry about upstaging your article and putting so much in, I did not mean to. You seem like a good person. Your resume from what I can tell is looking good. You were in the Army a while, an insurance investigator a while, and your an awesome writer obviously. You will be fine. It takes time. You will figure something out eventually. Get lots of blankets ready, and layers to wear. Keep your extremities dry and wrapped. I think I heard that you have a tent, that should hopefully block the wind. I have slept out in the single digits numerous times, got snowed in. I live in a broken down ford escort though. My water jugs and soda pops never freeze over. I do not have heat eithor. My Ford Escort is an incubator. It does get painfully cold, but it is survivable, just wrap up in 5 layers, take it seriously. You'll be fine. Your from the Army, you'll do fine. I am fixing to read some of your stuff. Good night.
Thank you Joseph. You didn't upstage me a bit. It's a terrible way to live, being homeless. If we could only find work we wouldn't be in this situation. It just urks me how people who are not homeless or never have been think this is all some kind of a joke, that we are lazy or deserve the situation we are in. It only takes one incident to be on the street. For me it was a broken ankle from wearing a friggin flip flop. When we are able to look for work we are looked at like we are lepers. See my article on Homelessness and Leprosy.
Personally, I'd like to see some big corporate mukety muck sitting in an expensive leather chair live on the streets or in the woods for a week just so they know what it's like. I wish the homeless could all march together in protest. But what would that do, absolutely nothing but get ourselves arrested for no fault of our own.
You are a young man and I know you will be just fine. Remember there is no job too nasty to do in order to climb to the top of the ladder. I'm 50 and I face age descrimination. We The People need to keep fighting and never give up. Just don't resort to anything illegal to try to make it as that will never work. You have shelter which is good. Keep warm my friend. I have to be careful what I say on the forums or I get booted off for some comment that I make that ticked someone off. Guess some people can't handle the truth of their own situation.Homelessness is very serious, everyone deserves a home. I’ve tried building a homeless community near Vancouver but, the logistic are so over whelming it has failed a few times. Right now many people in the Government thinks it’s cheaper to kill them rather than to give them a home in one of the coldest wettest countries in the world.
In costs about $70,000 each year to jail or hospitalize a homeless person, it's really cheaper to house them than to send the homeless to an early death. The most important part of the Goverment's job is to protect us.Vancouver sounds like America. It's less expensive to house the homeless than it is to put them in jail or let them rot on the streets. Did you know that in Seattle Washington, there is a house for alcoholics! Yes, they are allowed to live in their own apartment rent free and are given an alotment of say 2 beers a day. The local government does this to keep the alcholics off the street and so they don't pass out and freeze to death in the winter. What in the hell is up with that?
I am even willing to leave America for another country in order to seek employment. I have been posting on Craigslist and Linkedin giving the name of the campground so people can call and see that I am a real human with real problems right now.
I know the American government under the current 'regeim' and for the next 4 years, doesn't give a rats ass about the American People. We used to be one of the strongest countries in the world and now I believe we are #14? So Sad.That's why I stop going to the Goverment for solution. Off grid homeless mini Homes is the anwer and manage to get one year grant from the people in Creston BC from thr local people because people can take of themselves better..
You said no children. But your profile says you have a son in the military. Why isn't your son helping you out?
I don't know where my son is and he doesn't care if I am alive or dead he disowned me 3 years ago when I got sick as he 'couldn't deal with my illness'. But he is still my son and I'll always love him. I also have a brother who lives in New Hampshire, he is on a fixed income and is currently housing his own daugher.
To answer what is next: I don't have any friends. Not because I am a bad person it's because I don't trust nor like many people, that's why I have dogs. My hubs are mostly about helping others and putting smiles on other peoples faces and to pay it forward. I write what I am passionate about. I would like to see a better world but in order for that to happen everyone has to chip in together and work together.
I am having a setback due to a fx ankle. At 50 it's not easy to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I live in a very poor and rural area of Nebraska where there is nothing available to me. I have used my savings and I don't write well enough to make any money. I used to be able to pull myself back, I did it once before by joining the army. Now I'm too old for that. I'm writing about my homeless experience to show people that it only takes a second for your life to change drastically. I'm fortunate I have survival skills and I have shared those too. I'm trying to get people to think outside of the box. You can't rely on other people and you can't rely on government assistance.
I would however appreciate a job more than you can imagine. I am considered an 'outsider' in my area due to the fact that I'm not born and raised here and I am not of bohemian decent. The bohemians stared this area. My landlady is rather well off and in her late 20's and do you kknow that today the house I used to live in stands empty. It's a sad world we live in. Too much greed and no helping your fellow man.
Today one of my readers said the nicest thing to me which made tears stream down my face for the first time in years. And I'm greatful for what they said as I did get a smile on my face. But you know what? At this juncture I don't know if I am going to make it or not. I will try the best that I can.
There was only one person today who understands what I am going through. I had asked a simple question to see if anyone is prepared for the worst. I didn't ask for advise. I know what to do, but it's obvious that some think this is funny or that I am joking. This is no joke. My life changed in an instant from wearing a pair of flip flops on a spring day.
This is why I don't have friends. I don't trust people. Do you know how I long to hear my sons voice over the phone? Or to smell his head like he was still a baby? Even if I did know where he was I would let him know I was homeless as he has his own life to deal with.
I'm signing off for the evening. I'm tired, I'm crying and I just want to be with my dogs and lay down.I'm sorry for you, especially about your son. I'm 48 and if I became homeless and lost contact with my sons (currently 7 and 22), that would be the hardest part. As for what I'd do, probably the same thing you've done - find a rural area where I could hunt , fish, grow/gather vegetables - and not be found unless I wanted to be found. Probably in California, it's warmer than Reno and you can make decent money collecting cans and bottles. I also agree with Joseph041167 that I wouldn't want to be around other homeless people - for me it would be a safety issue.
Sara
I am so sorry for what you're going through, and I'm sorry some people are not taking it more seriously. Whether they realize it or not, most people are only a few months from being homeless themselves. I have no advice to offer, but please know I am praying for you. As I used to live in Nebraska, I know how cliquish small towns can be. If you need a shoulder to cry upon or a friend, just email me. I do care. I have been thinking about you ever since I read this forum post and some of your articles on homelessness. Although I realize how hard it is to make money on hubpages, don't be so critical of yourself, you are a good writer. Take care and keep in touch so we know how you're doing.Been there, done that. It's all good. Hang in there and don't quit.
I got down to where I had nothing but a bag of grits. I broke down, swallowed my pride, and went by the food bank at a little church. They gave me some canned goods. Peas and grits taste pretty good if you have been eating plain grits for a week.
When I was about to give up, I read the Bible. Somewhere, the writer wrote from a Roman prison, "I have learned to be content in all circumstances." A peace came over me. I am struggling now, but I can still find peace.
Sorry, I am not much help.Sarra I have no idea how things work in the states but I hope you get help soon. I was looking through one of the links someone provided here and I found this on one of the pages -
"Is a Veteran You Know at Risk of Losing Housing? Call VA Now. VA has comprehensive programs to prevent and eliminate Veteran homelessness. Contact VA’s National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 1-877-4AID-VET. You will reach a trained VA responder who can connect you with the resources VA offers through these and many other programs."
It may not be any use to you but I really hope it is.Interesting. The man live in a place where there are no services - yet if he moved to a big city where the services all - the 'helpers' ask you first off : where you from and can you move back there to "your own people?"
I had this happen to my friend at St. Vincent's - yeah it's part of the protocol, but don't think that folks realize just how awful they sound saying things like that.
That's why I wrote a hub, "Snappy Comebacks for Snarky Remarks" - but I think I should take it off and revamp it. Try not to sound so bitter and angry this time. This thing about not trusting people is so spot on.
Have friends who lost 2 apts twice over - why? The guests would fight, steal, deal - even through the bathroom window - without owner permission - and the renter gets kicked out. I don't like having anybody in my house. I've seen 'friends' go from place to place in my apt complex untill a door opens to them. they are just looking for electricity, hot water and to raid your fridge.
I'm not talking reciprocal help. In the beginning - your generous, then find out that some people take-take-take and give nothing back. Even a roll of toilet paper when you come through the door would be good.
Bring a gift:
A lot of gifts were 'regifted' dumpster-divers know the pick-up times and the times when there is good stuff, or good nieghborhoods where they throw away electronics and such. You may not need /want but it is recycled and it's the thought that counts - just like Xmas.
Best Summer Xmas: Boulder CO after the college kids leave for the summer. It's hippie Xmas! Ski's, boots, working TV's, jeans, etc etc. Unbelievable what wastrel brats there are out there.
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